Читать книгу Plant Solutions - Nigel Colborn - Страница 16
bulbs
ОглавлениеBulbs: medium and tall for spring
Dwarf bulbs for winter and spring
Bulbs: medium and tall for summer
Bulbs: medium and tall for spring
Fritillaria imperialis
Crown Imperial Hardy bulb
Largest of the fritillaries and ancient in cultivation. Big, pungent-smelling bulbs producing thick, fleshy stems, furnished with glossy, narrow leaves along their length. At their tips, clusters of large, dark-veined, orange or yellow bell-shaped flowers form below a topknot of foliage. The petal bases have glands which drip tears of nectar.
Soil preference: Any, well-drained
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 1m × 45cm (3ft 3in × 1ft 6in)
Companion plants: Big, bold spring plants for dotting among developing summer perennials or to naturalize among such ornamental trees as cherries, crab apples or hawthorns.
Fritillaria pallidiflora
Hardy bulb
A variable species with paired, narrow, grey-green leaves and thin stems which bear groups of two, three or four cup-shaped nodding flowers in a pale beige to creamy primrose. The bulbs are slow to increase and so work better in small groups than singly.
Soil preference: Any free-draining, but not too dry
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: To 45cm × 10cm (1ft 6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Superb when grown with other fritillaries and late spring flowers. Species tulips such as Tulipa sprengeri and T. acuminata go well, as does Fritillaria verticillata.
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
English Bluebell Hardy bulb
Dark, glossy, narrow foliage begins to emerge in early spring. The flower stems extend in mid spring, and carry clusters of hanging, bell-shaped, fragrant, dark blue flowers. Albino and pink forms also occur but are rare. Successful growth depends on a relationship the plants have with micro-organisms in the soil, and establishment can be difficult. Plant ‘in the green’ (ie. in leaf).
Soil preference: Woodland soil, high in organic matter
Aspect: Shade or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: To 45cm × 10cm (1ft 6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Suitable for naturalizing in shady places and beautiful with wood anemones, ragged robin, primulas or red campion.
Erythronium ‘Pagoda’
Dog’s Tooth Violet Hardy bulb
A garden hybrid with broad, richly decorated, glossy foliage, which creates a fine base for the sprays of elegant flowers. These are up to 5cm (2in) across, with pale yellow petals which curl to create a pagoda effect.
Soil preference: Woodland soil, rich in organic matter
Aspect: Shade or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 30cm × 25cm (1ft × 10in)
Companion plants: Fine when naturalised in a shady border or woodland garden, especially with bluebells, Uvularia and epimediums.
Ornithogalum nutans
Star of Bethlehem Hardy bulb
Narrow, grassy, rather lax foliage and erect, glossy stems which end with generous spikes of hanging flowers whose almost translucent white petals are lined with a pale green stripes. Thrives in a hot, dry spot on poor soil, but the flowers tend to be short-lived.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 45cm × 20cm (1ft 6in × 10in)
Companion plants: Useful as a ‘filler’ plant in dry Mediterranean style plantings among other bulbs such as Hermodactyla tuberosa, drought tolerant anemones and such species tulips as Tulipa batalinii.
Iris (Dutch hybrids)
Dutch Iris Bulb
Largely grown for the cut flower trade, but useful for dotting or bedding, these irises produce rigid, jointed stems, furnished with narrow, folded leaves and showy three-part flowers. The most widely grown are blue, as in the ‘Blue Magic’, but there are white forms such as ‘Madonna’. ‘Telstar’ has flowers in purplish blue.
Soil preference: Fertile, free-draining, not too dry
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: Up to 45cm × 20cm (1ft 6in × 8in)
Companion plants: Can be bedded with wallflowers, or to cool down displays of midseason or late daffodils. Also handy to line out with tulips for cutting.
Dwarf bulbs for winter and spring
Galanthus nivalis, G. elwesii
Snowdrops Hardy bulbs
Favourite indicator of winter’s end. Small, grassy leaves emerge in midwinter, soon joined by dazzling white blooms whose outer tepals cloak the greenish tipped inner parts. Noteworthy are G. nivalis in single or double form – easily the best for naturalizing – and G. elwesii, whose glaucous leaves are broader and whose flowers may appear earlier.
