I have lots in the garden - spanish ones. I used to dig them out and bin them as they can take over a border in seconds...and whilst I love them regardless I know that the english ones may die out due to tge crossbreeding.
Anyway,have you got any, do you dig yours out? I used lots last year as cut flowers and dug some out to contain them.
This year I have two clumps of white ones pop up. I have a "woodland area" that i have been trying to fill - photos dont do it justice. I love it. I keep adding to it as I have surplus. Daffs, snowdrops, grape hyacinths, foxgloves and anemones.
Dare I add some over there or am I asking for trouble.
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I dig bluebells out of the flower borders, they were taking over but some are allowed in grass under a silver birch at the front. I'm always torn at this time of year, whether to let the volunteers flower before attacking them.
If you have grape hyacinths in your woodland patch I can't understand why you would have room for bluebells
suck it and see, try putting the different colours in first. How about sinking a container of bluebells in an effort to restrict them, like we do with mint.
Both sorts here - including white and pink Spanish bluebells.. I just leave them to do their thing unless they're where I want to plant something, which is rare! If I'm picking flowers, I only pick the Spanish ones.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/bluebells-as-weeds
Luckily I only have the native bluebells. If I had Spanish they’d be ripped out. Like veggie, if I was to pick for cut flowers, it’d only be Spanish ones, I’d probably bin the bulbs as I harvested for bunch’s.
(19-04-2023, 01:29 PM)Small chilli Wrote: [ -> ]I’d probably bin the bulbs as I harvested for bunch’s.
I've spent so much time digging them up - they get in everywhere.... they are still food for insects
Spanish ones are everywhere here. In most garden you look in.
I just pull for cut flowers. I don't dig up the bulbs at the same time. This has made me think again
.... I am not doing it. Its just the white ones are so lovely. ..so tempting.
JJB, my grape hyacinth are on the edge of the border in the grass.... it gets mowed - theres no border edge, so when they finish flowering we mow as tight to the shrubs as possible. They havent spread much to be honest. I think they may like a sunnier position than what they have?
I've never thought of picking bluebells for the house, something to consider when they're properly out. I fear mine are all Spanish, I'll have to check
I inherited lots of Spanish bluebells. I picked my first bunch for a kitchen vase last week, might pick some more this evening.
Like Veggie, I let them do their thing unless they are in the way.
A few of them look like they have some English in their genes, but I don't have any pure-bred English ones.
As an aside, I remember reading that in conditions that are ideal for the English ones, they out-compete the continental invaders. I seem to recall it said that English ones are more tolerant of the lower light conditions in our deciduous woodland. It's just in brighter light, such as in our gardens, that the Spanish ones take over.
That would make sense Martin - whwre these things thrive are in my sunny border - they seriously so over take. I can dig out hundreds and next year they are back with a vengence.
(19-04-2023, 02:19 PM)JJB Wrote: [ -> ]I've never thought of picking bluebells for the house, something to consider when they're properly out. I fear mine are all Spanish, I'll have to check
Mine are all spanish, they dont droop - very upright with sturdy stems. I think they are great as a cut flower.
Only native ones in my garden which we inherited when we moved in over twenty years ago.
I suspect they came from a little wood at the of the lane in the days when people would dig up wild primroses, snowdrops and bluebells!
Never thought of picking them though - they are very slender and graceful.
I might try a little posy later and see how long they’ll last in water.
I don’t like picking things if they don’t have at least five or six days of glory in a vase.