Camassia leichtlinii caerulea

p24

Muscari Valerie Finnis

p14

Iris Harmony

p11

Allium Violet Beauty

p47

Mail Order Catalogue Tulipa Cummins p38 Autumn 2020 Iris Silvery Beauty BULBS AND PLANTS TO FLOWER THIS AUTUMN AND NEXT SPRING

Telephone 01460 242177 p41 www.avonbulbs.co.uk ) free of P&P only ( UK mainland Orders over £100 are sent

Tel: Web: Somerset TA13 5HE TA13 Email: Mid Lambrook 01460 242177 01460 249060 South Petherton, South Petherton, contacts Burnt House Farm Avon bulbsAvon www.avonbulbs.co.uk [email protected] The website allows much more detail about individual plants and we are gradually building up that information source, so do have a look online if you are left wanting to know more about a particular plant or family and their suggested planting instructions. Individual planting suggestions are provided again when you get sent your order. The website also indicates availability and if an item is Sold Out it will be indicated there. This is particularly useful for later orders. If an item is marked Out of Season you can “Register an Interest” and with no commitment receive an email back when it is next in stock and can be ordered. There are occasionally varieties that missed the catalogue and get listed online. More More Information Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Avon Bulbs Chris Ireland-Jones Chris

WINNERS OF… WINNERS in 31 years Medals at Chelsea 30 Gold

Alan Street – 41 years at Avon Bulbs Alan Street – 41 years at Avon Stagg) by Walter owned Bulbs (then joined Avon Alan near in 1979, then at Bathford on the banks of the Avon Bath. 41 years later he is still the Head Nurseryman and a much respected authority on Snowdrops in grown He chaired the RHS trial of Eucomis particular. at Wisley in 2018 and 2019 and has also been on the assessment panel on Agapanthus at those trials at Award of Merit A fine Agapanthus with an RHS Wisley. now (A. Alan Street) and a Galanthus (G. Alan’s Treat) all the carry his name. I am not sure how many Gold medals he has won at 31 are there but years, those over attended have Bulbs Avon that Shows Flower Gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show just for starters. ii Successful Gardening! With at we then had to furlough the staff on little to look after and no shows to be busy to a skeleton crew for 6 weeks. That coincided a rotational basis and reduce things which resulted in drought-like with the warmest, sunniest, bluest-skied-spring passed by very quickly with so much watering conditions even in May so the novelty with a lot of new customers having bought our to do. In those uncertain times and I could make the catalogue more useful, potted plants I began to wonder how time when gardening is gaining in popularity particularly to newer gardeners at a determined is that order an into catalogue the rearrange to was solution My again. I thought, should help those new gardeners by the flowering time of the bulbs. That, having Additionally surely? names Latin with uncomfortable feel who those and and prodded at an alphabetically arranged written, amended, tweeked, changed provided straightjacket by the bored a bit was quite honestly I 30 years for catalogue of this change seemed to make sense. So, now by an alphabetic listing and the logic and it try to you for time is it first, in excuses my got and myself explained having proximities that would not have existed before hopefully find something new in the – and no and perhaps ideas for plant combinations that now become more clear doubt I shall hear what you think! There is now a detailed Index to help you, see pages 52 and 53. Welcome as to how the year would turn in March we were all concerned When Lockdown occurred cancelled. being shows the big flower to from small plant sales events with all our out serious looked this autumn previous the events these for needed we all potted Having managed at short notice toWe go before those plants flowered! with only weeks to taken to those flower shows, Order much of what we should have list and sell by Mail with hot spring. However, not on our side with such an early and although time was managed to sell most of those of our customers old and new we the welcome support to realise that the cost of delivery of pottedplants - although in retrospect we began different from the bulbs alone! plants and all that compost is somewhat

AUG 20 SEP 20 OCT 20 AUG 20 LATE SUMMER 2020 Plants and Bulbs that mostly flower in the autumn, soon after planting, or else items that just prefer early planting.

We aim to deliver orders made from this section mid August to early September and will close this section in mid September. SEP 20 Please use the order form at the end of this section. OCT 20

Colchicum agrippinum Colchicum autumnale album

Acis autumnalis GAP Images Colchicum speciosum GAP Images Colchicum autumnale Colchicum byzantinum Innocence

