Home › Plants › English bluebells
How to grow English bluebells in the UK
A haze of blue under trees in spring - a British favourite.
- DifficultyEasy peasy
- WhereBeds or Pots
- Sunpart shade or shade
- Grows to30cm
- Spacing10cm
- Time to first pickabout 30 weeks
- Typebulb
When to sow, plant and harvest english bluebells
| Plant | early September to mid November |
|---|---|
| In flower | mid April to late May |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Planting it
- Dig a hole to a depth of 10cm
- Set each one in with the pointy end (or the shoots) facing up
- Space them 10cm apart each way
- Cover with soil, press down gently and water well
- Push in a label so you don't dig them up by mistake
Top tips for growing english bluebells
- Buy English bluebells (not Spanish) from a proper supplier - never dig them from the wild.
- Every part is poisonous - don't eat any
Soil and feeding
Poor soil - really!. Nasturtiums flower best in poor soil. Feed them and you get all leaves and no flowers.
Harvesting and eating english bluebells
Look but don't pick - leave them to spread.
Saving your own english bluebells seed
They come back every year.
- Leave the leaves to die back naturally - they feed next year's flowers
- Bulbs slowly multiply underground. Every few years, dig up crowded clumps after the leaves die and replant them spread out
Where to buy english bluebells plants
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
These are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Read more.
English bluebells questions
When do I plant out english bluebells?
Plant english bluebells out from early September to mid November.
When can I enjoy english bluebells?
English bluebells is ready from mid April to late May. Look but don't pick - leave them to spread.
How long do english bluebells take to grow?
Roughly 30 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are english bluebells easy to grow?
English bluebells are rated 'easy peasy' for beginners, and can be grown in the ground or a raised bed or in pots and containers.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
Start growing - it's free