bluebells in my lawn, when to cut
 

Hi All,

I am looking to plant bluebells in the lawn at the back of my house.
The soil is a little heavy with little if any direct sun during winter
The lawn isnt used much as I often let the rough grass grow much longer
than the front lawn.

Is it best to plant Bluebells in the green?

When is the best time to plant?

How long do I leave my lawn before I can cut it in the spring?
I live in the North East (UK).

Chris

In article .com,
writes
Hi All,

I am looking to plant bluebells in the lawn at the back of my house.
The soil is a little heavy with little if any direct sun during winter
The lawn isnt used much as I often let the rough grass grow much longer
than the front lawn.

Is it best to plant Bluebells in the green?

Doesn't make much difference. They're as tough as old boots.
If you're buying, check carefully (if it matters to you) whether you're
getting english or spanish bluebells - some sold as english are in fact
spanish. English are a darker blue, gently nodding, with more scent.
Spanish are paler, more open bells, flowers all around a stiffly held
stem.

When is the best time to plant?

How long do I leave my lawn before I can cut it in the spring?

They don't flower until about May and you'll need to leave the leaves at
least six weeks beyond that.

I'm not sure, though, that bluebells are the best bet for a lawn.
They're woodland plants, making the most of light early in the year
before the tree foliage has thickened up, and in that habitat, they
don't have to compete with grass. And they have a nasty habit of letting
they're leaves flop, which wouldn't be very good for any grass
underneath. They're quite late flowering bulbs, and there's plenty else
of interest around that time.

If you just want to liven up the lawn in the spring, I would suggest
some of the smaller growing daffodils (the 6-8 inch size). They are used
to being in grass, and being earlier, they'd be out of the way a lot
earlier and let you mow again. Snowdrops re another possibility.
Crocuses won't open fully if they don't have warmth, in the shape of
direct sunlight. If it's the blue colour you want, you could see whether
scillas or chionodoxa can be grown in grass - I'm not sure that they
can, but I don't know. If the lawn is fairly damp, snake's head
fritillary is another option -very beautiful, but not so showy. Finally,
cowslips do well in grass provided it's kept reasonably short - but I
mean about 4 - 6 inches rather than lawn-short.

I live in the North East (UK).

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
wrote:

Hi All,

I am looking to plant bluebells in the lawn at the back of my
house.
The soil is a little heavy with little if any direct sun during
winter
The lawn isnt used much as I often let the rough grass grow much
longer
than the front lawn.

Is it best to plant Bluebells in the green?

When is the best time to plant?

How long do I leave my lawn before I can cut it in the spring?
I live in the North East (UK).

Chris

Bluebells spread into my lawn four years ago, I cut them back
whenever I
cut the grass, the blasted thing still keep coming.

Yes. Once you have them, it is quite difficult to get rid of them.
IMO they belong *only* in the traditional bluebell wood where they can
go on the rampage to good effect.

Franz

agree with everything posted above....the 6 week after flowering thing applies...english bluebell the flowers are held all on one side of the stem, spanish the flowers are all around....theres got to better lawn things though....how about snowdrop followed by narsissus and siberian squill...wots the latin is it Scilla ?...
avoid in borders my freinds Musacri...the dratted foliage hangs about all year round looking naff.

Eyebright wrote:
Wrote:
Hi All,

I am looking to plant bluebells in the lawn at the back of my
house.

Chris

agree with everything posted above....the 6 week after flowering
thing
applies...english bluebell the flowers are held all on one side of
the
stem, spanish the flowers are all around....theres got to better lawn
things though....how about snowdrop followed by narsissus and
siberian
squill...wots the latin is it Scilla ?...
avoid in borders my freinds Musacri...the dratted foliage hangs about
all year round looking naff.


--
Eyebright





........................

Thanks all for the advice.

I think I will look at a small very early flowering bulb of some type.
Something to flower from late December to Feb would be good, were I can
cut the grass by around late March..any thoughts...?

Chris

On 30/12/04 14:25, in article
, "
wrote:

snip
I think I will look at a small very early flowering bulb of some type.
Something to flower from late December to Feb would be good, were I can
cut the grass by around late March..any thoughts...?

Chris


Look at some of the species of snowdrops, perhaps, for flowering in 2006 and
plant them in the green, because they take better that way. These people
supply them.
http://www.bluebellbulbs.co.uk/Catalogue/Snowdrops.htm
And crocus, perhaps?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In message .com
wrote:


Eyebright wrote:

Thanks all for the advice.

I think I will look at a small very early flowering bulb of some type.
Something to flower from late December to Feb would be good, were I can
cut the grass by around late March..any thoughts...?

Chris

cyclamen coum are flowering now. Their leaves appear in october and vanish
by late spring and they will self seed if happy.

--
CTC Right to Ride Representative for Richmond upon Thames

On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 14:20:38 GMT, Paul Luton
wrote:

cyclamen coum are flowering now. Their leaves appear in october and vanish
by late spring and they will self seed if happy.

But you wouldn't put cyclamen in a lawn! (Nor bluebells)
Snowdrops and / or crocus would be best.

Pam in Bristol

On 1/1/05 21:49, in article , "Pam
Moore" wrote:

On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 14:20:38 GMT, Paul Luton
wrote:

cyclamen coum are flowering now. Their leaves appear in october and vanish
by late spring and they will self seed if happy.

But you wouldn't put cyclamen in a lawn! (Nor bluebells)
Snowdrops and / or crocus would be best.

We have cyclamen in the grass under our Cedrus atlanticus. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In message
Pam Moore wrote:



But you wouldn't put cyclamen in a lawn! (Nor bluebells)
Snowdrops and / or crocus would be best.

Pam in Bristol

They put themselves there! - seeding from the border into a thin and rather
shaded area of lawn. The grass in the summer is no worse than before and
the whole area is much more interesting in the spring

Paul


--
CTC Right to Ride Representative for Richmond upon Thames