Megan McCubbin presents Springwatch piece on corncrakes
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Spring flowers have started to bloom across the UK with bright yellow daffodils kick-starting the early flush. While vibrant tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are a sight to behold between March and May, these stunning flowers can fade in as little as three weeks. Luckily there are a number of blooms which can be potted with spring bulbs to keep your garden full all year round – but what should you be planting? Express.co.uk spoke to some horticultural experts to reveal their key pairings.
What to plant with tulips
Tulips provide a dynamic display of colours and shapes throughout spring, so they can make your pots look even emptier when they finish flowering.
To keep your pot filled with vibrant growth beyond seasonal tulips, it is important to use companion plants with similar needs to this iconic spring flower.
Look for varieties which share the following requirements:
- At least six hours of sunlight per day
- Well-draining soil
- Enjoyed (eaten) by deer, rabbits and other mammals
Some key pairings for tulips include crocus bulbs and bugbane, but why are they so well-suited?
What to plant with hyacinths
Hyacinths are one of the easiest spring bulbs to grow and are loved for their impressive spike-shaped petals.
These fragrant blooms are perfect for pots and can be layered with other spring bulbs using the ‘lasagne planting’ effect.
Elin said: “This is the process in which the latest-flowering bulbs are planted at the bottom of the pot, with layers of earlier-flowering bulbs above them.
“Key companion plants include ornamental alliums and geraniums.”
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Ornamental alliums
These vibrant flowering bulbs are a great successor to your spring hyacinths with impressive flower heads ranging from blue and purple to white and pink.
To fully enjoy their vibrant blooms, plant alliums in early autumn in a wind-sheltered spot with plenty of sunshine.
Cranesbill (geraniums)
Cranesbill are perennial border plants shaped like saucers, offering an abundance of flowers in pink, purple and blue.
These enticing blooms can be planted at any time of year, although planting from autumn to late winter can ensure the plants have established their roots, ready to bloom, says Elin.
She added: “Not only are they easy to grow in pots, but they thrive and flower in many different weather conditions for months, making them an ideal addition to hyacinths and your pots’ aesthetic.
“Their purple colour is a great contrast for any green foliage and can be used as a ground cover or to hide the bare stems of hyacinths.”
What to plant with daffodils
Perhaps the most well-known spring bloom, the daffodil is best planted alongside late-flowering varieties.
Elin said: “Daffodils bloom when many flowering shrubs and perennials are just waking from their winter dormancy, often marked as one of the first signs of spring.
“Providing warmth and sunny colour in the spring, make great companion plants for your pot due to their ability to merge amongst established plants and act as a deterrent to pests.”
Brunnera macrophylla
Commonly known as Siberian bugloss, this unusual addition is the perfect companion for your daffodils thanks to its silver leaves and small, blue flowers.
This spring bloom will flower from late April or early May once the daffodils have faded.
Elin said: “The small, bright blue flowers make a perfect ground covering for your daffodil led pot.
“It is key to plant these from mid-autumn to early spring in moist soil, partial light, and a sheltered area.”
Ornamental grasses
While flowering varieties are the perfect successors to spring bulbs, feathery ornamental grasses can also provide an impressive display through summer and beyond.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Carol Adams, head of horticulture and biodiversity at Trentham Estate said: “At the Trentham Estate, we use ornamental grasses and heucheras in some of our pot displays of bulbs.
“The foliage colours and textures add contrast to the bulb display and look super when the bulbs are in flower.”
Plant ornamental grasses with:
- Two layers of early and late flowering tulips
- A mixture of tulip and fritillaria persica
- Crocus
- Narcissus
- Snow drops
Add pheasant tail grass (anemanthele lessoniana) to a large pot of fritillaria or use as an under-plant for tulips.
Team bold leaf heucheras such as H. ‘Marmalade’ with flowering tulips and black flowering fritillaria.
Carol added: “If looking for a low maintenance bulb planter why not plant the container with creeping evergreen ground cover and a single species of bulb.
“I love vinca minor ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ with its evergreen trailing foliage and white flowers in spring with something simple like snowdrops, or possibly a white narcissus.
“For something big and bold use euphorbia amygdaloides purpurea and surround the edges of the pot with a yellow form of snowdrop.”
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