July 2025 Talk: Adventures with Bulbs

Following on from a talk given in October 2024 by Dr Tim Ingram about his family run garden – Copton Ash – he returned for a more detailed presentation about the bulbs grown there. As he was not well that evening, his wife Gillian gallantly stepped up at the last moment to deliver the talk.

A wealth of bulbs have now been planted at Copton Ash, in beds, under trees and also allowed to naturalise in long grass. In particular a circular sunny gravelly bed was highlighted. The planting was at first inspired by the Lime Walk at Sissinghurst Castle which is very much a spring show of narcissus, tulips, primroses, anemones, scillas, violets and erythroniums. Tim has continuously added to and altered the planting in the circular bed so that there is now interest throughout the year.

A wide range of bulbs – some familiar and many more specialised – were discussed. A number of these are on the smaller size as Tim has an interest in alpine plants but they all have striking shapes and colour. Just a few are highlighted:

Early Spring to March

• Galanthus – snowdrops
• Eranthis hyemalis – winter aconites
• Narcissus pseudonarcissus – wild daffodil
• Cyclamen coum – pink and white
• Crocus sieberi ‘Bowles White’ – white with yellow centre
• Iris histroides ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’ – white markings on violet blue petals
• Scilla siehei – glory of the snow
• Narcissus ‘Gypsy Queen’

April

• Muscari pseudomuscari – lovely blue
• Muscari muscarimi – greenish blue changing to creamy orange
• Narcissus ‘Thalia’ – white

May

• Tulipa clusiana ‘Peppermint Stick’ – white and pink
• Narcissus panizzianus – like a small paperwhite, slightly scented
• Tulipa cretica – white tinged with pink, and a yellow centre
• Tulipa linifolia (Batalinii group) – soft apricot, self seeds
• Tulipa orphanidea – pointed petals, red and yellow, Tim’s favourite

June / July

• Scilla hyacinthoides – pale blue, loves heat
• Triteleia laxa – vivid blue

September

• Cyclamen hederifolium – dark to silver leaves, ivy shaped leaves,
  tolerates drought and shade

October

• Crocus speciosus – self seeds
• Crocus goulimyi – pale grey blue

As Tim has planted these bulbs along with perennials, they are left to go over until everything gets cut back in October. This leaves the bed looking ‘wild’ at times but is necessary to encourage them to flower the following year. It was reassuring to hear that some of the bulbs planted by Tim ‘did not persist’ and it’s not just down to my poor gardening skills that I have bulbs that persistently disappear!

A couple of bulb nurseries were recommended – Riverside Bulbs and Rose Cottage Plants. Tim and Gillian also brought along an array of plants for sale which were very much appreciated by the members.

Sharon