Bluebells and Garlic

[hank]

Can I plant Wild Garlic and Bluebells together? Or will the Garlic leaves smother the Bluebells. I believe they flower at the same time, but in the wild, I've only seen all Garlic, or all Bluebells. I just wonder if they will co-exist?

Thanks H.

[Johnny81]

The native wild plants co-exist in our woodlands quite happily and I would have thought bluebell would be the more dominant species, but i'd imagine this is due to space, niche and interspecific competition. Planting and gardening isn't my thing - sure the others can be of assistance

[Dorts]

Hank, the normal way to plant two species such as these is in 'drifts'. That is ribbons of varying width, or alternatively in blocks of differing sizes of each. The do grow naturally together but you tend to find one or the other will dominate in areas.

The best way to plant is to scatter the bulbs in the area to be planted by grabbing a handfull, scattering them on the ground, and planting them where they fall, mixing them at the edges of each block/ribbon. This ensures a more natural look to the planting.
Ideal time to plant these two species is August-early September. But not too late if you do it right away.
Dorts.

[the naturelover]

As Always Dorts is spot on.
One thing I would recommend though if you do not already have the bulbs is to wait now till next year and buy you're stock "in the green" ie as young plants (loads of nurseries supply these on the web) And make sure they are english and not spanish bluebells as with snowdrops the success rates with bulbs is very low and you stand a much higher chance of establishing them from young plants. Please Please do not dig them up from the wild.
good luck and enjoy.
regards tn.

[King Edward]

You could collect seed though from your local area, no harm in that, although you'd have to wait until next summer now and it would be pretty slow to get established.

I think the habitat requirements of the two species are slightly different, although I'm not sure exactly how, so if you planted them together chances are one would outcompete the other. Nothing lost trying though.

[fairplay]

On the banks of the River Orwell just south of Ipswich is a very old wood in which masses of bluebells grow at a certain height up the slope then they come to an abrupt stop where Ransomes grow below them on the bank just a bit further down.

I'm not sure if it is normal for them both to be in flower together but all I remember it was a fantastic sight. There seemed to be no intermingling, so I would imagine it was something to do with soil profiles or a clay seam.

I've never been a big fan of football, but at the time Blue and White were the colours of Ipswich Town football club so the footie people missed a trick here methinks.

Neil.

[Dorts]

Yes, Ramsons do usually flower a little before the Bluebells, but they just overlap as the Bluebells come into flower. Bluebells do seem to prefer the upper parts where there is sloping ground with the Ramsons lower down.

Both TN and KE make good points.
'In the green' usually has a higher success rate than planting bulbs.
Sowing seed is also a good idea if you are prepared to wait a season or two. Both species germinate very readily from seed collected from the wild and you can ensure they are native stock.
Seed would be the least expensive method if bought in larger quantaties. Bulbs bought in bulk would probably be cheaper than buying plants.
Plenty to think about.
Dorts.

[hank]

Some good advice and tips there. Thanks folks!

H.

[King Edward]

Emorsgate seeds has some good information on the two species, and they have seeds available which could be sown now. It seems that Ramsons generally prefers damper conditions than Bluebell:

Bluebell is primarily a plant of deciduous woodland on moist, free draining soils.... The bulb of developing plants are drawn down through the soil by contractile roots and can end up as far as 250mm below the surface. At these depths it is prone to waterlogging which is why it tends to be replaced by Ramsons in woodlands on heavier soils.

Growing Information
Bluebell seed requires moist warm conditions followed by a period of chilling before germination can take place so is probably best sown in late summer, but will in time establish from seed sown at any time of the year.

In deciduous woodlands or plantations that cast enough shade to prevent grass growth in summer the best way to establish Bluebell is from seed as is it gives the most naturalistic effect and is cheaper. This does require patience as germination to flowering normally takes about five years.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by hank

Can I plant Wild Garlic and Bluebells together? Or will the Garlic leaves smother the Bluebells. I believe they flower at the same time, but in the wild, I've only seen all Garlic, or all Bluebells. I just wonder if they will co-exist?

Just to summarise all the good points already made - in a garden setting you could probably grow the two in close proximaty, although in the wild they tend to dominate in different habitat: ramsons- darker, damper locations on more acidic soils, bluebells - dryer, brighter locations on limey soils. Both are resilient and the only limitation is for bluebells on very damp/heavy soils - if this is the case in your garden you may want to lighten the soil by incorporating compost and grit in the area you want to plant bluebells, although perhaps in wildlife terms one would conclude you were 'working outside the ecology' and that bluebells were not the best choice.

As far as planting, I'd agree that planting bluebells 'in green' is probably a better opton as it avoids winter rotting, this isn't so much an issue with ramsons and I see no reason not to go ahead and plant now.

CM