Soil preference: Any, not too dry
Aspect: Shade or part shade
Season of interest: Winter
Height and spread: Up to 20cm × 10cm (8in × 4in)
Companion plants: Beautiful and welcome everywhere, but best in drifts, with hellebores and winter aconites, perhaps under winter blooming shrubs such as Cornus mas or Salix caprea.
Eranthis hyemalis
Winter Aconite Hardy tuber-bearing perennial
Short stems bearing small, buttercup yellow, muskily fragrant blooms appear a day or two after the winter solstice. Each flower is cradled in a pretty ruff of green foliage. The leaves die down by late spring. A much loved plant whose appearance is brief and stature tiny, but whose timing is perfect.
Soil preference: Any
Aspect: Sun or shade
Season of interest: Winter
Height and spread: 10cm × 10cm (4in × 4in)
Companion plants: Beautiful in drifts with snowdrops, under trees or between shrubs. Plant potted specimens in growth.
Cyclamen coum
Hardy tuberous perennial
Kidney-shaped leaves, green or marbled in grey and green, begin to emerge in early winter. By midwinter, flowers shaped like squat ship’s propellers begin to open and are held just clear of the leaves by near-prostrate stems. Typical flower colour is rich carmine or cerise, but there are also pale pink and white forms.
Soil preference: Any, free-draining
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Winter
Height and spread: 10cm × 20cm (4in × 8in)
Companion plants: The foliage makes a pretty foil for snowdrops or aconites and the gem-like flowers sparkle among sombre blue winter irises. Also lovely in short grass.
Crocus imperati
Hardy, corm-bearing perennial
Narrow, grassy leaves appear in winter, soon accompanied by the frail crocus blossoms, which are biscuit beige on the outside, decorated with dark blackish purple veining. When the flowers open in sun, their insides are bright violet mauve. See also Crocuses.
Soil preference: Very free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Late winter, early spring
Height and spread: 10cm × 10cm (4in × 4in)
Companion plants: Precious to include in a crocus collection because of the early blooms. Also pretty with winter irises and Cyclamen coum.
Iris danfordiae, Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’
Hardy bulb
Leafless stems emerge in winter, carrying buds which open to bright golden yellow iris blooms. The narrow leaves extend as the flowers fade. Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ (pictured) is a hybrid with extraordinary colouring: veined dusky blue, yellow and white, with dark spots.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Late winter, early spring
Height and spread: 15cm × 10cm (6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Best in small specimen groups among other late winter flowers, or to bring interest to an Alpine collection to precede the main spring show, perhaps of saxifrages and dwarf narcissus.
Leucojum vernum
Spring snowflake Hardy bulb
Clump-forming bulb with dark green, lustrous strap-like leaves which emerge in late winter, just after the flower stems. These carry one, two or three flowers shaped like pleated bells or lanterns; pure white but with a faint green tinge along the tips. Stems and leaves extend after flowering.
Soil preference: Fertile, not too dry
Aspect: Part shade
Season of interest: Late winter, early spring
Height and spread: 20cm × 10cm (8in × 4in), spreading
Companion plants: Beautiful among tufts of lime green Hacquetia epipactis or below arching Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum multiflorum) stems, both of which flower a little later.
Focus on…
Narcissus
Daffodils are among the most popular of hardy bulbs. Variable in habit, they range from miniature species and hybrids to tall cultivars with large flowers. Leaves may be strap-shaped or, in miniature species, somewhat grassy. The flowers consist of a trumpet- or cup-shaped corona surrounded by flat or reflexed petals known as perianth segments.
1. Narcissus ‘Jenny’
A pale-flowered cyclamineus hybrid with white, strongly reflexed petals and pale lemon trumpet which fades to cream as the flower ages.
2. Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’
A very large-flowered, commercial variety excellent for cutting but unnatural-looking for small scale wild planting. The pleated lemon cup and white petals, with strong and upright stem give this variety good standing power and, by Narcissus standards, a long life, whether cut or left to bloom outdoors.
3. Narcissus ‘Tête à Tête’
Universally popular, Narcissus ‘Tête à Tête’ is early, compact, easy to grow and dependable. The buttercup yellow blooms, which may come singly or in pairs on the stem, have neat petals and small cups contrasting well with the deep green foliage.
