Description
At last, a white-flowered form of the ever popular A. schubertii, with the same crazy firework effect of flowers but in a soft white with a hint of pale green.Grown in Yorkshire.
Although we are probably best known for our roses and fruit trees, we have always offered a wide range of bulbs for sale, producing 4 different catalogues per year at one stage.The selection of autumn planting bulbs we can supply is one of the largest available in the UK. It includes all the familiar favourites – crocus, daffodils and tulips – as well as some more unusual species which are well worth trying in the garden. Our range of alliums is second to none – we exhibited alliums at Chelsea Flower Show many years ago, long before they became fashionable! Planting bulbs is one of the most rewarding tasks in gardening – planning ahead at a time when the rest of the garden is going to sleep, looking forward to a new gardening year and a burst of colour and energy when the longer days start to return. Whether you are mass planting borders full of tulips, starting a cutting garden or just preparing a pot of two of hyacinths for the Christmas table, bulbs are one of the easiest and most economical ways to bring scent and colour into the house and garden.
Planting.
The range of bulbs is vast, and some require quite specific planting – but for the majority, a rule of thumb is to plant three times the depth of the bulb. Many bulbs have an obvious top (generally the pointy end, or with a prominent growing point) and a base (normally flatter, and with signs of last year’s root growth apparent), but some don’t. Normally they will find their way to the surface, so don’t fret overly if you are having trouble!Notable exceptions are eremurus, which like to be planted very shallowly. Scrape a few centimetres of soil away to allow the roots to spread out undamaged and then lightly cover, leaving the growing point in the centre just proud of the soil.
The Crown Imperial Fritillarias - amazingly showy bulbs for a slightly shady position – have a large hole in the centre of the bulb, which is where the previous year’s flower spike was, and this can fill with water over the winter and cause the bulb to rot. Avoid this by planting the bulb on its side.
Almost all bulbs prefer good drainage, and rotting over the winter in very heavy, water-logged soil is one of the main causes of failure. If your soil is on the heavy side, it’s a good idea just to put a pinch of grit or washed sand underneath the bulb on planting.
Most bulbs can be planted as soon as you receive your order (between September and November). If you are not planting immediately, store the bulbs in a cool, frost-free environment, in a paper bag or loose in a seed tray. Do not store bulbs in plastic bags, which can cause them to sweat and rot. As a guide, narcissus like to be planted as early as possible (to enable good root growth before the onset of winter) whereas tulips prefer to be planted later (to avoid the possiblity of early foliage being damaged by frosts), but they will happily adapt if this is not possible. Tulips can be planted as late as January and still provide a wonderful display only a few short months later.
