Recently, Hannah and Cheryl welcomed Bloom members to their ‘Cream Tea with an Expert Talk’ on Spring-Flowering Bulbs. For those not lucky enough to attend, here is some of the info they shared and some photos of bulbs from Hannah’s garden.

Plant the right bulbs in the right place

• Clay: Tulip, Cyclamen, Muscari, Fritillaries, Hyacinth, Galanthus

• Coastal or Alpine: Crocus, Snowdrops, Chionodoxa, Muscari, Anemone, Scill

• Woodland: Anemone Numerosa, Erythronium, Cardydalis, Ornithnogalum, Scilla, Minature Narcissus

• Beds: Fritillaries, Alliums, Crocus, Hyacinth, Muscari, Iris, Chionodoxa, Cyclamen Coum

• Shade: Galanthus, Muscari, Lily of the Valley, Anemone Blanda, Erythronium

• Lawn: cut into the grass and fold the turf back to allow the bulbs to be planted into the soil underneath. The bulbs will then shoot through the grass, giving you a wonderful display.

• Pots: planting in pots is good for two reasons. Firstly, you can see where they look good and then plant them into the flower beds for the following year. Secondly, you can have pots near the house for some much-needed colour on dreary days.

Pots of tulips and daffodils outside Hannah’s back door (left)

A lily-shaped yellow tulip, with the acid green heads of euphorbia in the background (right).

Combinations – mix with other plants

Bulbs can look fantastic combined with spring flowering bedding. Daffodils and Tulips, in particular, look great mixed with pansies and violas, ivy, thyme, and other foliage bedding.

Narcissus Thalia (left)

Tulip Fire Wings looking good with orange geum and wallflowers (right)

Combinations of bulbs

Choose 1-3 types of bulb – you could pick contrast colours or choose different shaped flowers in the same colour. Repeat in pots or across the garden for drama.

For example, Cheryl has blue, pinks and purples in her garden and Hannah’s go-to colour scheme is orange and purple.

Alliums, with French lavender and orange geum behind.

Shopping for bulbs

We source most of our bulbs from two trusted family businesses, Taylors and Prinz, who have supplied Perrywood with bulbs for decades!

Take time to look at the flowering times so that you have flowers from February through to May. You’ll also find planting depths on the packets, which will help you when you return home. And flowering height is worth paying attention to. Think about what the bulbs will be next to when they flower, and make sure they will stand proud!

Planting for pollinators

All bulbs are great for bees and butterflies. Early flowering bulbs like crocus and iris are a particularly important early source of nectar.

Bumble bee enjoying a tulip (left)

Rose Chafer Beetle on Eremurus (right)

Compost

We recommend using bulb fibre or seed and cutting mix when planting bulbs in pots. Taylor’s Bulb Fibre contains a rich source of balanced nutrients that help establish roots and promote vigorous growth.

Bulbs do not like to sit in wet soil so if planting into ground that can get waterlogged you can dig in grit to help improve the drainage.

Bulb lasagna

By layering bulbs that flower at different times in containers, you can create a display that will continue all season long. Choose bulbs of different heights for maximum effect.

Read our ‘How to‘ guide for a step by step guide on planting your own.

Photo by GAP Photos

Alliums

Alliums are Hannah’s absolute favourite bulb of all time! She has many different varieties in her garden. Once they have finished and their seedheads appear, she likes to bring them indoors in a vase.

Bumble bee enjoying an Allium (left)

Hannah found an amazing Allium display at the Arboretum Garden Centre near Dublin (right).

Saffron

Did you know? You can grow your own Saffron (yes, the expensive spice!)

Plant Crocus Sativus, the 3 long red stigmas are the source of Saffron.

Bulb of the year

This year Taylors has named their Narcissi of the year ‘June Allyson’ after an American stage actress.

Now why have they chosen this particular Narcissi? They are long lasting, make a great cut flower and they look beautiful with their white petals and orange centre.