We grow a range of ready-to-plant, perennial, spring bulb colonies. These, depending on variety, are available from February onwards. 

They are container grown clumps or individuals, always sold in the green (in active growth), and often already in bud or flower.

Always read the plant label carefully; many of these varieties need to be planted deeper (planting depths are given on each label).

The advantages of buying this sort of plant in the green:

  You can see exactly what you are getting, pick the variety with the leaf form and flower colour you want.

  You are buying hardy varieties that have already repeatedly over-wintered in the Pennine foothills.

  You can get instant spring impact instead of planting dried bulbs in autumn and hoping for the best.

These are just some of the varieties we grow:

ANEMONE BLANDA. 

We grow both the blue and the white varieties (the white tends to be more spreading and likes more shade). March-April flowering. 15cm (6 inches). 99p per colony.

BRIMEURA. 

February-March flowering woodland-plant, likes shade. White flowers. £1.61 per colony.

CHIONODOXA. 

Small, blue flowers with a white eye. March-May flowering. 10cm (4 inches). 90p per colony.

CORYDALIS SOLIDA. 

Delicate lilac-pink flowers, ideal for a shaded spot. 20cm (8 inches). 99p per colony.

CROCUS (DWARF SPECIE VARIETIES). 

Cream, pale-blue, purple or yellow. February-March flowering. 

They will grow in most soils, in full sun or light shade. 

7½cm (3 inches). 72p per colony.

FRITILLARIA (CROWN IMPERIAL). 

An outstanding plant for spring impact, with large pendant bells of orange/red or yellow; 

beware, all parts of the plant give off an odour. Definitely better planted away from the house. 

Each part of the root will probably only flower every second year so you may only get flowers every other year until the clump is really established. 

Good, deep soil is essential. 60cm (24 inches). 

Orange/red £2.86 each. Yellow £3.26 each.

FRITILLARIA MICHAILOVSKY. 

They are best on well-drained rockeries in sun or shade. Pendant, purple bells with a bright-yellow lip. May-June flowering. 10cm (4 inches). £1.82 per colony.

FRITILLARIA MELEAGRIS (SNAKES HEAD). 

Purple or white, veined, downward-facing bellflowers. Any soil that does not get waterlogged, sun or light shade. April-May flowering. 20cm (8 inches). 99p per colony.

While these tough perennials will happily grow in sunny borders or rockeries, they are best suited to growing in moist, drained positions enjoying dappled shade. This is nearest to their natural, damp meadow habitat on the edge of woodland.

They are ideal for growing in wild gardens and flower-meadow areas. Remember that such areas should be grown like true meadows; not cut regularly like a lawn. In true meadows the plants flower and shed their seed before the mature grass is cut to make hay. Perennials such as Fritillaria meleagris would also have time to store food reserves in their bulbs, or roots.

FRITILLARIA PERSICA

April-May flowering 

and grow to a height of 60cm (24 inches). 

They need to be planted in deep soil, 

in a position that gives them partial shade 

and shelter from strong winds. 

Plant 7.5cm (3 inches) deeper. 

Pot grown plants £3.78 each.

GALANTHUS NIVALIS (SNOWDROPS)

Our snowdrops are grown from cultivated stock. They are not collected from wild woodlands. Pot grown plants 79p each.

HYACINTHOIDES (WOOD HYACINTH). 

Bluebell-like flowers. They must be grown in shade. Pink or blue, June flowering. 25cm (10 inches). £2.14 per colony.

IPHEION UNIFLORA 

Scented, lilac flowers in April. 

Dislikes too much wind. 

15cm (6 inches). 85p per colony.

IXIOLIRION. 

Purple flowers during May-June. They need a well-drained position and prefer being in the sun. 30cm (12 inches). £1.61 per colony.

IRIS DANFORDIAE

Clear yellow flowers in February, one of the earliest spring flowers. They must have a well-drained position and prefer being in the sun. 10cm (4 inches). 99p per colony.

IRIS RETICULATA

Purple flowers March-April. They must have a well-drained position and prefer being in the sun. 10cm (4 inches). 99p per colony.

MUSCARI (GRAPE HYACINTHS). 

Gradual, but aggressive spreaders; 

do not interplant with other small, 

bulbous-rooted plants (the Muscari will always win). 

Blue flowers, they prefer full sun. March-April flowering. 15cm (6 inches). £1.42 per colony.

NARCISSI AND DAFFODILS (DWARF VARIETIES). 

The term "Daffodil" is commonly used to describe varieties of Narcissi where the central flower cup is as long or longer than the petals. They grow in most soils, in sun or light shade. We produce a range of varieties from 10cm (4 inches) to 25cm (10 inches). The flowering period normally runs through March and April. £2.14 per colony.

These are some of the narcissi varieties we grow.

BABY MOON

20cm (8 inches). Clusters of small golden yellow flowers, late flowering variety.

