Guest Author - Hellie T.

The Bluebell or Hyacinthoides non-scripta is the native British Bluebell and has been a favourite in English Gardens for many centuries.

It is also known as Auld Man's Bell, Wood bells, Calverkeys and Ring-o'-Bells. The Elizabethans called it Jacinth and used the sticky juice from crushed bulbs to stick paper.

Results of a poll in 2002 revealed that the bluebell was the UK‘s favourite flower.

It has arching spikes of glorious rich violet blue, strongly scented flowers, which droop distinctively to one side.

Flowering in April and May, it should not be confused with Hyacinthoides hispanica or Spanish bluebell which has broad leaves, paler blue flowers and the bells hang in all directions.

Cultivation
The bluebell is a bulbous perennial that prefers a slightly acidic soil (so any where bracken grows then bluebells will do well).

Partial shade is best so they can be planted under deciduous trees or shrubs or hedgerows.
However they will tolerate a sunny position if the soil does not dry in summer and will naturalise in grass.

They can grow between 8 and 16 inches and look best planted in clumps.

Bluebells seed freely so if you wish you can leave them to their own devices and they will multiply readily.

Your new bulbs should be planted in autumn or you can propagate by division in late summer.

The Bluebell in folklore
The bluebell in English folklore was said to call the fairies to their meetings.

People also would not walk through a field of bluebells because they believed it to be enchanted and that the fairies would spirit them away – never to be seen by human eye again.

And take heed a warning:
Should any one be so unlucky as to actually hear the bluebells ringing then they will die within a year.
I recommend the use of Cotton wool in the ears or earplugs as a good solution and it will certainly amuse your fellow gardeners!

Click here to do an English Garden Blubell Jigsaw puzzle - a photo I took in the woods near my house.

Enjoy your garden!