скачать книгу бесплатно
The main picture opposite shows a harmonious spring bedding display using botanical tulips, Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Stresa’, with Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Jacket’. The three strong colours, red, yellow and blue, work superbly together and bring bright spring cheer. The display will not be long-lived, however, and will leave a sizeable gap by the end of spring.
Painting with flowers
In this scheme (see the bottom picture on the opposite page), bold swirls of Tagetes (French and African marigolds) create a dazzling surface which is so intense in colour that it can almost cause physical discomfort to view, particularly in low light conditions. However, where the sun is strong, hard colours like these can be surprisingly effective. The effect is one of drama, rather than to entice long, lingering looks!
Using dot plants to lift the scheme
Common bedding plants such as these Ageratum (above) can be augmented with less usual choices to add interest to an otherwise rather pedestrian planting scheme. The Verbascums are used here for the silver foliage but later they will produce handsome flower spikes and make strong accent plants.
bulbs (#ulink_ec0b08a8-01b7-5e01-baba-ac3ed84ec569)
Bulbs: medium and tall for spring (#ulink_470e45d3-5a28-50f8-a7bf-2ea92376f547)
Dwarf bulbs for winter and spring (#ulink_a7427153-a771-5a78-bf76-55b1442f14ea)
Focus on… Narcissus (#ulink_94683ce5-4bf8-5373-8ba6-7d3ad8f2394f)
Bulbs: medium and tall for summer (#ulink_3cd154f5-8d74-530e-a482-7434a7cbe647)
Bulbs: medium and tall for spring (#ulink_a5649f94-3507-5be7-9092-69306bba3698)
Fritillaria imperialis
Crown Imperial Hardy bulb
Largest of the fritillaries and ancient in cultivation. Big, pungent-smelling bulbs producing thick, fleshy stems, furnished with glossy, narrow leaves along their length. At their tips, clusters of large, dark-veined, orange or yellow bell-shaped flowers form below a topknot of foliage. The petal bases have glands which drip tears of nectar.
Soil preference: Any, well-drained
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 1m × 45cm (3ft 3in × 1ft 6in)
Companion plants: Big, bold spring plants for dotting among developing summer perennials or to naturalize among such ornamental trees as cherries, crab apples or hawthorns.
Fritillaria pallidiflora
Hardy bulb
A variable species with paired, narrow, grey-green leaves and thin stems which bear groups of two, three or four cup-shaped nodding flowers in a pale beige to creamy primrose. The bulbs are slow to increase and so work better in small groups than singly.
Soil preference: Any free-draining, but not too dry
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: To 45cm × 10cm (1ft 6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Superb when grown with other fritillaries and late spring flowers. Species tulips such as Tulipa sprengeri and T. acuminata go well, as does Fritillaria verticillata.
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
English Bluebell Hardy bulb
Dark, glossy, narrow foliage begins to emerge in early spring. The flower stems extend in mid spring, and carry clusters of hanging, bell-shaped, fragrant, dark blue flowers. Albino and pink forms also occur but are rare. Successful growth depends on a relationship the plants have with micro-organisms in the soil, and establishment can be difficult. Plant ‘in the green’ (ie. in leaf).
Soil preference: Woodland soil, high in organic matter
Aspect: Shade or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: To 45cm × 10cm (1ft 6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Suitable for naturalizing in shady places and beautiful with wood anemones, ragged robin, primulas or red campion.
Erythronium ‘Pagoda’
Dog’s Tooth Violet Hardy bulb
A garden hybrid with broad, richly decorated, glossy foliage, which creates a fine base for the sprays of elegant flowers. These are up to 5cm (2in) across, with pale yellow petals which curl to create a pagoda effect.
Soil preference: Woodland soil, rich in organic matter
Aspect: Shade or part shade
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 30cm × 25cm (1ft × 10in)
Companion plants: Fine when naturalised in a shady border or woodland garden, especially with bluebells, Uvularia and epimediums.
Ornithogalum nutans
Star of Bethlehem Hardy bulb
Narrow, grassy, rather lax foliage and erect, glossy stems which end with generous spikes of hanging flowers whose almost translucent white petals are lined with a pale green stripes. Thrives in a hot, dry spot on poor soil, but the flowers tend to be short-lived.
