Allium & Fritillaria Bulbs
We have grouped together these two fabulous bulb families – due to their many similarities. Most advice we can give for alliums will also apply to Fritillaria and vice versa. Not that there is much advice to give as these bulbs are very easy to grow, and will provide a classic, show-stopping affect to any garden!
Although united by their breathtaking beauty and ease, Alliums & Fritillaria can appear quite different when you see them in full bloom.
Alliums produce tall, thin single flower stems, ending in explosions of flowers, made up of hundreds of tiny florets and petals, in a range of blue, purple, lilac and whites – each with different sized heads and styles. From bonkers random to perfect symmetry, Allium flowers are also easy to dry and use as permanent decoration too. Just cut them when they have gone over in the garden, hang upside done for a few months to dry out, then spray them gold, silver or glitter for fab natural Christmas decoration.
Fritillaries on the other hand are usually more subtle, with deeper and richer colours – except for the bold and brash ‘Crown Imperial’, it’s unique orange whorls of flowers a wonder to behold. The classic naturalising ‘Snakeshead’ Fritillary, with its iconic checker-board purple petals, is a real gem for every garden too.
Whichever variety you personally prefer the sound of, if you are looking for something easy and different – something that comes back every year – Allium and Fritillary bulbs are both a fantastic choice!
On Receipt
Most Allium & Fritillaria bulbs you buy will be packed and delivered in perforated polythene bags, and some may come with sawdust in the bags, to keep condensation at bay. Once received, if you cannot plant them straight away, it is always best to keep them in a cool, dark, moisture-free place and that’ll make sure they keep for a few weeks.
Planting Allium & Fritillaria Bulbs
The best time to plant these bulbs is usually between the months of September and December. Although as late as December will be fine, it is best to plant these as early as you can, so aim for early autumn. Doing so will give them a bit more time to establish a strong root system before the winter coldness settles in.
There is a simple rule of thumb when planting Allium & Fritillaria bulbs; plant them at twice the depth of the height of the bulb and four times their width apart. e.g 5cm tall bulbs need to be planted 10cm below the surface of the ground and 20cm apart.
Please check the bag for any additional planting instructions.
They are fine to plant even if a little green growth is showing, they’ll just need a good watering when you plant them, and then only when the soil is dry.
Where to plant Allium & Fritillaria Bulbs
This is where Alliums and Fritillaria differ slightly. They both like to be in moderately fertile, very well drained soil, but Fritillaria will prefer to be in slight shade for some of the day, whereas Alliums can better handle full sun, so pick an appropriate spot accordingly.
Both varieties can be planted either in a border or in pots; they are not fussy. Just make sure that if you opt for pots, these drain water easily, as too much water in the soil can make the bulbs rots before they even get a chance. To prevent this, a simple scatter of broken crockery or hand full of gravel at the bottom of the pot before you add the compost, will work wonders in aiding the water to drain out.
Allium & Fritillaria Aftercare
Whilst all the energy that a bulb needs in order to grow is stored in the bulb itself, they will do better if you feed them after planting. A small application of general-purpose feed such as Superior Soluble Fertiliser will suffice.
Other that this isn’t much else you need to do! One thing that might be necessary if we have a particularly cold winter, is frost protection. To protect the bulbs against frost, place the pot in a frost-free area or cover it with bubble wrap over winter.
Conversely, if you experience very hot weather make sure to give them an extra watering. Other than that, you can sit back and await their glorious blooms!
Once the flowers have come into full bloom and eventually start going dry, you can remove the flower heads and make them into indoor decorations, or alternatively they can be left on the plants to encourage self-seeding. With the latter option you might even see more flowers next year!