4. Narcissus ‘Topolino’
One of the earliest varieties to flower. The petals are creamy white, making a lovely contrast with the neatly shaped, flared trumpet. Reasonably quick to multiply, and reliable in good, rich soil, this is a valuable miniature daffodil.
5. Narcissus ‘Jetfire’
A vigorous and dependable cyclamineus hybrid with buttercup yellow petals, slightly swept back, and a trumpet which matures to rich orange red. Bulks up more quickly than many hybrids.
6. Narcissus ‘Rip van Winkle’
An oddity whose cultivation dates back several centuries. The petals are split or shredded, giving a dandelion-like impression. Short stems, vigorous and, if not beautiful, at least jolly in colour and appearance.
7. Narcissus bulbocodium
The elegant little ‘hoop petticoat’ narcissus grow wild on the Iberian peninsula. They prefer moist but free-draining soils and, where happy, will self-seed and naturalise readily. For Alpine style meadows, they are superb but will also flourish in gravel, or in a rock garden.
8. Narcissus obvallaris
The Tenby Daffodil, an early species with upright stems and golden flower which are remarkably weather resistant. Ultimate height is 25cm (10in), but the flowers open while the stems are still short.
9. Narcissus pseudonarcissus
The true wild daffodil, short in stature, but big in charm. The pale petals lie along the darker gold trumpet until the flower is fully mature. Best in moist grassland, and easier to establish in high rainfall.
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
Bulbs: medium and tall for summer
Eremurus robustus
Desert Candle, Giant Foxtail Lily Bulbous perennial
R. Ditchfield
A beautiful monster with broad, fleshy roots arranged in a star or spider shape. Coarse, strap-like leaves grow almost 1m (3ft 3in) high before the thick, rigid flower spikes rear up. These are densely packed with fluffy pink flowers, whose tepals show greenish brown veining.
Soil preference: Free-draining, never wet
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Up to 3m × 90cm (9ft 9in × 3ft)
Companion plants: An individualist but dramatic when included singly or in small groups among such dry-loving shrubs as Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa), Teucrium fruticans or against the white clouds of Crambe cordifolia.
Allium ‘Purple Giant’
Drumstick Allium Hardy bulb
Member of the onion family with green, glossy leaves which begin to wither before the bold flower spikes mature. These are topped with massed, deep purple blooms arranged in a drumstick formation. A free self-seeder, best sited where other foliage will help to disguise the withering leaves.
Soil preference: Fertile, but free-draining
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Early summer
Height and spread: 1m × 20cm (3ft × 8in)
Companion plants: Frequently used to furnish the base of a laburnum tunnel, where the purple and yellow flowers can contrast, but also beautiful naturalized with other drumstick alliums among tall grasses.
Dierama pulcherrimum
Angel’s Fishing Rod, Wand Flower Corm-bearing perennial
A South African native and strikingly beautiful in outline. Narrow, evergreen, sword-shaped leaves form a dense clump from among which graceful, arching wands develop. These divide into branches of wiry, nodding stems whose almost transparent, papery buds open to reveal bold reddish-purple flowers which hang like lanterns.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 1.5m × 30cm (5ft × 1ft)
Companion plants: Best when sited to create a focal point, perhaps in gravel, where it can set off sedges and grasses. Smaller species such as Dierama dracomontanum also make interesting companions.
Galtonia candicans
Summer Hyacinth Marginally hardy bulb
Bold, strap-like leaves surround a big, rigid stem whose top third, in summer, is furnished with bell-shaped waxy white flowers. These are held well away from the stem and hang downwards gracefully. Gently fragrant and a relatively free self-seeder.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 1m × 30cm (3ft 3in × 1ft)
Companion plants: A good plant to distribute among old fashioned roses or to include with a cool colour scheme of anchusas, campanulas and Anaphalis.
