Snowdrops & Bluebells

[AntiqueBooks]

Hello

Yes, I know it's not even the shortest day/Christmas yet.

This will be the first time I have bought snowdrops or bluebells.

When are they likely to be in the shops? I know to buy them "in the green".

What do you do with them? I only have a small garden and my borders are mostly full so I thought I would perhaps plant in pots and try and get them to return every year.

All ideas and advice welcome, thanks!

Definitely keep the bluebells in a pot. Large drifts of bluebells look stunning in woodland, not so stunning when they take over a small suburban garden. (bitter voice of experience)

Thank you @BruceAndNosh !

I'm keeping my Forget Me Nots in pots for the same reason! (And I have heard to keep mint in a pot also!)

Please don't get Spanish bluebells - they are more vigorous than our native sort and also hybridise with them so they take over and eliminate the English ones. They look more impressive but are not such a pretty blue IMO, and lack the scent of English bluebells.

Thanks, no I'll be avoiding Spanish bluebells.

Do say B&Q sell them then if they are so problematic?

Snowdrop bulbs are only small and easy to remove. I spread them around as nothing much else is flowering by then. They do form clumps but that takes a few years.

B&Q doesn't care about causing problems. Bluebells have oddly deep bulbs which are not as contained as tulips or daffodils, and are difficult to move or remove. I only have a few but I want to move them next to each other rather than in random places, something that has eluded me for five years.

Google Eurobulbs. I bought a load of snowdrops from them for a woodland planting. They’ll arrive damp and wrapped up, plant as soon as you can. snowdrops don't like drying out too much so plant under shrubs/trees or where they are shaded in high summer. You can have them in pots, but it’s a bit of a waste of a pot! When ever I’ve looked at snowdrop bulbs in the garden centre they are dried to a crisp, with poor life chances…
Ask your neighbours or local gardening groups - It does them good to be divided, I give buckets and buckets away every spring!

edited to say - its too early for them yet, they wont be for sale until they are in flower, so jan/feb. They are well worth effort, first sign of spring!