Spring bulb planting in my small Devon wood

Wild Garlic galore and bramble clearing

When we took ownership of the cottage back in late May 2019, the spring flowers we were told were abundent were just about over save for an occasional tardy bluebell. Much to our delight the woodland floor was now carpeted with wild garlic. Ironic in a way because we'd collected wild garlic bulbs on a visit to the Bristol area the previous spring and planted them in pots (they would have run rampant in the garden if planted out). When we moved, we of course took the pots of garlic with us...

May and the wild garlic still in flower

Now in Jan 2020 the garlic bulbs are starting to come to life. Scrape just about anywhere on the woodland floor and they'll be found just below the surface, green shoots just emerging.

But what of all the spring flowers we were promised? Well, as the wood hasn't been tended for a couple of years bramble has taken hold, sending out long shoots that have rooted to start another bramble patch. So around the xmas period, the weather being mild, we went out for a couple of hours each day with the sickle and leather gloves to clear as much of them as we could.

As an insurance against there being few spring bulbs we planted a hundred English bluebells, dozens of snowdrops and 50 daffodils in the bank leading up to the quarry. There we would be able to see them every time we visited. As it turned out though, our bramble clearing uncovered existing spring bulbs and we think there will be a good show in just a few weeks time. 

Jarvy: 'You've made a right mess of this bank'.

Me: 'Yeah, but look at that great pile of brambles I made'.

Over the summer we saw a couple of fritillary butterflies in the garden so we want to make sure we have dog violets growing as they are the caterpillar food plants. Not sure where we'll get those from but we'll see.

Snowdrops are starting to come through now and I'm glad we did the clearing or they wouldn't be visible. Lots of daffs coming up too and we were told they would be wild ones. The wild garlic was rampant in the spring (see top pic) and is already forcing its way through. The other spring plant that seems to do well here iare the primula, also known as the Darling of April. A while to wait then before we see those lovely pale yellow flowers.