Gladiolus hybrids
Tender, corm-bearing perennials
Large group of frost tender, corm-bearing plants derived mainly from South African species, with flat, ribbed, swords-haped leaves and tall spikes bearing showy, open-throated blooms with flared tepals in mainly vivid colours through purples, pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows to lime green and white. Many are bicolours. ‘Grandiflorus’ kinds have the largest blooms; ‘Primulinus’ have narrower leaves and hooded flowers and ‘Nanus’ types are dwarf.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Variable to 1m × 30cm (3ft 3in × 1ft)
Companion plants: Developed largely as competition blooms or cut flowers. Larger varieties are hard to place in mixed plantings; newer smaller kinds make attractive groups in a late summer border, among hybrid dahlias, perennial asters or taller phloxes.
Agapanthus (deciduous hybrids)
African Lily, Nile Lily Tender or marginally hardy bulb-bearing perennials
Deep green, shiny, strap-shaped leaves form dense clumps among which, in late summer, tall stems emerge, bearing at their tips short-stalked umbels of many six-petalled flowers in shades of blue or white. Varieties, whose leaves die right down in winter. Free-flowering kinds include the deep blue ‘Midnight Star’, ‘Jack’s Blue’, and ‘Loch Hope’ and ‘Bressingham White’.
Soil preference: Any well-drained
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Up to 1.2m × 75cm (4ft × 2ft 6in)
Companion plants: Good in containers, or in mixed herbaceous plantings among such late summer flowers as phloxes and asters, or to contrast with hot-coloured daisies such as rudbeckias, heleniums or coreopsis.
Bulbs for autumn
Colchicum speciosum
Autumn Crocus, Naked Ladies, Naked Boys Hardy bulb
Crocus-shaped flowers emerge directly from the ground at the end of summer, disappearing completely after blooming. In spring, glossy foliage appears and forms a bold clump, with seed heads carried at the base of the leaf. Flower colours are typically lilac or mauve, with pale petal bases, but C. speciosum ‘Album’ has soft white flowers.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Late summer, early autumn
Height and spread: Flowers to 20cm (8in), foliage 45cm (1ft 6in)
Companion plants: One to site where the coarse spring leaves will not be troublesome. Lovely naturalized in grass or in a border with softly coloured late perennials including aster and Sedum spectabile and dainty flowered hardy fuchsias.
Amaryllis belladonna
Belladonna Lily, Jersey Lily Near hardy bulb
Thick stems emerge naked from the ground in early autumn rapidly extending until the plump buds at their ends have opened to reveal a cluster of large pink flowers with white centres. The strap-like leaves follow in spring and summer. Bulbs flower best when congested and when baked in summer sun.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun, very hot and dry
Season of interest: Autumn
Height and spread: 60cm × 15cm (2ft × 6in)
Companion plants: The flowers come as a delightful surprise, in autumn and are beautiful among Mediterranean shrubs such as French lavenders and silver, feathery artemisias.
Crocus speciosus
True Autumn Crocus Hardy corm-bearing perennial
Slender, wineglass-shaped flowers emerge, without foliage, in autumn, followed, in late winter, by the grassy leaves. The violet blue flowers are marked with darker pencil veining and have showy, orange stigmas. Slow to establish but superb in large numbers.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Autumn
Height and spread: 12.5cm × 10cm (5in × 4in)
Companion plants: Not a showy plant, except when grown in bold drifts, preferably in short grass, or among autumn flowering cyclamen such as C. hederifolium or C. cilicium. See also Crocuses.
Cyclamen hederifolium
Sowbread Hardy tuberous perennial
Loaf-like tubers lie just beneath the surface of the ground. From them come masses of pink or white flowers, each with five petals swept right back to give the typical cyclamen shape. Some races are sweetly scented. From late autumn the flowers are joined by decoratively marbled leaves which persist through winter until the end of spring.
Soil preference: Any, but not wet
Aspect: Any
Season of interest: Autumn, winter, spring
Height and spread: 15cm × 30cm (6in × 1ft)
Companion plants: An essential part of any wild or woodland garden, going well both with autumn colchicums and with spring primroses and other bulbs. The leaves are lovely with Anemone blanda popping up among them.
Leucojum autumnale
Autumn Snowflake Hardy bulb
Thin, dusky green foliage emerges in winter, looking like dusty grass. In early autumn, the tiny, fragrant, pinktinged-white, nodding flowers are hard to see as individuals but are beautiful when grown in drifts. A native of Spain and North West Africa.
