Bluebells

[Alcazar]

Many years ago, my dad imported a clump of French bluebells from the savoie region to his garden in the UK, where they flourished, multiplying like mad.

Now he's in the twilight of his life at 91 in May, I've taken a few back to france to have in our garden there........remembrance, for when he eventually does pass on.

They've not done well on the edges of the fosse drainage area mound, so I've transplanted them to a more woody region.

Now the question: I missed about 4 clumps, and wifey mowed them! will they inevitably die, or just be set back?

Alcazar

[Tresco]

They will almost certainly come back Alcazar. I know older gardeners who regard them as weeds, they are so resistant.

I've got some daffs here, my dad made me plant them for him on one of the coldest days ever in Sheffield, about 10 years ago. When he died I dug some up and they have travelled with me ever since, and his gardening boots too. Glad to hear i'm not the only sentimental gardener here.

tresco

[Hoddy]

I'm glad to hear other people are sentimental.

When I was a child we had a rambling rose which I think is New Dawn.

Over the years I've taken lots of cuttings and it's always moved house with me because it reminds me of my mother.

During the drought of 2003 my English garden was neglected and I thought the rose was dead, but I left it just in case and it resprouted. I took eight cuttings last October all of which have sprouted and two of them will be heading to France very shortly.

Hoddy

[Iceni]

With regard to bluebells - check the type you have. If they have bells all round the stem they are not bluebells but a similar Spanish variety which is currently rampant in the UK and taking out the wild variety which have flowers on just one side of the stem. It does not matter which type of plant you have if they are special to you and it is almost impossible to kill them by mowing, I know, I once tried. Even digging them up normally leaves enough bulblets so they flourish again after a few years.

To me, the plant that brings back memories of our small garden is aparagus as there was a huge plant in the front garden, we would cut a few for my disabled aunt in the spring and then cut the fern all the summer to go with flowers brought in for her. Tonight we will have our first 'taste' of our own asparagus, just a couple of stems each as we can only take one or two from each plant this year as next year is the first real cropping year.

New Dawn is another favorite but due to a very bad move over a lot of our stuff was left in the UK, this amongst it.

[Alcazar]

Mine are the genuine English variety with flowers on one side of the stem.

The woods just up from where I live (in Scunthorpe, no less) will be full of them in about 3 weeks, with a carpet of wild garlic to follow.

Alcazar

[Patf]

I have never seen bluebells growing wild in the woods here, and wonder why this is. We have celandines, wood anemones, violets,and even some wild hellebores, with the usual dandelions and daisies, but no bluebells. Pat.

[Alcazar]

[quote]I have never seen bluebells growing wild in the woods here, and wonder why this is. We have celandines, wood anemones, violets,and even some wild hellebores, with the usual dandelions and daisies, but...[/quote]

Do you mean in France? In the Haute Vienne there don't seem to be many, which is odd, since they flourish in the woody area of our garden there.

Within 10 miles or so of us you run into either 16 or 24, both of which have hundreds growing on the roadsides, preceded by cowslips and a few primroses, and followed by some absolutely AMAZING purple/pink orchids!

The things I don't seem to see, which are again, common round here, are foxgloves.

I must try and take, and post a photo of the bluebell display in the woods, near here, which are about 1 mile from Scunthorpe town centre.

Alcazar