Autumn Planting Bulbs

Ranunculus 'Elegance Pastello Striato Mix' brings a quietly sumptuous air to spring planting schemes, with generous, rose-like blooms in a refined pastel mix. Each flower is lightly striped and delicately contrasted, creating a painterly effect that reads beautifully in pots and lends a polished touch to the cutting garden.

Part of the Italian Elegance® range, this selection is valued for sturdy stems and a neat, clump-forming habit—ideal for tucking into containers by the door or threading through the front of a border where the detail can be admired up close.

• Colour palette: pastel mix with subtle striping
• Flowering: March to June
• Height: 25–40cm
• Perfect for: pots & containers, borders, and cutting

Soft, pale rose-pink and beautifully composed, Ranunculus 'Elegance Rosa Chiaro' brings a couture finish to spring pots and early cutting beds. Each corm produces generously filled, double blooms held on sturdy stems above neat, mid‑green foliage—perfect for arranging, and equally handsome en masse in containers.

As a half hardy ranunculus, it appreciates a sheltered position and well‑drained soil. Plant in autumn for flowers from March through June, and enjoy a refined, romantic note that sits effortlessly with tulips, narcissi and delicate spring greens.

• Colour: Pale rose‑pink
• Flower form: Double
• Best for: Pots & containers; cut flowers
• Position: Full sun, sheltered

Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Elegance Rosa Striato’ is a wonderfully refined choice for spring colour, with rose-pink blooms brushed and striped with deeper magenta. Part of the coveted Elegance Series, it brings a tailored, couture finish to pots, and a gracious lift to the front of borders.

Planted in autumn in a sheltered spot, these top-size corms produce clump-forming plants with mid-green foliage and beautifully bowl-shaped flowers—ideal for cutting when the buds are just beginning to loosen.

• Colour: Rose pink with magenta striping
• Flowering: March to June
• Height: 30–45cm
• Best for: Cutting, containers, beds & borders

Ranunculus ‘Mixed’ brings a painterly assortment of colours to late spring and summer planting, with richly layered, rose-like blooms held on neat, upright stems. Each mix is naturally variable, so the result feels bespoke—perfect for elegant pots and a generous cutting patch.

Plant the corms in a sheltered position with well-drained soil and keep evenly moist as growth begins. In return, you’ll enjoy a lively, couture-like display from June through August.

• Colour: Mixed shades (each blend varies)
• Best for: Pots & containers, cutting garden
• Position: Full sun or partial sun; sheltered
• Habit: Clump-forming, upright

For a touch of sun-warmed colour with a decidedly refined air, Ranunculus 'Orange' is a splendid choice. Its richly saturated blooms open in generous, layered rosettes—beautifully poised in pots and truly invaluable for cutting, where the colour lifts both simple and formal arrangements.

Plant the corms into a bright, sheltered position with sharp drainage. In colder spells, a little winter protection is well judged; this variety is Half Hardy and appreciates being kept safe from hard frosts.

• Colour: Orange blooms over mid-green foliage
• Best for: Pots & containers, and cutting
• Habit: Clump-forming, upright—neat and well-mannered in the border

Ranunculus 'Picotee Café' is a particularly refined ranunculus, celebrated for its richly toned, picotee-edged blooms in deep, coffee-and-caramel shades. Whether planted in smart pots by the door or woven through the front of a border, it brings a composed, curated look—and the stems are equally at home in a cut-flower arrangement.

For best results, choose a sheltered position with moist but well-drained soil and steady moisture while in growth. In colder spells, protect from hard frosts, as this variety is Half Hardy.

• Ideal for: Borders, containers and the cut flower garden
• Colour: Burgundy red with warm orange-gold tones
• Flower form: Double
• Height: 40–60cm

Ranunculus 'Pink' brings a softly romantic note to spring displays, with neatly layered, rose-like blooms in a refined pink palette. Compact and clump-forming, it sits beautifully in pots and containers, and is particularly handsome in the cutting garden—best gathered as the flowers begin to open for the longest vase life.

Plant the corms in autumn in a sheltered position, with moist, well-drained soil. A simple, elegant choice for curated spring colour and charming indoor arrangements.

With its sumptuous, fully double blooms in deep purple tones, Ranunculus ‘Purple’ brings a certain evening richness to spring and early summer displays. Each flower is neatly rose-like, held on upright stems above fresh, mid-green foliage—particularly striking in pots on a sunny terrace or in a sheltered border where the light can catch the petals.

A splendid choice for the cutting garden, too: pick just as the buds begin to loosen for elegant stems to enjoy indoors. For best results, plant into free-draining soil in a bright, sheltered position and avoid winter wet.

• Colour: Purple
• Flower form: Fully double, rose-like
• Best for: Containers, sheltered borders, cutting garden
• Hardiness: Half Hardy

Ranunculus 'Red' brings a poised shot of colour to late spring and early summer, with neatly layered, rose-like blooms in a clear, confident red. Compact yet upright, it sits beautifully in sheltered borders and is equally at home in pots by the door—always ready to provide a well-cut stem for the house.

