Snowdrops and Bluebells

You can't beat the sight of snowdrops in spring or the scent of bluebells! And why not experience this from the comfort of your own garden with our handy guide to growing them yourself! Explore below.

Snowdrop & Bluebell Bulbs

 Snowdrops mark the beginning of Spring for many, despite the fact that there is often snow after these bulbs are showing. Therefore, it is great to know that there are a variety of native British bulbs available to plant in your own gardens, so you can spot if the winter is over simply by looking out of the window.

May is usually the month for the intense blue and heady scent of bluebells to permeate the air.  These early flowering bulbs can give a beautiful display of colour and are particularly effective if planted in a large group close together and away from large plants that might overshadow them. They will often flower for several years, and each time they should spread over a larger area of the garden.

On Receipt

Most snowdrop & bluebell bulbs you buy will be packed and delivered in perforated polythene bags, and some may come with sawdust in the bags, to keep condensation at bay. Once received, if you cannot plant them straight away, it is always best to keep them in a cool, dark, moisture-free place and that’ll make sure they keep for a few weeks.

Planting Snowdrop & Bluebell Bulbs

The best time to plant these bulbs is when they have stopped flowering, but before the leaves have fully died back. This is called planting in the green,  that is -  when the bulb still has green leaves on it. Therefore, you should plant them out in the Spring rather than Autumn like you might have expected. Planting aconites in the green, snows in the green and bluebell in the green will ensure a better flower production.

There is a simple rule of thumb when planting Snowdrop and Bluebell bulbs, but just make sure not to plant them too deep as this can cause them to rot, and if they are too high the roots can get exposed and cause the plant to die.

We recommend to plant bulbs at twice the depth of the height of the bulb and four times their width apart. e.g. 5cm tall bulbs need to be planted 10cm below the surface of the ground and 20cm apart.

Please check the bag for any additional planting instructions.

They are fine to plant even if a little green growth is showing, they’ll just need a good watering when you plant them, and then only when the soil is dry. Leave them in the ground once they die back – they’ll come back bigger and better each year.

In the green

One of the ways bluebells and snowdrops are often supplied is ' in the green' . These are lifted immediately after they have flowered and are ready to replant in your garden. Don't worry that they look a little tired and the flowers have gone over - this is exactly as they should be and are at the best time to transplant into your garden ready for next year. 

Where to plant Snowdrop & Bluebell  Bulbs

Snowdrops & bluebells tend to like a shady spot as they naturally grow in woodland. Therefore they can make a lovely display of colour in what otherwise could have been a bare patch of the garden where nothing else might grow. They also work well in the lawn, but try to leave the leaves to grow once the flowers are spent, as this helps the bulbs to develop next year's flowers. 

Aftercare

When you water the plants in, don’t use a hose or  over water as they can get waterlogged. The soil around them only needs to be moist.

Whilst all the energy that a bulb needs in order to grow is stored in the bulb itself, they will do better if you feed them with fertiliser when in active green growth.