yellow crocus spring flowering

Buried treasure (bulbs)

There are all sorts of bulbs, corms, tuberous roots and rhizomes available to suit different growing conditions, locations and soils. Most require good drainage and prefer sunny locations. Our native varieties have acclimatised to our climate and flourish in open woodlands and along verges.

DO NOT EAT THEM. These are poisonous to humans and to pets - daffodils, snowdrops, hyacinths, tulips, crocus, bluebells and lilies.

Spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, crocus and hyacinths should be planted out by the end of September. Plant tulips in November. Hardy summer varieties - lilies and alliums and autumn flowering colchicums, sternbergia lutea and crocosmia bulbs and corms should be planted in September and October. As a general guide bulbs should be planted at a depth 2.5 x height of the bulb itself with free space all around, not touching one another. Tubers such as dahlias and gladioli are better planted in spring after the last frost has passed. Watch out your newly buried  treasures aren't dug up by squirrels, mice and voles.

Bulbs can help fill the gaps in herbaceous borders before the perennials and shrubs come into leaf.Plant en-mass for stunning colour.  Or in large pots ready to move to a focal point as they come into bloom. Naturalise native varieties beneath trees and hedges.

Once established, if planted in naturalised lawns, leave off cutting the grass until the leaves have died off naturally. The foliage feeds the bulbs for flowering next year so don’t tie it back either. Plant in defined clumps if you want to mow the grass around them.

As well as the new range of bulbs, we have seed collected from native varieties grown and harvested in the UK – english bluebells (hyacinthoides non-scripta), ramsons (wild garlic)  and snakes-head fritillary (fritillary meleagris).

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