In spring, Jim Cable suggests planting the bulbs of English bluebells and their relative, galtonia, taking action against fuchsia gall mite and sowing chicory seed
It is bluebell time again. Our local woods are carpeted in the cobalt-blue of the English bluebell, Hyacinthoides nonscripta. It is daintier than its Spanish cousin Hyacinthoides hispanica which is common in gardens and as a garden escapee. The individual bells are less flared and of a more intense colour. They hang to one side of the flower stem creating the curve of half a Gothic arch. The stockier Spanish bluebell sports flowers all around the stem, and its pollen is blue compared to the creamy white of the British native. Perhaps most significantly, English bluebells have a much stronger scent. The two species interbreed freely and in gardens you often find hybrids with intermediate characteristics. If you would like to introduce more English bluebells, they are available ‘in the green’ in springtime or you can make a note to plant their bulbs in the autumn. All bluebells spread freely. They are useful in dappled shade under deciduous trees and shrubs. They contribute an early show in the riotous succession of a semi-wild space. I can’t have enough of the native species, but if Spanish bluebells are getting out of hand prevent them from self-seeding by grasping the base of each faded flower spike and pulling firmly so they part company with the bulb below ground.
Galtonia candicans is a bluebell relative from South Africa and now is the right time to plant its bulbs. The common name of summer hyacinth is slightly misleading. Yes, it does flower in late summer, but it has a stature at around a metre and a grace that sets it apart from the plants we force for some winter cheer. One proviso: the floppy fleshy leaves can look a bit messy, so it needs careful partnering. The hanging bell-shaped white blooms look magnificent when it is planted en masse among agapanthus and a pale yellow dahlia such as ‘Kelsey Sunshine’. It pairs well with Nicotiana langsdorffii, Artemisia lactiflora Guizhou Group and Oenothera lindheimeri, too.
As the weather warms up, garden pests begin to stir. Fuchsia gall mite has spread across the UK since it arrived here in 2007. It is a microscopic sap-sucking creature that causes galling and distortion of the growth tips of fuchsia plants under glass and in the open garden. Normal flower development can be completely ruined. The mite can survive low temperatures and overwinter on fuchsias. The s