CANALICULATUS

15cm (6 inches). White with deep, golden-yellow cup.

HAWERA

25cm (10 inches). Multi-headed flowers of pure lemon yellow.

JUMBLIE

20cm (8 inches). 

Golden-yellow, 

multi-headed flowers.

LITTLE GEM

20cm (8 inches). Miniature trumpet daffodil, yellow flowers.

MINNOW

25cm (10 inches). Multi-headed white and yellow bicolour flowers.

PIPIT

25cm (10 inches). 

Golden yellow 

with white trumpet.

QUAIL

25cm (10 inches). Rich-gold, multi-headed .

QUINCE

12.5cm (5 inches). Multi-headed lemon and gold bicolour flowers.

RIP VAN WINKLE

20cm (8 inches). 

Unusual double-flowered variety 

golden-yellow.

TETE A TETE

15cm (6 inches). Early flowering with golden -yellow multi -headed flowers.

TOPOLINO

25cm (10 inches). White and yellow flowers, trumpet variety.

OXALIS. 

Pink flowers, April flowering and will grow in any soil, sun or light shade. 10cm (4 inches). 99p.

PUSCHKINIA. 

Light-blue flowers during March and April, sun or light shade. 15cm (6 inches). 99p per colony.

SCILLA SIBERICA 

Masses of bright-blue flowers through April and May, 

sun or light shade. 15cm (6 inches). 

99p per colony.

TRITELEIA. 

Blue flowers, April-May. Sun or light shade. 25cm (10 inches). 72p per colony.

TULIPS (DWARF VARIETIES). 

We grow a range of Species Tulips. The colour range is good and they are hardy enough not to need lifting for winter. Tulips will grow in any reasonable soil not subject to waterlogging. They prefer a sunny position and can also be used in tubs and planters. Depending on variety, they flower during the March-April-May period.10cm (4 inches) to 20cm (8 inches). £2.08 per colony.

These are some of the tulip varieties we grow.

TULIPA GREIGII  CAPE COD

Scarlet and gold 

flowers April-May.

20cm (8 inches). 

TULIPA GREIGII  PINOCCHIO

20cm (8 inches). Red flowers edged with cream, April-May.

TULIPA GREIGII  RED RIDING HOOD

 15cm (6 inches). Bright red flowers April-May. The leaves of this variety have distinctive dark stripes making them worth planting for their foliage alone.

TULIPA KAUFMANNIANA GIUSEPPE VERDI

Yellow striped red. April flowering. 20cm (8 inches).

TULIPA KAUFMANNIANA HEART'S DELIGHT

Pink flowers, edged with white. March-April flowering. 20cm (8 inches).

TULIPA KAUFMANNIANA SHAKESPEARE

Salmon-orange flowers. March-April flowering. 25cm (10 inches).

TULIPA LINIFOLIA

Red flowers. April flowering. 10cm (4 inches).

TULIPA PULCHELLA

10cm (4 inches). Magenta flowers, April-May.

TULIPA PULCHELLA PERSIAN PEARL

10cm (4 inches) 

Purple flowers, 

April-May.

TULIPA SWEET LADY

Orange pink, April flowering. 20cm (8 inches).

TULIPA TARDA

10cm (4inches). Multi-headed yellow and white bicolour variety flowering in April.

TULIPA TURKESTANICA

20cm (8 inches). 

Multi-headed cream flowers, March-April. 

Very attractive flowers that 

don't look at all like ordinary tulips.

TULIPA URUMIENSIS

10cm (4inches). Multi-headed bright-yellow variety flowering March-April.

TULIPA VVEDENSKYI TANGERINE BEAUTY

20cm (8inches). Orange-red flowers in March.

BULB NOTES FOR THE VARIETIES WE SELL:

  When feeding, use high potash feed. We have found it best to start feeding after flowering (with most varieties). This prevents the over-encouragement of foliage production before flowering is over (the flowers swamped by rapid leaf-growth).

  Moving existing clumps - try not to, but if you must, move them before the leaves have fully died down and replant immediately. DO NOT DRY THEM OFF.

  Few bulbs like being waterlogged in winter or being baked in the summer. If the ground gets too dry you should water even if you can see no growth - by late summer many varieties will already have a new root system developing ready to support the next year's growth.

  Don't forget where you planted any bulb colonies, make a simple garden map. When dormant they are easily damaged by over-enthusiastic hoeing, or digging where you thought it was safe.

When to cut back?

  These leaves are manufacturing the stores needed to expand the bulb size or number, to last the plant over the winter, and to produce lots of flowers the following year.

  Ideally, all leaves are left on until they first turn yellow (at this stage they may still be translocating the last of their food stores to the bulb), then brown. If the dead leaves are not allowed to rot back into the soil where they fall, cut them off at ground level and compost them.

  Try to delay the urge to tidy-up as long as possible; containers can be moved out of sight. With the bigger containers, try plunging large pots of plants into the container so that these can be swapped over.