Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 13-04-2017, 08:36 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 321
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On a hike across the northern counties of England a while back I was
enchanted by the sometimes-vast swathes of bluebells. I managed to get 100
real Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs and planted them in various places
hoping to find somewhere that they would succeed in my climate (Tennessee)
which is eminently not suitable for them. In places in dead shade they seem
to be prospering but in what should be light shade under deciduous trees
they don't do well since they come up well before the trees leaf out.

Last week I noticed that one plant in the non-favored location was showing
white flowers while all the others which were in bloom were the normal
shade. Do I have some sort of exotic sport with white blooms or is this
something that happens often? I failed to mark the odd plant but if it does
the same next year and if it seems worthwhile I'll try to move it to a
better location where it might multiply.
  #2   Report Post  
Old 13-04-2017, 09:06 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,049
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 4/13/2017 11:36 AM, John McGaw wrote:
On a hike across the northern counties of England a while back I was
enchanted by the sometimes-vast swathes of bluebells. I managed to get 100
real Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs and planted them in various places
hoping to find somewhere that they would succeed in my climate (Tennessee)
which is eminently not suitable for them. In places in dead shade they seem
to be prospering but in what should be light shade under deciduous trees
they don't do well since they come up well before the trees leaf out.

Last week I noticed that one plant in the non-favored location was showing
white flowers while all the others which were in bloom were the normal
shade. Do I have some sort of exotic sport with white blooms or is this
something that happens often? I failed to mark the odd plant but if it does
the same next year and if it seems worthwhile I'll try to move it to a
better location where it might multiply.


Sunset's "Western Garden Book" mentions an 'Alba' variety of
white-flowering H. non-scripta and also a 'Rosea' variety with pink
flowers.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary
  #3   Report Post  
Old 13-04-2017, 11:13 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 321
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 4/13/2017 3:06 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
On 4/13/2017 11:36 AM, John McGaw wrote:
On a hike across the northern counties of England a while back I was
enchanted by the sometimes-vast swathes of bluebells. I managed to get 100
real Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs and planted them in various places
hoping to find somewhere that they would succeed in my climate (Tennessee)
which is eminently not suitable for them. In places in dead shade they seem
to be prospering but in what should be light shade under deciduous trees
they don't do well since they come up well before the trees leaf out.

Last week I noticed that one plant in the non-favored location was showing
white flowers while all the others which were in bloom were the normal
shade. Do I have some sort of exotic sport with white blooms or is this
something that happens often? I failed to mark the odd plant but if it does
the same next year and if it seems worthwhile I'll try to move it to a
better location where it might multiply.


Sunset's "Western Garden Book" mentions an 'Alba' variety of
white-flowering H. non-scripta and also a 'Rosea' variety with pink
flowers.


Dunno. All of them have been the normal blue shade for six years now. Or at
least I never saw a white one until this Spring and it is unlikely that it
would have been missed since it is beside the long drive down to the road
where the mailbox is and I walk by there all the time. Guess I'll just wait
and keep an eye out next year and see if anything odd shows up again and
I'll either mark or move the freak. Thanks for the input.
  #4   Report Post  
Old 14-04-2017, 02:06 AM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,072
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

John McGaw wrote:
....
Dunno. All of them have been the normal blue shade for six years now. Or at
least I never saw a white one until this Spring and it is unlikely that it
would have been missed since it is beside the long drive down to the road
where the mailbox is and I walk by there all the time. Guess I'll just wait
and keep an eye out next year and see if anything odd shows up again and
I'll either mark or move the freak. Thanks for the input.


mutations do happen...


songbird
  #5   Report Post  
Old 14-04-2017, 02:26 AM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,049
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 4/13/2017 2:13 PM, John McGaw wrote:
On 4/13/2017 3:06 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
On 4/13/2017 11:36 AM, John McGaw wrote:
On a hike across the northern counties of England a while back I was
enchanted by the sometimes-vast swathes of bluebells. I managed to get 100
real Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs and planted them in various places
hoping to find somewhere that they would succeed in my climate (Tennessee)
which is eminently not suitable for them. In places in dead shade they seem
to be prospering but in what should be light shade under deciduous trees
they don't do well since they come up well before the trees leaf out.

Last week I noticed that one plant in the non-favored location was showing
white flowers while all the others which were in bloom were the normal
shade. Do I have some sort of exotic sport with white blooms or is this
something that happens often? I failed to mark the odd plant but if it does
the same next year and if it seems worthwhile I'll try to move it to a
better location where it might multiply.


Sunset's "Western Garden Book" mentions an 'Alba' variety of
white-flowering H. non-scripta and also a 'Rosea' variety with pink
flowers.


Dunno. All of them have been the normal blue shade for six years now. Or at
least I never saw a white one until this Spring and it is unlikely that it
would have been missed since it is beside the long drive down to the road
where the mailbox is and I walk by there all the time. Guess I'll just wait
and keep an eye out next year and see if anything odd shows up again and
I'll either mark or move the freak. Thanks for the input.


It is possible that the bulbs you planted were hybrids and that some
went to seed after blooming. If that happened, it could explain the
presence of a white flower since hybrids often create even newer
varieties when they go to seed. After all, that is how the 'Alba' and
'Rosea' varieties were developed.

--
David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com

Consider:
* Most state mandate that drivers have liability insurance.
* Employers are mandated to have worker's compensation insurance.
* If you live in a flood zone, flood insurance is mandatory.
* If your home has a mortgage, fire insurance is mandatory.

Why then is mandatory health insurance so bad??


  #6   Report Post  
Old 14-04-2017, 04:03 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 321
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 4/13/2017 8:26 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
It is possible that the bulbs you planted were hybrids and that some
went to seed after blooming.