Soil preference: Dry
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Autumn
Height and spread: 15cm × 10cm (6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Not spectacular, but charming if colonies are allowed to bulk up among such rock garden plants as alpine pinks, auriculas and Lithodora.
Nerine bowdenii
Guernsey Lily, Spider Lily Hardy bulb
A South African native which produces stems carrying umbels of brilliant pink flowers, whose petals are curled outwards and crisped or crinkled at their edges. The leaves follow in late winter and spring. Bulbs flower best when congested and when warmed by hot summer sun.
Soil preference: Any well-drained
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Autumn
Height and spread: 60cm × 15cm (2ft × 6in), spreading
Companion plants: An outstanding cut bloom. The candy pink contrasts sweetly with the soft violet blues of perennial asters or with the reds and rusts of spray chrysanthemums and autumn foliage.
Focus on…
Lilies
A group of hardy bulbs of diverse habit, lilies are superb for producing elegant, showy flowers throughout summer and and sometimes into early autumn. Many also have fragrant blooms for added appeal.
1. Lilium lancifolium
The tiger lily, whose tiger-orange petals are strongly spotted, rather than striped. The stems produce axilliary buds which develop into bulbils, tiny bulbs from which the plant is easily propagated. Lime tolerant.
2. Lilium regale ‘Album’
A pure white form of the regal lily, whose richly fragrant, elongated flowers are more usually flushed pink on the outsides of their petals, but with creamy white interiors.
3. Lilium henryi
Probably the most lime-tolerant of all the lilies, with tall, flexible stems, dark in hue, and narrow, glossy leaves. The flowers, which open late in summer, are bright orange, with raised, dark spots on the petal surfaces. The petals curl back as the flowers mature.
4. Lilium martagon
The Turk’s Cap lily, a European native with tall stems whose leaves are attached in whorls on a tall, self-supporting stem which carries generous numbers of purplish pink or white flowers. The petals turn back on themselves to resemble turbans. Lime tolerant.
5. Lilium longiflorum
A vigorous, fast growing lily with the stem-rooting habit. The flower stems carry up to six intensely fragrant, pure white flowers. This variety, ‘American White’, has green tips to its petals and there is a blush pink variety, ‘Casa Rosa’.
6. Lilium ‘Golden Splendor Group’
A vigorous strain of lilies suitable for outdoors with sprays of large, elongated, bright yellow blooms, whose petal backs are pinkish, in mid to late summer. Lime tolerant.
7. Lilium ‘African Queen’
A very tall, trumpet-flowered hybrid lily whose large, showy blooms are brownish purple in bud, opening to a rich egg-yolk hue, between orange and yellow. Protection from severe frost is necessary.
| 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 |
Bulbs for containers
Narcissus (dwarf hybrids)
Bulb
Familiar narcissus and daffodil shapes, but on smaller scale plants. Good varieties include buttercup yellow, small flowered ‘Tête à Tête’, the lemon and white ‘Jack Snipe’, whose outer petals are swept back, and the intriguing ‘Queen Anne’s Double’, whose flowers are almost like small yellow roses. Later varieties include the highly scented jonquil ‘Trevithian’ and ‘Hawera’, whose tiny cups are accentuated by fully reflexed petals.
Soil preference: Any, not too dry
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: Up to 25cm × 10cm (10in × 4in)
Companion plants: Naturals with almost any small, spring-flowering planting scheme, these narcissi will spice up forget-me-nots, primroses, winter heathers or such big foliage plants as Bergenia.
Eucomis bicolor
Pineapple Lily Marginally hardy bulb
Undulating dark green leaves surmount a single, thick, cylindrical stem carrying masses of tightly packed flowers in a broad spike. A topknot of foliage, above the greenish, dark-edged flowers, gives the impression of a pineapple. A handsome display of ripening seed capsules follows.
Soil preference: Moist, humus-rich
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Summer, autumn
Height and spread: 60cm × 45cm (2ft × 1ft 6in)
Companion plants: A streamside plant in its native South Africa, but excellent in containers for summer gardens. Mix with potted cannas and bananas to enhance the tropical feel and create a striking patio display.
