Growing English Bluebells: Tips at a Glance
Sweetly fragrant English bluebells love a deciduous forest but can be happy in a shady backyard. Keep them away from invasive cousin Spanish bluebells.
- Type Flowering blub
- Lifespan Perennial
- Growing Zones 5-7
- Light Shade lover
- Water Well-drained soil
- When to Plant Autumn
- Design Tip Spring carpet
- Peak Season Early spring
- Companions Wild garlic, aconites
English Bluebells: A Field Guide
Strong, sweetly fragrant English bluebells love a deciduous forest. In fact, they’re a common identifier of ancient woodlands. Yet bluebells can be nearly as happy in a shady backyard garden.
Happiest in the British Isles but grown in Europe and America as well, Hyacinthoides non-scripta creates a violet-blue carpet before the woodland canopy closes in late spring. Most bluebells are grown from bulbs, love well-drained soil, and will need some water for the first couple of seasons. Once established, bluebells can handle dry soil and will multiply profusely. A mature plant reaches a foot in diameter. Don’t confuse English bluebells with their tougher, more invasive cousin, the Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica).
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