Photo by L.A. Jackson
October is the prime time to start looking for bulbs to plant this fall that will spiff up gardens next spring with their spiffy displays. Personally, I do get a bit lazy when it comes to picking such bulbs because I prefer ones that, once planted, bring their flower shows to the spring garden party year after year.
This means, for me, most tulips need not apply. I go for dependable repeat performers such as daffodils and crocuses that consistently bloom every spring. And while these two dazzlers are common sights in my garden, there is another beauty I have that is not as well-known but is still a steady annual performer: Spanish bluebells.
True to their name, Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) hail from Spain (as well as Portugal), but don’t think you have to hunt through obscure Euro-garden catalogs to find them. No, these cuties have been enjoyed in gardens on this side of The Big Pond since colonial times, so they are no strangers to local nursery bulb bins at this time of year.
While these pretties do dangle clusters of bell-shaped flowers off 8- to 16-inch-tall stalks, their hues aren’t particularly true blue. A purplish-blue is what I would tag the blooms of typical Spanish bluebells. And although it might mess with your head, I have to mention there are even pink- and white-flowering Spanish bluebells.
Whatever colors the blooms might be, Spanish bluebells are pretty, and pretty tough, starting with being drought-tolerant and deer-resistant. They will perform well in the sun or even areas of moderate shade such as woodland gardens or underneath large, sprawling deciduous trees.
Spanish bluebells’ kryptonite is heavy soil such as clay because good drainage is a must or bulb rot becomes a definite possibility. Well-amended soil will help solve this problem, but so will planting the bulbs in raised beds, rock gardens or even containers.
By early summer, the flowers will be a memory and the leaves will become a withered, yellowed mess. This is when you can tidy them up by snipping off and discarding the spent foliage.
If kept happy, Spanish bluebells will naturalize and slowly expand their territory by way of seeds and offshoot bulbs. Overcrowding can lead to diminishing returns on blooms, but dividing and transplanting the bulbs—maybe even giving some to fellow gardeners—every few years in the late summer will help maintain their springtime flower power.
October in the Garden
• Remove diseased or insect-infested plants from the veggie patch to help prevent nasties from overwintering in the garden and then coming out to start trouble again next spring.
• Picked green tomatoes can be encouraged to ripen indoors by wrapping each one loosely in tissue paper and tucking them away in an area out of direct sunlight. If you are impatient, add an apple or two to the tomato bin. Apples emit ethylene gas that helps ’maters mature faster.
Tip of the Month
If you are looking for a typical bluish Spanish bluebell, the cultivar Excelsior has been a standard for years and shouldn’t be too hard to find. What about white? This preference for the lighter shade of pale will be satisfied by White City. Thinking pink? Add such a blushing hue to your springtime garden with either Rosabella or Queen of Pinks.
For gardeners who prefer to let their fingers do the e-walking for Spanish bluebells, here are a few online mail order nurseries to try:
• Brent and Becky’s (brentandbeckysbulbs.com).
• Dutch Grown (dutchgrown.com).
• American Meadows (americanmeadows.com).
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.