Plant Now for a Brilliant Spring Display
Late summer may feel too early to think of next year’s garden, but August onwards is the perfect time to tuck spring-flowering bulbs into the soil. Planting now gives bulbs the cool autumn and winter rest they need to produce strong shoots and vivid flowers when days lengthen. Heligan’s shop and online webshop now offer carefully chosen bulb collections designed to naturalise, thrive, and return with colour year after year.
Snowdrop Collection
Galanthus (Snowdrops) bring the first signs of life after winter. They like moisture-retentive soil and are happiest in partial shade, though they will tolerate full sun. Hardy across the country, snowdrops are perfect for naturalising in lawns, rockeries, borders, and beneath deciduous trees. Because they can be slow to settle, plant them where they can stay undisturbed and reward you each year with early white blooms that light up the coldest months.
Woodland Collection
Create a natural woodland carpet with this mix of bulbs suited to humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. While they will tolerate full sun, partial shade lets them flourish. Ideal for wild gardens and shady rockeries, these bulbs will happily naturalise. Soak Anemone and Eranthis tubers for three hours before planting to give them the best start. Over time, if the planting becomes crowded, simply lift, divide and replant to keep your woodland display thriving.
Inspired by the gentle beauty of Heligan's Woodland Walk, this collection captures the enchantment of spring beneath the trees. Together, these bulbs create a natural tapestry of soft whites, golden yellows, and cool blues that return each year to welcome the season.
Warm Cutting Garden Collection
For bold spring arrangements, tulips are the star. They grow in a wide range of soils as long as drainage is good. Plant them in sunshine for vivid colour or in partial shade to prolong the life of each flower. Perfect for beds, borders and containers, tulips reward good care: remove flower heads as they fade and lift the bulbs when foliage dies back, storing them dry until replanting in autumn. Avoid keeping small offshoots as they rarely flower.
Layered Planter Collection
This mix is designed for drama in pots and layered containers. The bulbs prefer humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade, but will tolerate full sun. Hardy and reliable, they create tiered flowering in spring. Tulips benefit from being lifted after their leaves have died back, ready to replant elsewhere. If the planter becomes crowded in future years, simply lift, divide and replant to refresh the display.
Planting these collections from August onwards means nature can take its course through the cooling months, ensuring strong roots and spectacular colour when spring arrives.
