COLUMNIST: KATIE REYNOLDS
When planning which bulbs to plant in your garden, there are a wide selection of great choices that flower throughout the year - not just daffodils and tulips in springtime. Here are my top bulbs suited to a Scottish climate, along with some planting recommendations.
After a harsh winter which always seems to drag on for months, the emerging bulbs are a welcome sign of spring and provide a vital source of early nectar and pollen for bees.
Of course, you have Narcissi (daffodils) and my favourite varieties are ‘Cheerfulness’, ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ and the slightly later flowering ‘Thalia’ with its beautifully pure white form. I also recommend Hyacinthoides non-scripta (these are the native bluebells rather than the invasive Spanish ones), Crocus, Muscari (grape hyacinths) and Fritillaria (snake’s head fritillary) - the checked petal pattern of Fritillaria meleagris is one of nature’s marvels.
When it comes to tulips, there are literally thousands to choose from, so you can select the height, colour, and flowering time which suits your specific spot. Be mindful of maintenance levels though, generally speaking tulips flower best in the first year and they need regular watering and feeding in the run up to flowering. So, if you want a brilliant display year after year, you will either need to plant new ones each year, seek out some of the few strong perennial performers, or alternatively choose a lower maintenance bulb.
The best bulbs for summer in my opinion are alliums. There are a number of different varieties from which to choose, and my top recommendations are the classic and perfectly formed ‘Purple Sensation’, the larger globes of ‘Christophii’, the beautiful white ‘Mount Everest’, and the later flowering sphaerocephalon which looks particularly good planted amongst grasses.
Agapanthus is another great addition to the summer garden. Best grown in pots unless you are on a milder coastal site, and for Scotland I would recommend opting for a deciduous variety which is hardier than the evergreen ones: ‘Midnight Star’, ‘Arctic Star’, and ‘Loch Hope’ are all good ones to try.
With their bright pink, lily-like flowers, Nerine bowdenii are mini fireworks appearing in autumn, defying any suggestion of the growing season ending and proudly prolonging the summer feel.
Whilst technically a corm, I am also including autumn flowering crocuses as they provide a little burst of purple joy as the seasons progress. They work well grown against the rich autumnal oranges at this time of year. Crocus banaticus is a good option for Scotland as it likes a wetter soil more than other varieties, and also Crocus sativus from which saffron grows is particularly striking with its bright red stigma. Autumn crocus are often confused with Colchicum autumnale which are similar looking but actually a different genus with larger flower heads, but are another good choice. Both provide a late season source of nectar and pollen to insects.
Drifts of Galanthus (snowdrops) in late winter is always a welcome sight. I am in awe of these delicate little heads valiantly appearing in such harsh weather to brighten up our gardens, looking best in a woodland setting or around the base of a tree.
Cyclamen coum appears at a similar time, flowering from the new year until March, often with silver lined foliage and pretty magenta or white flowers. ‘Rubrum’ is a striking variety with red stems and deep pink flowers, or ‘Album’ is white with a dash of purple in the centre of the swept back flowers.
Spring flowering bulbs need to be planted between September and November and autumn flowering bulbs should be planted in spring. Wait until the soil is cooler in November to plant tulips to help prevent a fungal disease known as Tulip Fire.
Flowering bulbs such as bluebells and snowdrops are best planted in the green which is just after flowering, so either order them to be planted late spring, or if you want to increase your own stock, lift up the whole clump, divide them into smaller clumps and replant.
If you have heavy clay soil, add organic matter and plant with some grit to help drainage and prevent the bulb from rotting. As a general rule of thumb plant at a depth 3-4 times the size of the bulb. If not planted deeply enough, bulbs can be susceptible to ‘blindness’, meaning that they do not flower. You can plant in borders or in grass to naturalise, depending on your setting.
Planting bulbs in pots also works well as you can plant more generous numbers than you would in a flower bed for a more impressive display. If you plant them in a standard plastic flowerpot which sits inside a more decorative one, then the inner pot of bulbs can be easily lifted out after flowering and your ornate pot display replaced with something else.
Be generous: plant in large numbers as you want drifts appearing through the garden; planting just a handful will not have the same impact. For smaller bulbs I plant in clumps of 10-25 depending on the size of the flower and for larger bulbs such as alliums, I randomly scatter through a border.
If you have the time, deadhead bulbs but keep the leaves on so they can photosynthesise, helping to store energy for flowering next year. I like to dry allium seedheads to use as Christmas decorations, or you can leave them on for structural interest in the garden and also to self-seed to increase your stock.
Bear in mind that if you plant in pots, they will require watering and feeding, therefore making them a little more maintenance.
Finally, it may seem obvious, but it is still a common mistake - remember to plant the bulbs the right way up, with the narrow tip pointing towards the sky!
Katie Reynolds Design is a garden and interior design studio for residential and commercial clients in Aberdeenshire and across the North East.
Katie works on a range of projects from city flats to country houses, public gardens to coastal properties. Follow Katie on Instagram and Facebook for or visit www.katiereynoldsdesign.co.uk to browse some of her recent projects.