Pink-hued nerines to brighten borders
With its showy, curling flowers, Nerine bowdenii is a welcome late arrival, brightening autumn borders
The unmistakable flowers of Nerine bowdenii, with their slender curling petals, bring a burst of colour to the garden in autumn. Amid the familiar “mists and mellow fruitfulness” of the season comes a plant that is full of the vigour and vibrant colour associated with spring. With its vivid pink, spindly flowers standing elegantly on an often leafless bulb, it is one of the most memorable garden flowers of the year, having spent summer all but forgotten in a near dormant state. Revealing its beauty when temperatures have fallen and days are shortening, the nerine’s flowers are much longer lasting than those of summer bulbs, providing colour for many weeks. Their dainty autumn blossom adds a refined glow to the garden among the intense shades of autumnal leaves. The flowers also serve as a host for bees still foraging for sources of late nectar. The appeal of the nerine is the surprise factor its flowers bring, yet it works well with other plants that wait until the later part of the year before showing their blooms. Beneath asters or among autumn gentians and autumn crocus, it helps provide one last hurrah of colour before the darkness of winter descends.
Hardy and long-lasting
It is the longevity and late appearance of nerines that gives them their enduring popularity, believes Colin Hickman, of specialist bulb nursery Hoyland Plant Centre, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. “Nerines flower at a cool time of year, so the
flowers last for at least six weeks,” he says. “They provide a good splash of colour when there is sometimes not so much.” Nerine bowdenii is the only hardy species of nerine in the UK and, therefore, the most widely grown. It is sometimes referred to as the Guernsey lily but this is misleading, as the bulb’s origins are South African. Another species which tends to be grown in the UK is Nerine sarniensis but, unlike N. bowdenii, this is not hardy and may be the reason why some gardeners give up with nerines. N. bowdenii, however, grows at a high altitude in the wild, in mountainous terrain, which proves its hardiness in the British climate. Hoyland, a family nursery that began 35 years ago, specialises in another South African plant, agapanthus. The nursery found nerines perfect to succeed them, starting to flower when the agapanthus went over and providing a new ‘showpiece’ plant to display at flower shows. Although agapanthus need restricted roots to flower well, they also thrive in the same conditions. As the nerines are shorter than agapanthus, they can be planted in the same pot.
Planting for success
Nerines thrive in a soil that drains well, but can also survive in clay if the planting holes are enriched with well-rotted compost and grit. The ideal conditions, however, are sandy, chalky soils. Thin soil in a sunny spot will also be perfect. These plants are also ideal for containers, and this method of growing allows for easy monitoring of the bulbs, which can be forgotten in mixed herbaceous borders
because of their long, leafless dormancy. As a result, they could be dug up or skewered with a fork by mistake. In containers, Nerine bowdenii grows best in a soil-based compost, such as John Innes No. 2, mixed with one part grit to two parts compost. One bulb can be planted in a 3½in (9cm) wide pot, but the plants have a lot more impact in containers when they are planted in groups of at least half a dozen. Each bulb should be spaced 3in (8cm) apart. Unlike many bulbs, nerines need to be planted so that their ‘noses’ are proud of the soil or compost surface, rather than buried underground. When planting, a quarter of the bulb should be above the soil or compost level. It is better to plant too shallowly than too deep because then they will struggle to flower properly. If planted correctly, the flowers will reach approximately 20in (50cm) tall.
Healthy growth
The main pest affecting Nerine bowdenii is the mealybug. Their white larvae can sometimes be found in between the leaves and will suck the sap from the foliage, which can weaken the plant. Regular checking in spring, when the plant is in growth, and removal of any of the bugs with a damp cloth, will ensure the plants grow healthily. Nerines may be more prone to a pest attack if they are fed with a general fertiliser which contains too much nitrogen. This can lead to excess soft, sappy growth, which will attract mealybugs. Sometimes gardeners are concerned that their nerines have not come into leaf and that the plants have died. “They can be slow to come into leaf and can quickly lose them, but it’s natural,” says Colin. “Leaves tend to show in June, and by the end of August, they often turn yellow and fall off so that the flowers appear on a bare bulb.” To reflect the conditions of their native home, Nerine bowdenii are given a thorough drenching, allowing puddles to form at the base of the plants. They are allowed to dry out completely before watering again. The best fertiliser is one that will help the bulb develop a strong root system. A fertiliser low in nitrogen but higher in phosphate and potassium is preferable.
Sun lovers
The best time to plant nerines is in early spring, giving the bulbs a chance to establish themselves and flower in the first autumn. Bulbs in flower can be planted in the autumn, but they may take a while to settle once flowering has finished, and they may take a year off from producing flowers. The tops of the bulbs need to be ‘baked’ by the sun in order for them to flower well, and a hot, dry summer in a sunny location provides the perfect growing conditions. Shade is best avoided, and in areas of the country that are not renowned for being hot, nerines should be planted near the
warmth of a south-facing house wall or in a terracotta pot, which will absorb heat and regulate fluctuating temperatures. “They like to cook a little bit,” says Colin. Whichever forms of nerine are grown, all bring something special to the autumn garden. They have a freshness that tricks the mind for a fleeting moment into believing that a new growing season has begun, when, in truth, one is just coming to an end. These flowers bring a year of growing to an elegant conclusion, offering a display more refined than the fading leaves and more subtle than the heavy fruit harvests. They are late blooms to savour and to grow, to celebrate the closing of another chapter in the garden.
“And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease” John Keats, ‘To Autumn’