Leucocoryne purpurea
Glory of the Sun Tender bulb
T. Cooper
A species from South America with grassy foliage and spikes bearing six-petalled flowers, which are mottled purple with paler centres. Under-used in northern gardens, this plant is, however, a genus of great beauty. Leucocoryne ixioides has brilliant blue flowers with white petal bases.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring, early summer
Height and spread: 45cm × 15cm (1ft 6in × 6in)
Companion plants: Though tender, these will over-winter with minimal protection and are beautiful near the silvery foliage of, say, Convolvulus cneorum or Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ in a large container.
Lilium hybrids
Hardy bulbs
Highly variable group, always with narrow leaves along the stems which bear sprays of large, often highly scented flowers. These may be funnel shaped or may open to form big, six-pointed star shapes, or can curl back on themselves to resemble turbans. Examples include ‘Casablanca’, tiger lily (L. lancifolium) hybrids and ‘Trumpet’ lilies.
Soil preference: Fertile but free-draining. Some dislike lime
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Summer, autumn
Height and spread: To 1.5m × 75cm (5ft × 2ft 6in)
Companion plants: Virtually all lilies are excellent container plants and are best grown alone, but with their pots arranged with other, large plants. A pot of lilies placed close to a containerized dwarf maple such as Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, for example, will create an Oriental effect.
Gladiolus callianthus
Acidanthera Near hardy, corm-bearing perennial
Sword-like leaves arranged in a fan shape are joined in late summer by tall flower spikes bearing fragrant white blooms, whose centres are boldly marked with dark crimson or purple. Each flower hangs on a short, but elegantly curved stalk. Previously known as Acidanthera.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Late summer, early autumn
Height and spread: 120cm × 30cm (4ft × 1ft)
Companion plants: A great mixer, beautiful in pots among Eucomis, lilies or with containerized bedding such as tuberous begonias, hot-coloured dahlias or fuchsias.
Agapanthus africanus
Tender bulb
These evergreen agapanthus – superb for containers – are more tender than deciduous kinds and need winter protection. Bold, strap-shaped leaves and massive stems bear generous umbels of blue, or in ‘Alba’, white flowers. ‘Sapphire’ is dark blue; ‘Glen Avon’, lilac blue and the impressive ‘Purple Cloud’, deep purple-blue.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Up to 1.5m × 1m (5ft × 3ft 3in)
Companion plants: Beautiful as solo performers, but also effective with mixed containers of architectural foliage plants. A cool effect is achieved with the silver foliage of artemisias, Helichrysum petiolare or Felicia amelloides.
Bulbs for growing in grass
Crocus tommasinianus
Hardy corm-bearing perennial
Tiny crocuses which appear at winter’s end. The outer petals are soft greyish lilac but when the flowers open to the sun, their interiors are bright mauve. Though free seeding, they also spread by underground stolons. Improved forms include ‘Whitewell Purple’ whose flowers are dark purple.
Soil preference: Any, not too wet
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Late winter, spring
Height and spread: 10cm × 5cm (4in × 2in)
Companion plants: Best for naturalizing in grass with daffodils or narcissus to follow, or perhaps among emerging snake’s head fritillaries.
Crocus large Dutch hybrids
Hardy corm-bearing perennial
Grassy leaves, with central white stripe, and bold, gobletshaped flowers, which are held well clear of the leaves. Colours can be purple, mauve or white – often with bold, contrasting stripes or veins on outer petals – as well as yellow. Out of scale with other species of crocus and being very showy best kept apart.
Soil preference: Any, not wet
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Early spring
Height and spread: 15cm × 10cm (6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Fine in grass, with daffodils, or in border fronts among primulas or winter and spring pansies.
Scilla bifolia
Alpine Squill Hardy bulb
Twin leaves, grooved and suffused with bronze when young, appear from each bulb on either side of the short stems, which carry a small spray of azure flowers. A free self-seeder, quick to naturalize in a part-shaded or sunny wild garden. Modest, but beautiful.
Soil preference: Fertile but free-draining
Aspect: Sun or shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 10cm × 5cm (4in × 2in)
Companion plants: Often found in the wild, growing with Crocus sieberi and wild fritillaries – a worthy combination to imitate at home.