I guess that is possible. The supplier guaranteed that the bulbs were
'pure' but only to the extent that they were 'English' and not 'Spanish' or
'Spanish' hybrids which apparently are more aggressive and not so desirable.

I'll try to remember to keep an eye on that patch to see what turns up next
Spring. If I wasn't so lazy I'd consider digging up the bulbs in the Autumn
after the foliage starts to die down and plant them in locations which have
proven more amenable. The ones which wound up in the fern bed on the north
side of the house have really exploded and are twice as tall. Somehow there
are lily of the valley trying to take over there too although I don't
recall ever planting any.
  #7   Report Post  
Old 14-04-2017, 04:47 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,049
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 4/14/2017 7:03 AM, John McGaw wrote:
On 4/13/2017 8:26 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
It is possible that the bulbs you planted were hybrids and that some
went to seed after blooming.


I guess that is possible. The supplier guaranteed that the bulbs were
'pure' but only to the extent that they were 'English' and not 'Spanish' or
'Spanish' hybrids which apparently are more aggressive and not so desirable.

I'll try to remember to keep an eye on that patch to see what turns up next
Spring. If I wasn't so lazy I'd consider digging up the bulbs in the Autumn
after the foliage starts to die down and plant them in locations which have
proven more amenable. The ones which wound up in the fern bed on the north
side of the house have really exploded and are twice as tall. Somehow there
are lily of the valley trying to take over there too although I don't
recall ever planting any.


It is good that none were Spanish bluebells. They would be more suited
to my climate -- mild winters and hot summers -- than to your climate.
I cannot grow English bluebells here in southern California.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary
  #8   Report Post  
Old 14-04-2017, 05:06 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 321
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 4/14/2017 10:47 AM, David E. Ross wrote:
mild winters and hot summers


That could pretty much apply to Eastern Tennessee for the past year or two
-- getting down to freezing has been a rare occurrence and snow has been
AWOL. Tomato farming has become a relatively big business around here and
keeps becoming more so -- vaguely reminds me of driving through the Central
Valley back when I lived in Silicon Valley.
  #9   Report Post  
Old 15-04-2017, 12:11 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,166
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 14/04/17 15:47, David E. Ross wrote:

It is good that none were Spanish bluebells.


If they are, get yourself a tankerful of glyphosate, and spray that
plant a dozen times and for 100 yards around, just to make sure you got
*all* of 'em!

I'm still trying to eradicate it from the garden of the house we moved
into nearly 5 years ago. I've found bulbs 10" down in the clay we have
here, just above subsoil level.

--

Jeff
  #10   Report Post  
Old 04-05-2017, 07:56 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2017
Posts: 211
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 13 Apr 2017 14:36, John McGaw wrote:
On a hike across the northern counties of England a while back I was
enchanted by the sometimes-vast swathes of bluebells. I managed to get 100
real Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs and planted them in various places
hoping to find somewhere that they would succeed in my climate (Tennessee)
which is eminently not suitable for them. In places in dead shade they seem
to be prospering but in what should be light shade under deciduous trees
they don't do well since they come up well before the trees leaf out.

Last week I noticed that one plant in the non-favored location was showing
white flowers while all the others which were in bloom were the normal
shade. Do I have some sort of exotic sport with white blooms or is this
something that happens often? I failed to mark the odd plant but if it does
the same next year and if it seems worthwhile I'll try to move it to a
better location where it might multiply.

It happens in the UK amongst the wild plants. They also vary n the
intensity of the blue. A walk in any UK bluebell wood would prove my
point.

--
Regards
Bob Holden
Runnymede, UK


  #11   Report Post  
Old 05-05-2017, 10:07 PM posted to rec.gardens
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 321
Default White English Bluebell -- Huh?

On 5/4/2017 1:56 PM, Bob Hobden wrote:
On 13 Apr 2017 14:36, John McGaw wrote:
On a hike across the northern counties of England a while back I was
enchanted by the sometimes-vast swathes of bluebells. I managed to get 100
real Hyacinthoides non-scripta bulbs and planted them in various places
hoping to find somewhere that they would succeed in my climate (Tennessee)
which is eminently not suitable for them. In places in dead shade they seem
to be prospering but in what should be light shade under deciduous trees
they don't do well since they come up well before the trees leaf out.

Last week I noticed that one plant in the non-favored location was showing
white flowers while all the others which were in bloom were the normal
shade. Do I have some sort of exotic sport with white blooms or is this
something that happens often? I failed to mark the odd plant but if it does
the same next year and if it seems worthwhile I'll try to move it to a
better location where it might multiply.

It happens in the UK amongst the wild plants. They also vary n the
intensity of the blue. A walk in any UK bluebell wood would prove my
point.



I guess I never studied the individual plants in detail being taken by the
natural beauty of the mass display. I'm considering hunting up another
hundred bulbs this Autumn for planting in areas that I now know are suitable.

Oh, and I do hope to get back at least a few more times for walks. The
Cleveland Way is the next destination. There are probably some bluebells
there too in need of appreciation.
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Big Bertha Thing blogs (huh? what?) Mopar Man United Kingdom 0 10-07-2003 06:52 AM
English Bluebell seeds for swaps Mark Allison United Kingdom 0 25-06-2003 09:28 PM
English Bluebell seeds for swaps Mark Allison United Kingdom 0 23-06-2003 10:44 PM
Smokers and Tomatoes. HUH? jammer Gardening 11 07-03-2003 04:20 PM
thank you for spring - huh? Cereoid+10 Gardening 3 06-02-2003 06:45 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:31 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017