In the last couple of years, amidst the trend for planting wild flowers and rewilding, I had visions of my very own tiny bluebell wood right at home in my garden with its dreamy colour, stunning scent, and delicate flowers. So, in order to make this a reality, I set to work locating the best seed and researching growing advice.
The Seed of My Idea
My garden is home to a shady area in the shadow of a very tall, elderly pair of trees and it is here that I have been working on a woodland style planting scheme including ferns, wild garlic, foxgloves, and more. I decided to add bluebells to provide more colour and enhance the romantic look.
It is a long-term goal as seeds can take up to five years to mature but there is something hopeful and exciting about playing the long game and imagining the future aesthetic of the garden in years to come.
I am currently attempting to grow English Bluebells, Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Their blue flowers have six bell shaped lobes that curve back entirely and are in bloom from April to June.
It is important not to confuse them with the non-native Spanish bluebell, which is a threat to English bluebells due to its more vigorous nature which can out compete the English Bluebell for resources such as space and light. The Spanish bluebell, Hyacinthoides hispanica, is larger and grows more upright than the iconic, arching bluebell, it has flowers all around the stem and is odourless with lighter blue flowers. It is crucial to weed out any plants that have cross-bred with Spanish bluebells to avoid native English bluebells being smothered out.
The English bluebell is protected by law in the UK, as it is considered a native species facing some threat from hybridisation with the Spanish bluebell, Hyacinthoides hispanica, and must not be picked or uprooted. Care should be taken when going to see bluebells to ensure that they, and other species, are not trampled.
A study by Plantlife found that one in six broadleaved woodlands contained the hybrid and/or the Spanish bluebell.
The Story of My Seeds
I purchased my seeds from a crofter in Cleadale on the Island of Eigg who has a license from the Scottish Government to legally harvest and sell the seed. The island’s bluebells have never been exposed to Spanish bluebells so will not have the risk of being hybridised. It is hoped that planting these seeds will help to boost numbers of Hyacinthoides non-scripta.
The Beginning of the Journey
The seeds are rather tricky to germinate but I am sure it will be worth the effort. Way back in October, I popped the seeds in to the fridge in plastic pots with damp kitchen roll (make sure to label them as they are toxic) and after Christmas they started to sprout.
Gradually, as individual seeds have germinated, I have transferred them to a pot of seed compost with some vermiculite mixed in. You can direct sow them by sprinkling them over damp earth, preferably in partial shade. Growth is slow and patience is a must! I had almost given up when I started to see signs of life.
The tiny seedlings are now in a warm, sunny spot in my house with grow lights that I switch on when light levels are low. It may not have the fairly quick results that growing flowers normally has, but it does make me feel good that I am trying to help safeguard a species that is important to me.
For now, it is a tiny little pot of hopes and dreams, which, one day if all goes to plan, will be my very own miniature bluebell wood! I am excited for the day when I can sit on my bench, under the tree canopy, with a cup of tea and a froth of fragrant blue flowers around me. Until then, maybe a visit to Eigg is in order to marvel over these beauties until I have my own.
Scottish bluebells and English bluebells refer to two different plants:
Scots call the Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia, a ‘bluebell’. It is a summer flowering plant, it is not a bulb. This Scottish bluebell is commonly found in dry, grassy areas, heaths, and rocky slopes. It has a more slender and delicate appearance compared to the English bluebell.
In Scotland, the spring flowering English bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, is often referred to as the ‘wild hyacinth’. Like hyacinths, it has sweetly scented flowers and is a bulbous perennial. The bluebell is in the genus Hyacinthus, the non-scripta distinguishes it from the classical Hyacinth (which you may know better as a forced bulb to scent our homes at Christmas time).
Karen Stewart-Russell lives in the heart of rural Fife. Passionate about the mental health benefits of gardening, she loves to share the joy of growing through her garden wall seed, plant, and book library. Karen has a relaxed, wildlife-friendly garden full of flowers and is a huge fan of roses. Her latest project is an apothecary garden as her enthusiasm for utilising herbs and useful flowers grows. Follow Karen on Instagram.