GAP Images COLCHICUM autumnale Scilla autumnalis Easy to grow in reasonably deep Softly, satin-sheened in mauve. moisture-retentive soil, these appear They naturalise most effectively from their summer dormancy without either in sun or partial shade where their leaves to flower in the autumn they often produce several flowers ACIS – hence their common name of from each corm. An easy British ‘naked ladies’. A pointer to the end native known as Meadow Saffron, Colchicum Water-Lily autumnalis of summer, their bright flowers last Wychwood Forest has thousands Slender wiry green or russety incredibly well considering their flowering each autumn. coloured stems, carrying delicate apparent fragility. The leaves appear Sept 6” (15cm) looking white papery bells. They in the early spring. They need 73-05 £12.00 for 3 speciosum were thought to be autumn planting 3” (8cm) deep - perhaps a The best of the larger forms for little more for ones with bigger bulbs flowering forms of the snowflake autumnale most gardens, these spread and – and 6” (15cm) apart. They will family but are now in a distinct album naturalise effectively. Stronger naturalise effectively, but the mower stemmed and later flowering than group of their own. Ideal for a The white-flowered form of the will have to be restrained until the C. autumnale with longer flower trough or container that stays that species above, although some leaves wither away in June. stems and more richly coloured much drier. Plant the bulbs (only the are pinkish-white. They tolerate **Please order early – after the end thick, rounded rosy pink-lilac petals. size of large peas) 3” (7.5cm) deep, of September they seem to flower full sun but are especially useful nearly touching. Sept/Oct 8” (20cm) regardless of the conditions** in some shade in damp, but not 73-15 £10.00 for 3 Aug/Sept 9” (22cm) waterlogged conditions. 106-10 £8.00 for 5 Sept 6” (15cm) agrippinum 73-06 £9.00 for 3 Water-Lily A smaller plant that the others we A multi-petalled variety which opens SCILLA list and one to treasure in a raised byzantinum out widely in the sun with multiple bed or in a trough. The flowers flower stems, flowering somewhat autumnalis open nearly flat with pointed tips, Innocence later than the others. Surprisingly Hardy, but uncommon small bulbed covered in wonderful darker pinkish Thickly textured goblet shaped resilient to the weather despite its natives of the south-west of the UK, purple tessellations (chequering). flowers in white with purple tips appearance. these are incredibly long-lasting in An unusual and special plant of to the very ends of the petals and Oct 6” (15cm) flower. Bright blue flowers up a fine which we only have a small number, styles. Big bulbs which provide an 73-23 £12.00 for 3 wiry stem, lasting ages. They need but none too difficult if you have the eye-catching combination when a sunny, well-drained soil. right place. they come to flower. Aug/Oct 5” (12cm) Sept 6” (15cm) Flowering time Flowering height Sept 4” (10cm) Item Code Price 125-18 £7.00 for 3 73-19 £5.00 73-25 £17.00 for 3

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 1 SEP 20 OCT 20

NOV 20 Amaryllis Avon’s belladonna hybrids Nerine flexuosa alba Crocus boryi Crocus goulimyi

Sternbergia lutea angustifolia

Amaryllis X Amarygia parkeri alba X Amarygia CROCUS AUTUMN GAP Images parkeri alba FLOWERING FORMS Crocus ligusticus A hybrid between Amaryllis and AMARYLLIS Brunsvigia producing very large Flowering in the late autumn bulbs. Flowering with apple-white (except for one that flowers in the Amaryllis (and their hybrids) are trumpets with a huge perfume very early spring) These Autumn goulimyi winter growing, hence with exposed arranged all around a green stem. flowering Crocuses bloom as a Too Grecian in origin for ‘ordinary’ leaves in winter they need to be Sept/Oct 20” (50cm) reaction to the lowering of the soil outdoor conditions in the UK, but planted in a sheltered site where 56-10 £8.75 temperatures (and the dampening in well drained compost in a pot they are unlikely to be chilled below of the soil) at the end of the to which you can provide some summer. The spring flowering about -4°C e.g. a cool conservatory protection (with a dry summer forms (listed in the Autumn section should be fine, with the pots NERINE rest) these are beautiful flowers in moved outside in the early spring. of our catalogue) flower as soil both their shape and their soft lilac A summer baking in dry conditions flexuosa alba temperatures rise. Some of these colouration. Stock limited. ‘ripens and primes’ the bulbs for A winter growing species (all the are more difficult to grow than flowering. In favoured spots it others we grow are summer growing) others, but C. speciosus should be Nov 5” (12cm) 77-36 £7.00 for 3 might be possible to grow them so these require a bit more shelter. a feature of any garden providing successfully outside. The frilly white petals however last a dreamy violet splash of colour in ages in flower and in sheltered late September and October (and ligusticus is probably the easiest). We may be gardens are a treat in the autumn. (medius) Avon’s belladonna able to add some more varieties to hybrids Sept/Oct 14” (35cm) Found in the wild at altitude in the 33-23 £9.00 for 3 this list Online later In the summer. southern maritime Alps of France We used to grow many different and Italy these are pale purple or named forms of A. belladonna in boryi lilac in flower with protruding orange our unheated glasshouse but a STERNBERGIA A Mediterranean beauty probably feathery stigmas much like those run of cold winters led to a dip In lutea angustifolia best potted and protected over of C. sativus. Suitable for near demand twenty years ago and we winter here, that way you can also deciduous shrubs or in light grass. decided to use that growing space For warm conditions and often give them a warm dry summer rest Oct 5” (12cm) found at the base of a wall and better. The Amaryllis were moved to which they need. White flowered 77-41 £5.50 for 10 under a shrub that provides summer a tunnel where they have recovered with pretty orange style branches. dryness, ours are half under a since, but where their labelling has Rare, so stock limited. become a bit muddled. Most are big Sarcococca. Chalky soil and Nov 5” (12cm) Plants we list which the tall pink A. ‘Johannesburg’, good drainage suits them perfectly. have received the RHS 77-40 £8.00 for 3 Commendation ‘Award some A. purpurea major (illustrated) Brilliant bright green foliage in late of Garden Merit’ are now and there are also some dark cerise summer and winter and late summer tagged with the trophy ones that we inherited as A. ‘New flowering in brilliant yellow. The symbol. Space does Zealand Red’. They will be big angustifolia group are shorter tubed not allow us to add the hardiness rating – please be aware the award bulbs, but possibly different forms - and a bit less goblet shaped than S. applies to the ease of cultivation, pot luck as to which you receive. lutea. Home grown stock. excellence and constitution, but not Sept/Oct 20” (50cm) Oct 4” (10 cm) necessarily hardiness. 56-13 £8.75 or £22.00 for 3 126-06 £12.00 for 3

