another blue bell question

[Hazelb]

I've got a shady border with trees and shrubs and I'd like to underplant with native blue bells. When is the best time to do this?

Should I look out for bulbs to plant in the autumn or should I plant then 'in the green' like you do for snow drops?

[Hazelb]

[goodlife]

You can do either way..blue bells are really tough plants...but if you get them in now..in green..sooner they are in, sooner they will get 'comfortable' and hopefully are happy and ready to flower next year.

[Aden Roller]

And........... the sooner you may have to start thinking about how you can get rid of them!!  :D

We have been "thinning" ours out for years yet still the blessed things appear all over the place. Given a square foot they soon want 10.

I imagine ours are the Spanish variety what ever they are they simply will not go away despite very thorough clearing and weeding and management of the flower beds. After 25 years they are still hanging on in there!!  ::)

[Borlotti]

I imagine mine are the Spanish variety too, and they spread everywhere, but I still like them.

[goodlife]

Code Select Expand

And........... the sooner you may have to start thinking about how you can get rid of them!! 

;D..that too..

[ACE]

The difference for those that do not know. English look as if they bloom on one side of the stem and droop. Spanish are more like an open hyacinth and bloom all around the stem more upright. In both varieties the colour will be all shades of blue, sometimes white. I do believe they will cross pollinate

English bluebells






spanish bluebells

[Aden Roller]

Code Select Expand

And........... the sooner you may have to start thinking about how you can get rid of them!!  

;D..that too..

I'm not sure what I had added to my coffee when I typed that.  :-[
:D ;D

[Jeannine]

I have just had seeds for English Bluebells sent over,,any tips for those

XX Jeannine

[Robert_Brenchley]

They cross pollinate like mad, which is the problem. The Spanish types are more vigorous, and tend to take over.

[goodlife]

I have just had seeds for English Bluebells sent over,,any tips for those

XX Jeannine

I have never grown them (purposely) from seed..not usually necessary...but if I would..I would propably just sow them on surface of 'seed' compost on tray with slight sprinkling of grit over the seed and leave the tray outdoors allowing seeds to  germinate 'naturally' as and when they are ready. This time next year you will have 'jungle' of blue bell seedlings.. ;D    Headlines from future newspapers.."English bluebells are over taking Canadian wildess''   ;) ;D

[Jeannine]

I want to plant them under a tree ;D

XX Jeannine

[Eamon]

I would propably just sow them on surface of 'seed' compost on tray with slight sprinkling of grit over the seed and leave the tray outdoors allowing seeds to  germinate 'naturally' as and when they are ready. This time next year you will have 'jungle' of blue bell seedlings.

I think I'm going to try this. Nothing like bluebells to brighten a dreary Spring day. Cheers! ;)

[grawrc]

Well I've spent the last three years trying to get rid of them and they still keep coming back. I didn't even plant them - they spread in from next door. They're alright when they're flowering more or less but I find them quite ugly after flowering when their strappy leaves take over the garden. Yuck!

[Jeannine]

Lat week I was thrilled when a lottie friend showed up with a huge bucket  of blue bells in the green, then my heart fell thump when I realised they were the Spanish ones :( I did not use them. Back to my seeds.


I find the Spanish ones grow blossom all round the stem and stay upright as they are balanced , the English one only grow flowers on one side of the stem so they topple over with the weight which is why they droop at the top couple of inches.

XX Jeannine

[Aden Roller]

Well I've spent the last three years trying to get rid of them and they still keep coming back. I didn't even plant them - they spread in from next door. They're alright when they're flowering more or less but I find them quite ugly after flowering when their strappy leaves take over the garden. Yuck!

We have a huge patch of bluebells at the back of our garage along the edge of the track. They look beautiful out there under the trees but are regarded as a weed inside the garden - we too regularly lift and dump those that try to grow in the garden!

Outback, once they have flowered and the leaves have begun to wither, I often simply pull them and stick them on the compost heap. This allows other bulbs some space and air.

Lovely in their proper setting.  ;)