Tag Archives: c255

Soil requirements

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This question was asked by
– Barbara K – 

I have alkaline clay soil, what would be suitable to order and plant?

Hi there,
If you have alkaline clay soil, you’ll want to choose summer-flowering bulbs that are tolerant of less acidic, heavier soil. While some bulbs prefer slightly acidic conditions, there are plenty of summer bulbs that thrive in alkaline clay soil. Here are some great options for your garden:

Suitable Summer Flowering Bulbs for Alkaline Clay Soil:

  • Lilies (Lilium) – Many lilies, especially Asiatic and Oriental hybrids, will do well in alkaline soil. They need well-drained but moist soil, and they’ll grow beautifully in clay with added organic matter to improve drainage.

  • Gladiolus – These thrive in a variety of soil types, including alkaline and clay. Their bright, spiky blooms are perfect for adding drama and height to borders.

  • Alliums – Alliums (such as Giant Allium and Purple Sensation) are perfect for alkaline soils and will add striking, globe-shaped flower heads to your garden.

  • Dahlias – Dahlias are very adaptable and can grow well in clay soil if it’s enriched with organic matter. They thrive in alkaline conditions and will produce vibrant, large blooms throughout summer.

  • Canna Lilies – These tropical beauties love a rich, moist soil and will thrive in your alkaline clay soil with a bit of organic matter to improve drainage.

  • Crocosmia – Known for their bright orange or red flowers, Crocosmia (also called Montbretia) thrives in alkaline soils and will add a pop of colour to your garden.

  • Begonias – Tuberous begonias prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil but can grow well in alkaline soils with added organic matter. They are perfect for pots or hanging baskets.

  • Eucomis (Pineapple Lily) – These unique, tropical-looking plants are perfectly suited to alkaline soils and add a fun, vertical element to your garden.

Oriental Trumpet Lily Conca D’Or will be happy in any well-drained soil.

Tips for Improving Your Clay Soil:

  • Amend with organic matter like well-rotted manure, compost, or leaf mould to improve soil structure and drainage.

  • Consider adding grit or sand to increase the drainage for bulbs that need it.

  • Mulch around plants to help maintain moisture levels and keep the roots cool.

Can I plant lily bulbs in only John Innes No. 3

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This question was asked by
– Jan – 

I have planted the bulbs in a pot but have used only John Innes No. 3 Compost, should I have mixed it with multi purpose compost?

We recommend mixing John Innes No.3 with multipurpose compost as it gives lilies the best of both worlds: the John Innes provides nutrients and long-term structure, while the multipurpose compost improves drainage and keeps the mix lighter. This combination helps prevent bulb rot and supports healthy growth, especially in pots.

Mixing John Innes No.3 with multipurpose compost for growing lilies is a common and beneficial practice. Here’s why:

1. Balanced Structure & Drainage

    • John Innes No.3 is loam-based and heavy, which gives stability and nutrients but can be too dense on its own.

    • Multipurpose compost lightens the mix, improving drainage and aeration, which is essential for lily bulbs that hate sitting in wet soil (they can rot easily).

2. Nutrient Retention + Boost

    • John Innes No.3 has a higher nutrient content, ideal for mature or flowering plants like lilies.

    • Multipurpose compost complements it by being lighter and often contains added slow-release nutrients for a steady supply.

3. Moisture Control

    • The blend holds enough moisture without becoming soggy — perfect for lilies which like moist, well-drained conditions.

4. Long-Term Structure

    • Lilies are often grown in pots or containers. John Innes maintains its structure over time better than multipurpose compost alone, which can degrade or compact.

Typical Mix Ratio:

    • 50:50 John Innes No.3 to multipurpose compost works well, or even 2:1 in favour of John Innes if more stability is needed.

When can I order Lilies?

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This question was asked by
– Norman J

I have a gift card from this year and would like to use it to purchase some lily bulbs , when will they be available to purchase ?

Hi Norman

All our lilies are available to pre-order now for delivery in the Spring next year.
LILIES
Please click on the link above which will take you directly to our Lilies on our website.

Lilies

Best wishes
Victoria

The Hart Family

Bulbs

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This question was asked by
– Julie M

Hi, your display at Chelsea was truly amazing, such great colours. Do you have any Lily bulbs left please?
Many thanks

Hi Julie

Thank you so much.

Unfortunately, we have stopped sending out for this year. We will be popping all our lilies back in stock shortly for pre-ordering for next year now.

Best wishes
Victoria

The Hart Family

lily bulbs in flower for September

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This question was asked by
– Barry S

Looking for any lily bulbs you sell that flower in September?

Thanks
Barry

Hi Barry

I would advise buying lilies later in the year. We stop selling them in May and usually they take 10-12 weeks to flower so if you were to keep them in the fridge and plant them in June, you will find you should have them in flower in Sept.

 

LILIES

Alternatively, you could try planting Nerines (the Guernsey lily) as these flower later into the Autumn.

 

Nerines

Best wishes
Victoria

The Hart Family

Happy Customer

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This question was asked by
– Harry H

Top quality good grade lily bulbs once again, many thanks.
Lily bulbs purchased from you in previous years have flowered stunningly well, with many good sized flowers to each stem. Also performing as well, if not better in the following year. (All container grown – some divided depending on variety / number of new bulbs produced).
Best regards,
Harry Howard

Thank you Harry for your very kind email and for taking the time to write it. It’s so nice to hear from our happy customers.

The Hart Family

Thank you

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This question was asked by
– John S

Hello.
Just a note to say how lovely the lilies look that we purchased from you (as bulbs), at the Chelsea flower show..
I really didn’t think that they would flower this year. (I can send you some photos if you like, but not sure how to attach them to this email.)

One type has large white flowers and the other one has a large pink flowers.

I think that I ordered some more lily bulbs from you you to be delivered when when it’s appropriate. Could you give me some idea when this is likely to be.

Many thanks.
John

Hi John
Thank you for your lovely message. We really appreciate it.
If you would like to send photos by return email that would be lovely.

All lily bulbs orders are dispatched from February onwards ready for planting.

The Hart Family

Lily Question

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This question was asked by
– Fiona G

Hi, I bought some lilies from you at Hampton Court last year 2021. When they flowered the size of flower was amazing. I left them in the pot over winter and this year they flowered again.
Only thing is the flowers were really small in comparison to last year. what do I need to do to get large flowers again. Also I bought more bulbs from you this year and they were really large so I don’t want to repeat any mistake on my part.

Thanks
Fiona Gray

Once your lilies have finished flowering, you can stop watering them and then cut just the flower heads off leaving plenty of stem on. Allow the stem and foliage to die back naturally until it has turned yellow and hollow. (This is usually towards the Autumn time.) You can then remove the stem and foliage at this point. Leaving it all to die back naturally will then feed the bulbs, allowing them to flower again the following year.

Leave the bulbs where they are over winter as they like a cold dormant phase, they just don’t like to get waterlogged as they will rot.

You can then give them a fresh layer of compost in the Spring and feed them with a diluted tomato feed during active growth periods.

Hope this helps.

The Hart Family

Planting advice on lilies

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This question was asked by
– Jemma

Hi, I bought Sabor and Snow peak double oriental bulbs from the gardeners world show yesterday, when should I plant these please? And if I can’t plant them now, how should I store them please?
Thank you!

Hi there,

You need to plant your lilies ASAP as they will be in flower in about 10 weeks time. You can store your lily bulbs for a week or two in a fridge but I would advise planting them as soon as you can.

Sabor Lilies

The Hart Family