For best results, choose a bright, sheltered position in moist but well-drained soil. As a half hardy ranunculus, it appreciates a little protection from hard frosts and winter wet.

• Flowering: May–July
• Height: 40–60cm
• Bulb size: 6/7
• Perfect for: cutting, containers, borders

Ranunculus 'White' is a wonderfully poised spring-flowering ranunculus, producing lush, rose-like blooms in a clean, flattering white. It lends a quietly luxurious touch to pots and borders alike, and is particularly valued for cutting—perfect for crisp, elegant arrangements at home.

For best results, plant in a bright, sheltered position with sharp drainage. As a half hardy corm, it appreciates protection from hard frost, especially in colder gardens or exposed sites.

Why we love it

• Refined white, double blooms with a beautifully full finish
• Excellent in containers and a favourite for cutting
• Ideal for a bright, sheltered spot with well-drained soil

Ranunculus 'Yellow' brings a polished note of sunshine to spring and early summer planting schemes. Each bloom is neatly packed with many petals, creating a rich, double form that looks particularly smart in pots by the door, and is equally at home in the cutting garden for fresh, cheerful stems.

Supplied as quality 5/6 corms, this variety forms an upright, clump-forming plant with mid-green foliage and a graceful presence from 40–60cm. Plant in a sheltered position in moist but well-drained soil, and you’ll be rewarded with weeks of colour from May to August.

• Colour: Yellow
• Flower form: Double
• Ideal for: Pots & containers, cut flowers
• Season of interest: Late spring into summer

Scilla hyacinthoides ‘Blue Arrow’ is a wonderfully architectural spring bulb, sending up tall, airy spires of pale violet-blue, star-shaped flowers above neat, strap-like foliage. It’s the sort of plant that looks perfectly at home threaded through gravel, rising from a sunny border, or quietly naturalised through grass—an elegant way to extend the season into late spring and early summer.

Once settled, ‘Blue Arrow’ returns reliably, forming a clump with an upright habit and a refined, contemporary silhouette. Plant in generous drifts for the most assured effect.

• Flowering: May–June
• Style notes: tall, starry spires in a poised violet-blue
• Ideal for: naturalising in grass, gravel gardens, sunny borders

Scilla siberica is one of those quietly brilliant early-spring bulbs that makes a garden look effortlessly considered. Its vivid blue, nodding flowers are carried on fine stems above narrow green leaves, creating a light, natural effect that sits beautifully in grass, beneath shrubs, or among gravel and stone.

Ideal for naturalising, this small bulb is best planted in generous drifts for a painterly sweep of colour just as the season begins to wake.

• Colour: Blue (Purples & Blues)
• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 20cm
• Best for: naturalising, grass, gravel and rock gardens, containers, underplanting shrubs
• Pollinator friendly: Yes

Scilla peruviana, the Portuguese squill, is one of those quietly theatrical spring bulbs that always earns a second look. From a neat clump of green foliage rises a stout stem topped with a densely packed, domed head of violet-blue blooms—bold in colour, yet beautifully composed.

Ideal for pots on a sunny terrace or a sheltered border where warmth lingers, it brings a subtle Mediterranean note to late spring displays and pairs effortlessly with silvers, grasses, and other sun-loving bulbs.

Why you’ll love it

• Distinctive flowerheads: dense, architectural domes in violet blue
• Perfect for pots: an elegant choice for containers and smaller spaces
• Pollinator friendly: welcome nectar and pollen as spring turns to summer

What you’ll receive

• Bulb size: 14/16 cm
• Supplied as: dormant bulb(s)

Sparaxis ‘Mixed’ (harlequin flower) is a wonderfully cheerful blend, scattering jewel-toned, funnel-shaped blooms on loose, airy stems above slim, strap-like foliage. It’s a small but spirited performer—particularly smart in pots by the door, or threaded through the front of a sunny border to brighten the garden as spring gathers pace.

• Colour effect: Mixed, multi-colour flowers for an easy, painterly look
• Best use: Pots & containers and sheltered borders
• Seasonal moment: Flowers from April to June
• Good to know: Half hardy; best in a sheltered position with well-drained soil

Plant en masse for the most refined display—clusters look far more intentional than a scattered few, and the colour mix becomes beautifully balanced at scale.

Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ is a quietly glamorous choice for early summer: slender stems topped with neat, starry blooms in a refined violet-blue, each flower finishing in a subtle trumpet tip. Light on its feet and wonderfully composed, it slips beautifully into pots and sunny borders, and makes a particularly graceful cut flower.

Plant the bulbs in spring, allow them to establish, and you’ll be rewarded with poised clumps that return year after year. Best in a sheltered position with well-drained, sandy soil, it is an easy-going bulb with a distinctly elegant presence.

