Plant Overview
Also available as potted bulbs here.
Not to be confused with the more widely offered Spanish Bluebell (which quickly become a weed in gardens and a menace in the wild), this is the exquisite true British Native Bluebell.
Bluebells appear in ancient woodlands and along woodland edges in April and May and are one of the ancient woodland indicator species. They are easy to grow in gardens, growing best either from potted bulbs, or bulbs 'in the green'. Their early flowering allows them to make the most of the sunlight that is still able to make it to the forest floor habitat, before the canopy becomes too thick. Grow under deciduous trees and shrubs for best effect.
Will gradually spread to form a carpet.
Available 'in the green' for a limited time in winter only. 'In the green' means that you are buying bulbs which are shooting and/or have leaves (which is the most reliable means of transplanting bluebells). Supplied to us by a trusted British grower who carefully selects and lifts bulbs under license. Plant immediately in the ground or in containers.
You are buying eight 'in the green bulbs' for the price stated above. Add 2 to the basket to buy 16 bulbs and so on.
DELIVERY IS FREE FOR BULB-ONLY ORDERS. OR COMBINE WITH PLANT ORDERS FOR OUR STANDARD SHIPPING RATES.
Click here for other wildflowers in-the-green.
Anemone nemorosa's flowering period overlaps with native Bluebells and they look wonderful planted together.
Height: 25cm
Common names: Common bluebells, English bluebells, British bluebells, Wood bells, Fairy flowers, Wild hyacinth, Auld man's bell, Bell bottle, Blue bonnets, Bummuck, Calverkeys, Granfer-grigglesticks, Locks and Keys, Pride of the woods, Ring o' bells.
Myth and Legend
Traditionally you can make a wish when you see the first bluebell open in spring.
It is said that if you turn a bluebell flower inside out without tearing it, you will win the heart of the one you love.
To ensure good luck, you should pick a bluebell and conceal it in your shoe, saying:
Bluebell, bluebell, bring me some luck,
Before tomorrow night.
To dream of bluebells is an ill omen as it indicates that you will have a nagging spouse.
In Scotland, there is a legend that if you hear the Bluebell ring it is ringing your death knell and you will die shortly afterwards. Consequently one of the local names in Scotland is 'Death Bell'. I shouldn't let that put you off growing it though!
Bluebell is the birthday flower of 30 September.
POISONOUS IF INGESTED
Advantages of 'in the green' bulbs:
- root system is already developed
- you can see where you plant, avoiding bare patches and gluts
- easy to handle and no guessing which way up to plant
- plants establish much quicker and more reliably than dry bulbs
- plant from mid-January through to April
Note: It is illegal to lift Bluebells for trade without a license. Our bluebell bulbs are supplied to us by a trusted British grower who carefully selects and lifts bulbs under license
Photo 1: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 2: © User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}