The awkward bare ankles of a shrub or deciduous hedge are not things of beauty, but there they often are. Nature doesn’t leave this spot bare for long, though: all sorts of things make the most of this sparse space. Right now, it is spring bulbs – first snowdrops, then aconites and bluebells, wood anemones, and later perhaps some lily of the valley.
I mention these, not just because they are starting to unfurl, but as it is the best time to get hold of them to plant. So, if you have a threadbare hedge base or shrub or garden tree that could do with a ruffle or drift of flowers at its feet, get ordering.
All of these will come “in the green”, meaning that you will put your order in swiftly and the nurseries will lift the bulbs with their green foliage and perhaps a flower or two, wrap them in something damp, pop them in a Jiffy bag and send them to you quickly. Your job is to plant them in haste, as the quicker they get into the soil, the better they will settle in. All these bulbs establish better in the vigour of full growth, rather than as dry autumn bulbs. Bulbs sold “in the green” are available until April or early May.
As these are woodlanders, they do best in soil that is rich and a little damp over the summer. The base of your hedge or shrub might be quite the opposite. So the best thing you can do to rectify this is add leaf mould as a mulch. If you don’t have this, add a good layer of peat-free compost before you plant, and mulch around the bulbs with more afterwards.
If your ground is hard, then forking it over first will make a difference. You don’t have to turn the soil, as that will damage its structure, but just loosen it. This will make digging holes for the bulbs much easier. For the most naturalistic look you want to plant your bulbs in drifts.
Bluebells need to be planted deep, so they can make the most of the damp below over summer – at least 10-20cm if you can get that low. You certainly need to get to the depth that they were lifted from – there will be a distinct pale line in the leaves and this is the minimum depth.
Snowdrops need to be planted 5-10cm deep and will do better in a drier spot than bluebells. Wood anemones are almost surface dwellers, but again will need rich, damp soil. Lily of the valley and aconites similarly sit near the top, but aconites will grow anywhere, in pretty much any soil. Lily of the valley need a little more shade.
Once the bulbs are in, water well and keep on watering, particularly if we have a dry, hot April. Don’t expect any flowers this year, and next year may be thin too, as the plants concentrate on getting their roots down, but after that your future springs are set.
