In the hierarchy of tasks for the autumn garden, the job of planting spring-flowering bulbs is surely near the top. The reward for all that hard work and effort is the thrill of watching these resilient plants push their snouts through winter-chilled soil to fill the spring garden with scent and beauty. Added to that, we humans aren’t the only ones to celebrate their colourful blooms, many of which are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for early-emerging pollinating insects.
On the other hand, there is the almost inevitable downside, which is that many spring-flowering bulbs bought by gardeners at this time of year are traditionally used for colourful seasonal container displays destined to be discarded on the compost heap just as soon as they’ve finished flowering. That their beauty comes at a considerable cost – both financial and environmental – is something that many gardeners are increasingly finding hard to bear.
Instead, they’re plumping for the more sustainable, affordable option, which is perennial species of bulbs planted directly in the ground. Chosen wisely, with the focus on those with a proven ability to self-seed and naturalise, these can be left undisturbed to slowly form self-sustaining colonies that will endure for many decades, sometimes even centuries.
Examples include those romantic drifts of snowdrops and daffodils often found in historic Irish gardens, woodlands and graveyards, as well as close to the sites of old ruins. A legacy of beauty gifted by gardeners of the past, they’ve thrived on benign neglect. The same goes for certain species of allium, camassia, crocus, cyclamen, muscari, aconite, fritillaria, anemone, scilla and chionodoxa. Almost all are suitable for the smallest of gardens with the tiniest of lawns, a wonderful way to bring an outdoor space to life from early spring in the most nature-friendly of ways.
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How to grow them? As always, the trick lies in providing the sorts of growing conditions that closely resemble what these bulbous plants enjoy in their native habitats, Most are happiest in a protected spot in full sun or dappled shade and a moist but well-drained soil. In an Irish garden setting, they’ll typically thrive beneath the light, seasonal shade of deciduous trees and shrubs, or along the slightly wilder edges/verges of a lawn, in open grassland, or in a mini meadow setting where they’re allowed to self-seed over time.
In gardens where winter waterlogging is a recurring problem, bear in mind that their fleshy bulbs will be vulnerable to rotting. In this case, gently raising the ground level can make all the difference. So will adding some home-made garden compost and sharp horticultural grit to the planting hole.
Also bear in mind that the underground structure of these bulbous spring-flowering species – that all-important bulb – is akin to a powerful battery, one that needs to store up sufficient energy for the plant to successfully complete its growth cycle each year. One of the ways in which it does this is by drawing down precious energy from the faded leaves after flowering has finished, just as the plant is entering its period of summer hibernation.
For this reason, it’s crucial to avoid mowing, strimming or scything the foliage before it naturally dies back in late spring/early summer. To allow spring-flowering bulbs to self-seed and naturalise, the seed pods (these form on the faded flowers) also need enough time to properly ripen, a gradual process that takes place over several months.
As for the best way to plant spring-flowering bulbs that you wish to gradually naturalise in your garden, avoid the rookie mistake of planting them in orderly clumps or serried rows, both of which inevitably looks visually jarring. Instead, seasoned gardeners like to gently cast – not violently hurl – handfuls of bulbs on to the ground and then plant them where they fall.
To plant into grass or lawn, forget using a bulb-planter unless your garden belongs to that 1 per cent lucky enough to enjoy a perfectly loamy, friable, stone-free soil. Instead, use a sharp spade to slice away sections of the very upper layer of grass sod. Lightly loosen the soil beneath and then remove any large stones and plant to the correct depth (add some compost and grit first if required), before replacing the grass sod above it like a leafy lid.
The ideal planting depth depends on the species, but as a general rule aim for something roughly close to three times the height of the bulb itself. Too shallow and you’ll leave it vulnerable to winter frosts and summer droughts, too deep and it may struggle to flower.
As for the best time to plant, mid-autumn is ideal, offering bulbs the damp but still summer-warmed soil conditions that they need to quickly produce a vigorous, viable root system to tide them over winter. The only exception is tulips (see below for species-types suitable for naturalising), which are best planted in November to avoid the risk of disease.
Spring-flowering bulbs suitable for Irish gardens
For taller or rougher grass
Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’, Narcissus ‘Actaea’; Narcissus poeticus ‘Plenus’; Narcissus pseudonarcissus; Narcissus ‘Thalia’; Allium hollandicum (very late spring flowering); Camassia leichtlinii
For shorter grass, under deciduous trees and shrubs, around the edges of lawns, verges and banks
Galanthus elwesii; Galanthus nivalis; Cyclamen coum; Eranthis hyemalis; Erythronium dens-canis; Anemone blanda; Anemone nemorosa; Anemone apennina; Crocus tommasanianus; Crocus chrysanthus; Crocus flavus; Crocus sieberi; Crocus biflorus ‘Blue Pearl’; Scilla siberica; Scilla verna; Chionodoxa forbesii; Chionodoxa forbiensis; Chionodoxa luciliae; Iris reticulata; Muscari armeniacum; Muscari aestivum; Leucojum aestivum; Tulipa sprengeri; Tulipa sylvestris; Tulipa clusiana; Tulipa linifolia; Tulipa batalinii; Hyacinthoides non-scripta; Narcissus ‘Hawera’; Fritillaria meleagris; Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’; Narcissus ‘February Gold’; Narcissus ‘Minnow’.
This week in the garden
Order spring-flowering bulbs for planting throughout October and into November. Recommended Irish stockists include mrmiddleton.com; quickcrop.ie; fruithillfarm.com and all good garden centres.
Pick pears and place them in a cool, dark, dry, well-aerated space indoors to complete the final stage of the ripening process, making sure that the fruits aren’t touching to reduce the risk of rot.
Dates for your diary
RHSI Bellefield Open Weekend RHSI Bellefield House & Gardens, Shinrone, Co Offaly, Saturday, October 4th-Sunday, October 5th (11am-4pm). With plant sales, refreshments, practical demonstrations, and guided tours of the gardens, all welcome, admission €8 for nonmembers. rhsi.ie