• Colour: Violet-blue
• Flowering: June–July
• Height: 40–60cm
• Perfect for: Containers, cutting, pollinator-friendly planting

Tulipa ‘Acuminata’ is a wonderfully characterful tulip, prized for its long, finely pointed petals and painterly spring colouring. Each bloom combines warm yellow and red tones, often finished with a subtle green tinge, creating an elegant, slightly untamed look that suits both pots by the door and well-drained borders.

With an upright habit and grey-green foliage, it brings height and movement without fuss. Plant in autumn, allow it a sheltered position, and look forward to its distinctive, species-style presence from March to April.

• Distinctive shape: slender, pointed petals with a refined, flame-like silhouette
• Colour: yellow and red, often lightly tinged green
• Versatile planting: particularly handsome in spring containers and neat drifts through borders

Tulipa 'Apeldoorn' is a true classic of the Darwin Hybrid tulips: rich red, goblet-shaped blooms that open to reveal a dark base, finely lined with yellow. Held on strong, upright stems, it brings a poised, confident note to mid-spring planting schemes—equally at home threading through borders, underplanting roses and shrubs, or arranged in generous pots by the door.

With its reliable stature and clean green foliage, ‘Apeldoorn’ also makes a splendid cut flower—smart, simple, and unmistakably spring.

• Flower colour: Red with yellow lining and black base
• Flower shape: Goblet
• Established height: 55cm
• Ideal for: Borders, containers, courtyard gardens, cottage & informal gardens, underplanting, cutting

Tulipa 'Apeldoorn's Elite' is a distinguished Darwin Hybrid tulip, prized for its generous, open goblet blooms in rich red, finished with the lightest pastel-orange edging. Planted in autumn, it rises in early spring with an assured presence—excellent for giving borders a polished sweep of colour, and equally handsome in pots and patio containers.

• Colour: Rich red with soft pastel-orange edging
• Flower form: Goblet
• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 40–60cm
• Best for: Borders, pots & containers

For best results, plant into moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered position, allowing the foliage to die back naturally after flowering to feed the bulb for the following season.

Tulipa 'Apricot Beauty' is a beautifully mannered Single Early tulip, admired for its cup-shaped blooms in soft apricot-salmon pink, gently warmed with a hint of orange. In the spring garden it reads as quietly luminous—equally at home in smart pots by the front door as it is threaded through a border among fresh greens and early perennials.

Plant in autumn for a mid-spring performance, and allow the stems to rise to an elegant, upright finish. A refined choice for gardeners who prefer their colour nuanced rather than brash.

Tulipa ‘Beauty of Apeldoorn’ is a classic Darwin Hybrid tulip with a wonderfully confident presence. Each upright, cup-shaped bloom opens in late spring in a rich golden orange, boldly flamed with red—an impeccable choice for adding warmth and structure to borders, and equally handsome in a well-chosen pot.

With grey-green foliage and stems reaching around 60cm, it sits beautifully amongst emerging perennials and spring companions, and it is particularly fine for cutting when you want something smart, clean-lined, and thoroughly seasonal indoors.

• Colour: Golden orange flamed red
• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 60cm
• Use: Borders, containers, cut flowers

Tulipa 'Black Hero' is a wonderfully theatrical Double Late tulip, bearing fully double, peony-flowered blooms in a glossy, near-black reddish-purple. In late spring it brings instant gravitas to pots by the front door, as well as richly toned borders where its dark colour reads as a sophisticated neutral.

Strong, upright stems reach around 60cm, making it an excellent choice for cutting—particularly effective in elegant, monochrome arrangements or paired with creams, soft pinks and fresh spring greens.

• Double Late, peony-flowered tulip in sumptuous near-black tones
• Ideal for containers, borders and cutting
• Plant in autumn for flowering in April–May
• Best in a sheltered position in fertile, well-drained soil

For late-spring theatre with a decidedly dark mood, Tulipa 'Black Parrot' delivers in impeccable style. The richly frilled, parrot-formed blooms open in sumptuous deep purple, reading almost black at the centre, and sit beautifully against grey-green foliage. Planted in generous drifts, it brings a sophisticated edge to borders and makes an indulgent centrepiece in large pots by the door.

• Colour: Deep purple, near-black
• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 50cm
• Position: Full sun; sheltered
• Ideal for: Borders, containers

Tulipa 'Blue Diamond' is a decidedly refined Double Late tulip, opening in a deep, velvety purple and softening to handsome grey-silver nuances as the blooms mature. The flowers are generously petalled with a quietly luxurious presence—particularly effective in smart pots, or threaded through spring borders where richer tones are welcome.

For best results, plant in a sunny, sheltered position in fertile, well-drained soil, and avoid winter waterlogging. At around 40cm tall, it brings polished structure to late spring planting schemes without ever feeling showy.

• Colour progression: rich purple, ageing to grey-silver tones
• Form: Double Late (double flowers) with an elegant, full finish
• Best for: pots & containers, and spring borders