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Advice on replacing Spanish bluebells

#1 · 19th May 2023, 10:07 am

Hello

I am very new to gardening so need all the advice I can get! We live in an area where Spanish bluebells are prolific, they are everywhere in the local area and we have had several pop up in our garden. As lovely as they look, I read that these should be dug up as they are a threat to native bluebells.

We currently have a patch in a very shady north facing border (see photo). I want to be able to replace them with something that looks similar as I do like how they look and fill the space. I'm not necessarily looking to replicate the look of the flowers, it's more the wide strap leaves I like.

If anyone has any ideas please do share 🙂

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#2 · 22nd May 2023, 6:29 am

Hi @skebeeble

Thanks for your comment on the Spanish bluebell. There’s been a lot written about how it’s invasive nature is making it harder for the english bluebell to survive. Which is true but I also think any flowering plant is better than nothing in a space!

However what I would say is that trying to eradicate it is probably an impossibility. Obviously managing its introduction or lack of is key. Unless you already had say an acre of wild native bluebells I wouldn’t worry too much. I have both types of bluebell in my garden. Both coexist and survive.

For residential gardens I’d say leave it be. It’s still great for pollinators and digging it up and replacing it will cause more damage to your soil lifting huge clumps of it and also probably cost more carbon when buying in replacements. It only flowers for a month or so then disappears again.

If you really do want something to put compete it consider wild garlic, flowers at the same time. Or Brunnera for early spring blue flowers. Evergreen Carex would suit your smaller border as well. Maybe a variegated variety like ‘Everest’?

If I were you I’d simply add to it with other plants to help bulk up the flower bed border.

Hope that gives food for thought!

Lee

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#3 · 24th May 2023, 2:24 pm

Thank you for your comprehensive and informative answer @lee, I will take your advice and leave them be.

Lee Garden Ninja has reacted to this post.