The web address of the Gardening board has now been changed from https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/greenfingered-moneysaving to https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/gardening so that it is in line with the board's current name. Don't worry though, the old address will still redirect you here, but it's worth updating it in your saved links or browser favourites.
We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

autumn flowering bulbs

calleyw
calleyw Posts: 9,878 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
edited 14 February 2024 at 4:44PM in Gardening
I was thinking as I have a grass out the front that I will just randomly plant bulbs in the grass so they come up and provide a splash of colour during the darker days of autumn/winter.  They will need to survive being mowed over in spring and flower again that autumn.

I was thinking crocus's but not sure what else.

Thanks
Hope for everything and expect nothing!!!

Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin

Comments

  • Tiexen
    Tiexen Posts: 740 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    Most bulbs will come up late winter/early spring you have to wait for the leaves to die down after flowering so they come up again the following year - i.e. you won't be able to mow long after the grass has started growing
  • calleyw
    calleyw Posts: 9,878 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 14 February 2024 at 4:44PM
    Tiexen said:
    Most bulbs will come up late winter/early spring you have to wait for the leaves to die down after flowering so they come up again the following year - i.e. you won't be able to mow long after the grass has started growing
     I already have a few crocus that have been in the grass as long as I have been in the house which is 19 years and they get mowed over every year and still keep coming up.  Hence why I want autumn/winter flowering bulbs not spring bulbs like snowdrops and and daffs that are planted in the autumn/winter
    Hope for everything and expect nothing!!!

    Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz

    If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin
  • Here's a few RHS suggestions: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/articles/graham-rice/perennials-and-bulbs/top-10-autumn-bulbs 

    For what it's worth, I agree with avoiding mowing the leaves for at least the first few seasons while the colony is getting established.

    Also worth thinking about when you would be able to mow between flowerings/in the summer - as the plant will need time to grow before it's ready to flower, so you could have overlap between late spring and early autumn flowering plants where one lot are dying down as the next lot are just getting ready to start. 
    I'm not an early bird or a night owl; I’m some form of permanently exhausted pigeon.
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 6,807 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    The problem with wanting them to flower autumn winter is that you'll be mowing the grass during the summer so taking off any growth so they can't flower in autumn.

    The crocus grows with lengthening day light in early spring.
    Other bulbs that respond like the crocus are dwarf iris and Dutch iris (which is larger) but both are the same colours as crocus and flower at the same time.

    Primroses of the original version can be mown during summer if you don't mow the grass too close. But again flower at the same time.

    You could either cut out a small bed or grow bulbs in pots. Either a selection of pits each with a different bulb that blooms at different times or layered in a big pot so that you have a sucession.
    Bulbs in pots need almost no maintenance if in gritty compost. Put pot in a corner for the summer to dry out.

    I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!

    viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on

    The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well


Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 240.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 617.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.6K Life & Family
  • 254K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.