Soil preference: Free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: 45cm × 20cm (1ft 6in × 10in)
Companion plants: Useful as a ‘filler’ plant in dry Mediterranean style plantings among other bulbs such as Hermodactyla tuberosa, drought tolerant anemones and such species tulips as Tulipa batalinii.
Iris (Dutch hybrids)
Dutch Iris Bulb
Largely grown for the cut flower trade, but useful for dotting or bedding, these irises produce rigid, jointed stems, furnished with narrow, folded leaves and showy three-part flowers. The most widely grown are blue, as in the ‘Blue Magic’, but there are white forms such as ‘Madonna’. ‘Telstar’ has flowers in purplish blue.
Soil preference: Fertile, free-draining, not too dry
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Spring
Height and spread: Up to 45cm × 20cm (1ft 6in × 8in)
Companion plants: Can be bedded with wallflowers, or to cool down displays of midseason or late daffodils. Also handy to line out with tulips for cutting.
Dwarf bulbs for winter and spring
Galanthus nivalis, G. elwesii
Snowdrops Hardy bulbs
Favourite indicator of winter’s end. Small, grassy leaves emerge in midwinter, soon joined by dazzling white blooms whose outer tepals cloak the greenish tipped inner parts. Noteworthy are G. nivalis in single or double form – easily the best for naturalizing – and G. elwesii, whose glaucous leaves are broader and whose flowers may appear earlier.
Soil preference: Any, not too dry
Aspect: Shade or part shade
Season of interest: Winter
Height and spread: Up to 20cm × 10cm (8in × 4in)
Companion plants: Beautiful and welcome everywhere, but best in drifts, with hellebores and winter aconites, perhaps under winter blooming shrubs such as Cornus mas or Salix caprea.
Eranthis hyemalis
Winter Aconite Hardy tuber-bearing perennial
Short stems bearing small, buttercup yellow, muskily fragrant blooms appear a day or two after the winter solstice. Each flower is cradled in a pretty ruff of green foliage. The leaves die down by late spring. A much loved plant whose appearance is brief and stature tiny, but whose timing is perfect.
Soil preference: Any
Aspect: Sun or shade
Season of interest: Winter
Height and spread: 10cm × 10cm (4in × 4in)
Companion plants: Beautiful in drifts with snowdrops, under trees or between shrubs. Plant potted specimens in growth.
Cyclamen coum
Hardy tuberous perennial
Kidney-shaped leaves, green or marbled in grey and green, begin to emerge in early winter. By midwinter, flowers shaped like squat ship’s propellers begin to open and are held just clear of the leaves by near-prostrate stems. Typical flower colour is rich carmine or cerise, but there are also pale pink and white forms.
Soil preference: Any, free-draining
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Winter
Height and spread: 10cm × 20cm (4in × 8in)
Companion plants: The foliage makes a pretty foil for snowdrops or aconites and the gem-like flowers sparkle among sombre blue winter irises. Also lovely in short grass.
Crocus imperati
Hardy, corm-bearing perennial
Narrow, grassy leaves appear in winter, soon accompanied by the frail crocus blossoms, which are biscuit beige on the outside, decorated with dark blackish purple veining. When the flowers open in sun, their insides are bright violet mauve. See also Crocuses (#ulink_58811ea5-9d9d-5e65-b66a-f15d4ee443a9).
Soil preference: Very free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Late winter, early spring
Height and spread: 10cm × 10cm (4in × 4in)
Companion plants: Precious to include in a crocus collection because of the early blooms. Also pretty with winter irises and Cyclamen coum.
Iris danfordiae, Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’
Hardy bulb
Leafless stems emerge in winter, carrying buds which open to bright golden yellow iris blooms. The narrow leaves extend as the flowers fade. Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ (pictured) is a hybrid with extraordinary colouring: veined dusky blue, yellow and white, with dark spots.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Late winter, early spring
Height and spread: 15cm × 10cm (6in × 4in)
Companion plants: Best in small specimen groups among other late winter flowers, or to bring interest to an Alpine collection to precede the main spring show, perhaps of saxifrages and dwarf narcissus.