Narcissus pseudonarcissus
Wild Daffodil, Lenten Lily Hardy bulb
The species that inspired the poet Wordsworth. Strap-shaped leaves in glaucous green among which short stems bear blooms with forward-sweeping lemon petals and a darker, flared, yellow trumpet. This species naturalizes best in high rainfall areas where summers are cool, but is not difficult to establish in moisture-retentive, humus-rich soil elsewhere.
Soil preference: Rich, leafy and not too dry
Aspect: Part shade, shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 20cm × 10cm (8in × 4in)
Companion plants: A plant of hedgerows, stream sides and woodland borders, beautiful beneath large trees, between shrubs such as camellias or early rhododendrons and lovely in the grass of an established fruit orchard.
Cyclamen repandum
Hardy tuber-bearing perennial
Broad, bluntly pointed leaves, sometimes faintly marbled, unfurl in spring accompanied by small cyclamen blooms whose petals are swept right back. Typical colour is vivid carmine pink, but the subspecies from the island of Rhodes, C. repandum var. rhodense, has pink-flushed white blooms with darker centres. More difficult to establish than most hardy cyclamen.
Soil preference: Humus-rich, well-drained
Aspect: Part shade or shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 15cm × 20cm (6in × 8in)
Companion plants: A woodland species, best among humus-loving plants such as Anemone nemorosa, oxlips and violets, perhaps in shaded, sparse grass along the edge of a shrubbery.
Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Guiseppi Verdi’
Hardy bulb
Broad, faintly striped foliage arranged along the stems which bear a single, elongated tulip flower. The outer petals are fiercely flushed with carmine, edged with yellow; the flower interior is bright yellow with a dark centre. A ‘botanical’ tulip, robust enough to survive in grass.
Soil preference: Fertile but free-draining
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 25cm × 15cm (10in × 6in)
Companion plants: A good companion, in grassland, to shorter daffodil varieties such as ‘Jack Snipe’, ‘Rip van Winkle’ or to Narcissus pseudonarcissus. Also striking with cowslips and fritillaries in the grass.
Focus on…
Crocus
Crocuses offer far more than their small stature would suggest. Many of them bloom when colour is most needed, at winter’s end; their flower shapes are charming and their nectar is of great value to early stirring bees. When their season is done, they leave minimal aftermath, dying down quickly and gracefully, to rest underground and build up strength for next year’s show.
1. Crocus tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’
One of the easiest winter-flowering species whose pale blue-grey outer petals belie the brighter mauve interior. The form ‘Whitewell Purple’ develops a deeper colour than seen in the wild species, but retains its simple charm.
2. Crocus speciosus
A strong-growing species whose naked violet-mauve blooms appear soon after the Autumn Equinox. The petals are feathered with darker purple, making a handsome contrast with the orange stigmata. Leaves follow the flowers, in late winter.
3. Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’
Wild forms of Crocus sieberi vary considerably, even when found in the same location, but the vivid mauve and ochre flowers of this garden selection make a startling display.
4. Crocus imperati
A striking crocus for late winter whose outer petals are biscuit-beige with bold pencilled feathering in deep purple-black. When the flowers open, to reveal bright lilac-mauve interiors, their appearance is transformed.
5. Crocus hybrid ‘Jeanne d’Arc’
Dutch hybrid crocus are much larger and coarser than their wild forebears, but still retain that essential early spring charm. Colours range through purple and mauve shades, often with striped petals, but one of the most outstanding varieties, ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is pure white.
6. Crocus sieberi ‘Bowles White’
A more delicate, dainty plant altogether, than the hybrid Dutch crocus, this selected white form of the wild Crocus sieberi has been popular in cultivation for almost a century.
7. Crocus chrysanthus ‘Cream Beauty’
Another variable wild species has given rise to a broad range of subtly coloured, gem-like beauties. Their flowers are more goblet-shaped than larger, cultivated crocuses.
8. Crocus ancyrensis
The ‘golden bunch’ crocus, one of the earliest of the yellows to bloom. The small flowers are produced in tight clusters from each corm, and are a vivid egg yolk hue.
