10 AGM dwarf spring bulbs

10 AGM dwarf spring bulbs

Words: Graham Rice

Dwarf bulbs are amongst the most popular of all spring flowers. They’re invaluable in providing sparkling colour with relatively little work and even the smallest space has room for a varied selection in pots, larger containers and in borders, in the sun or in the shade. These Award of Garden Merit (AGM) winners will not let you down.

Anemone blanda 'White Splendour'
Covered with the brightest white flowers, each with a greenish yellow centre, the flowers sparkle in the sunshine above prettily divided fresh green leaves. The pink-tinted backs to the petals, mainly visible just before the flowers open, add valuable subtlety to the display. Plant the knobbly tubers in the autumn and they’ll soon spread to make a prolific 15cm (6in) high clump in sun or partial shade.

Chionodoxa siehei
The naming of chionodoxas is a little muddled, to say the least, but C. siehei is usually what you get when you buy bulbs labelled C. luciliae and it’s a splendid plant. The crowded heads of large, violet-blue flowers, each with a big bright white eye, open in early spring on plants just 15cm (6in) high and often seed themselves. The RHS Bulletin on little blue bulbs has more information on Chionodoxa.

Crocus 'Blue Pearl'
Some crocus are big and brash and prolific and easy to grow - this one is smaller and subtle and prolific and easy to grow. Its white flowers boast a rich yellow throat with the tips of each petal prettily stained in lilac-blue. Happiest in well-drained soil in full sun, and lovely in a terracotta pot covered in grit, ‘Blue Pearl’ increases well to make tight clumps of flowers. And it’s just 7.5cm (3in) tall.

Eranthis hyemalis (Tubergenii Group) 'Guinea Gold'
The winter aconite is a classic “winter is almost over” flower and it’s hard to think how it might be improved. But ‘Guinea Gold’, 10cm (4in), is definitely in a class above. Its flowers are a richer colour, more gold than bright yellow and the foliage has a bronze tint. It is sterile so, although there are no self sown seedlings, it tends to develop into fat clumps rather than a scattering of small individuals.

Fritillaria michailovskyi
Many fritillarias are neither easy to grow nor easy to find in garden centres but in recent years Fritillaria michailovskyi has become widely available (at a reasonable price) and also proved easier to grow than many. The striking flowers are yellow towards the tips and purple towards the base, with up to seven flowers per stem, and while the plant is only short, 15cm (6in) it makes quite an impact. Give it a sunny spot and well-drained soil.

Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'
One of the most captivating of dwarf bulbs, the exquisitely patterned flowers of this plant, pale blue with yellow and dark blue markings, open in February. Although they may look delicate they are remarkably resilient. Short at 12.5cm (4in) but more vigorous than many dwarf iris, it appreciates plenty of sun and good drainage. I find it pays to plant deep – 15cm (6in) rather than the 7.5cm (3in) recommended – this seems to help the development of fat new bulbs.

Muscari azureum
An attractive and dependable little plant first given its AGM back in 1993, the award was re-confirmed in 2004. Conical heads are packed with small, bell-shaped, sky blue flowers and although it only reaches about 15cm (4in) it certainly has impact. Happy in sun in most soils that are not parched or waterlogged, once settled it may self sow freely. There's more on Muscari in the RHS Bulletin on little blue bulbs.

Narcissus ‘February Gold’
A modern classic. Dependably early, reliably robust, bright, cheerful and with a certain panache - ‘February Gold’, at just 30cm (12in), should be right at the top of your list when buying daffodils. With its swept back yellow petals and its long darker yellow trumpet, with a slightly frilly tip, this makes a sunny show both in clumps in the border and in containers, and it increases well.

Scilla mischtschenkoana
Its name may be difficult, but this scilla is certainly easy to grow. This lovely but tough little bulb grows to 15cm (6in) and features ice blue flowers, each petal with a bright blue stripe down the centre. The first flower opens as soon as the first bud peeps through the soil in late winter, then as the stems stretch more and more blooms open. I find it bulks up well too - simply indispensable.

Tulipa 'Toronto'
This prolific Griegii type tulip, just 20cm (8in) high, has three claims to fame. First its slightly bluish green leaves are delicately striped in maroon so it’s attractive even before it flowers. Then when the flowers open they’re vivid red with a noticeable sheen and at the base there’s a rich golden yellow heart set off by bronzed green zone. The bonus is that you’ll see several flowers on each stem.