Take a walk on the wild side and find the beauty of bluebells
Bluebells in the wild are a welcome sign of spring, but, says our expert Agnes Stevenson, they can also bring a pool of wonderful colour to our gardens.
From beneath a group of rhododendrons in my garden, a small patch of bluebells is in full bloom. They form a pool of sparkling colour, like a small lake that reflects the sky above them.
Bluebells are one of the glories of spring, transforming woodlands and filling the air with their scent. And one of the best places to see them is at Glenwhan Garden near Stranraer, where they grow amongst gorse bushes, creating a wonderful contrast between blue and yellow.
Bluebells are often a sign of ancient woodland and that’s where you can find them at Ardmaddy Castle south of Oban, spreading out beneath the trees in great sheets and also at Cawdor Castle, where they grow in the Old Wood of Cawdor.
Our native bluebell is a delicate creature, with nodding stems that hold their bells on only one side. If yours are straighter, with bells all around the stem, then what you have got is either Spanish bluebells or a cross between the two.
I like the wild ones and, if you want to plant them, make sure you buy them from a reputable source as there have been cases of bulbs being illegally uprooted from the countryside to be sold.
Alternatively, you could grow them from seed, although you may have to wait five years before the bulbs are large enough to produce flowers. But if you want to grow large numbers of bluebells this is the best way. Once in the ground, they will spread, producing offsets from bulbs and scattering seed.
As well as bluebells, my garden is strewn with wild violets, whose small, blue flowers are scattered across the lawn and down every mossy bank, mingling with
the primroses that are still going strong after more than two months. These little flowers have no scent but are completely charming.
If you are participating in No Mow May, these and other little jewels may be covering your grass, along with cheerful daisies and dandelions. I know dandelions are good for bees, but I have been known to pull the heads off them when they have turned up somewhere I don’t want them to grow.
If you want to remove these and other weeds from your lawn, the best way is with a long, sharp knife, severing the root as deeply as possible. You can also spot-treat them with a glyphosate-based weedkiller, applying the liquid directly to the leaves. One application may not be enough so you may have to repeat the process.
We are all being encouraged to use as few chemicals as possible, which is entirely sensible, but there are times when careful use of weedkiller can make the all the difference between having a garden or a completely overgrown plot.