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 |
Bulbs for rock or gravel
Galanthus reginae-olgae
Hardy bulb
A remarkable snowdrop species, from Greece, which, instead of flowering in midwinter, produces autumnal blooms without leaves. The flowers are similar to those of the common snowdrop, with three outer tepals and green-tipped inner parts. Leaves develop in late winter.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Autumn
Height and spread: 15cm × 5cm (6in × 2in)
Companion plants: A conversation piece rather than a garden essential, but fun to grow with the yellow, crocus-like Sternbergia lutea to create an out-of-season spring effect.
Muscari neglectum
Common Grape Hyacinth Hardy bulb
The commonest species, with grassy foliage and short stems crowded with small, dusky blue flowers shaped like tiny, rounded jars with restricted openings. Multiplies invasively from small offshoots, as well as seeds, so not a plant to let loose where it could become troublesome.
Soil preference: Any
Aspect: Any except deep shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 15cm × 5cm (6in × 2in), spreading
Companion plants: Natural-looking among pebbles, especially when blended with the white Muscari botryoides ‘Alba’ or with crocuses.
Muscari comosum
Hardy bulb
Heather Angel
A curious species, tall for a grape hyacinth. The lower spike carries fertile flowers, which are brownish and jar-shaped, but above these are bright mauve plumes or tufts of sterile florets. The garden form M. c. ‘Plumosum’ bears only dense masses of the beautiful mauve sterile florets.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun or partial shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 30cm × 10cm (1ft × 4in)
Companion plants: Interesting addition to a mix of drought-tolerant bulbs which might also include Tulipa batalinii, Bellevalia dubia and Scilla peruviana.
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Chincherinchee Marginally hardy bulb
A South African native with narrow, pointed leaves which tend to wither before the erect, naked flower stems appear. These bear spikes of closely packed, white, cup-shaped flowers. An excellent cut flower, but not very long lived in the garden.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 60cm × 15cm (2ft × 6in)
Companion plants: The cool, white flowers are refreshing among gravel scree plants, particularly, dark leaved Carex species such as C. buchananii and with grasses such as Stipa tenuissima.
Anthericum liliago
Hardy bulb
Grassy foliage and in early summer, tall stems bearing widely spaced, lily-like flowers in startling white. The selection A. l. major has larger flowers with wider petals. A graceful meadow plant from southern Europe, which seeds freely in gravel when happily established.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Early summer
Height and spread: 60cm × 15cm (2ft × 6in), spreading
Companion plants: At home with sun-loving shrubs such as rosemary and lavender, and with such annuals as Cerinthe major or wild poppies.
Dierama dracomontanum
Marginally hardy, corm-bearing perennial
Clumps of tough, narrow, branched, arching, sword-like stems; flowers appear in summer, bearing papery calyces which enwrap the deep madder pink buds. These open to form clusters of small flowers shaped like lampshades, which dance and sway in the slightest breeze.
Soil preference: Free-draining, but not too dry
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 45cm × 30cm (1ft 6in × 1ft)
Companion plants: At home among rocks or in gravel, either with grassy companions, or Verbena bonariensis, or in mild areas alongside South African restios.
Bulbs for bedding
Allium karataviense
Turkestan Onion Hardy bulb
Broad, bold, curved leaves with attractive pleating and in purple-suffused blue green tints develop in pairs, curving outwards as the drumstick flowerheads swell. The flowers themselves are densely packed on short stems and are greyish white.
Soil preference: Any
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring, early summer
Height and spread: To 30cm × 20cm (1ft × 6in)
Companion plants: A striking spring foliage plant, perfect to set off against colourful bulbs such as Narcissus ‘Hawera’, N. ‘Jack Snipe’ or to distribute among low growing tulips.
Tulipa praestans
Tulip Hardy bulb
Pale green, broad, pointed leaves are arranged along the stems. These are divided at their ends and bear several vivid scarlet blooms, which are goblet-shaped when closed, but open wide to form six-pointed stars. The variety ‘Fusilier’ has slightly larger flowers than the wild species which comes from western Asia.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 25cm × 20cm (10in × 8in)
Companion plants: Small enough to include among alpines such as aubrieta and arabis, or to distribute among smaller spring perennials such as Primula auricula. Startling with the yellow-flowered Aurina saxatilis, forget-me-nots or Allium karataviense.
Muscari latifolium
Grape Hyacinth Hardy bulb