2 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 SEP 20 OCT 20

Crocus speciosus Crocus tournefortii Tecophilaea cyanocrocus leichtlinii GAP Images Crocus sativus sativus The source of Saffron: gathered by collecting the tiny bright red MAR 21 stigmata from each flower (it takes half a million per kilo! thereby justifying the huge cost of Saffron). They need deep planting in rich soil, in a sunny position and probably need lifting and dividing with Crocus speciosus albus Tecophilaea cyanocrocus violacea regularity to encourage flowering. Their flower production is triggered by suddenly colder nights, our maritime climate sometimes does speciosus albus TECOPHILAEA cyanocrocus not provide that, which makes All white flowered, great for a Chilean bulbs from a high altitude, leichtlinii guaranteeing one’s own Saffron contrast amongst the others or a so one would expect them to White centred with gentian blue production a bit uncertain. bright creamy white splash all on be cold tolerant, but where they petals. Oct 4” (10cm) their own. come from is relatively dry, and our March 5” (12cm) 77-20 £15.00 for 30 Sept/Oct 5” (12cm) 128-04 £10.50 for 3 77-27 £6.00 for 15 winters are really too wet for them. If possible grow them under some speciosus tournefortii protection (particularly from rain) cyanocrocus The best autumn crocus. and you’ll be amazed by the depth Large flowered in pale lavender, violacea Dramatically effective, deep lilac of colour in the flowers. Their blue is sometimes white. Strangely the Amazingly brilliant dark blue petals. to purple hues, with bright yellow like the dazzling displays produced flowers do not close in dull light or March 5” (12cm) anthers. Good in light shade or by some exotic butterflies. at night. Cretan in origin so they 128-06 £10.50 for 3 under deciduous shrubs, or in require some shelter. light grass, planted deeply. They Sept/Oct 5” (12cm) will flower later than suggested 77-38 £8.00 for 3 in their first year, consequent to them having been out of the soil We believe the plants where you and dried off in this summer. Do Insect friendly see this symbol to be particularly get enough of them! Suggested beneficial to pollinating insects planting density 15 per sq ft. Plants such as bees, butterflies, moths Sept/Oct 5” (12cm) and hover flies. 77-26 £4.50 for 15 or £13.50 for 50

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 3 SEP 20

Tropaeolum tricolor Cypripedium Gisela

Gladiolus tristis Hippeastrum x acramannii TROPAEOLUM GLADIOLUS CYPRIPEDIUM HIPPEASTRUM A winter-growing form of these tristis Gisela x acramannii APR 21 climbing plants, they start to grow The spelling of acramannii in late September and flower in late Native to South Africa, but Perfect in spring light and summer is in some doubt, could it be spring. Though not hardy if they sometimes not quite hardy here. shade in fertile soil. Hardy orchids ackermannii? Having been shown experience temperatures below A very special winter growing are now becoming more widely about -5°C they are actually happier Gladiolus with a wonderful scent available and our stocks of these a private greenhouse full of these grown somewhere cool rather in the evenings. It really needs a are very good. Some of these bulbs in flower many years ago than too warm. Grow in pots with sheltered site, providing protection divisions will produce several flower near Taunton and admired them something to climb up and then from temperatures lower than about spikes in their first spring. They do hugely (only later to find that the

MAY 21 protect during only the very coldest -5°C as they are in leaf through not need cossetting; they are hardy owner had passed away and his weather. January and February. The apple and in fact they need a cold spell greenhouse had been demolished white flowers open progressively to form their flowers. The price has shortly afterward) it was much later tricolor up the long rush-like stems and remained the same this year as our that I was offered a stock from the Isle of Man and jumped at the Exhibiting shoals of stunning red, produce a generous seed set. stocks are good, grab a bargain. second opportunity. These multiply black and yellow flowers that last Picture shows Lunaria Chedglow in More growing instructions on the well under unheated glass for us, ages in flower. A climber that starts the background. website. however reading about them I into growth very early in the autumn April/May 3’ (90cm) April/May 18” (45cm) 88-15 £15.00 for 3 64-07 £15.00 or £40.00 for 3 find that others suggest that they so early ordering is a must. One of are hardier than one anticipates, the most spectacular plants that we confirmed by letters from much sell, and a favourite of mine. more northern growers. They are Spring climbing up to 4’ (120cm) 47-06 £4.50 or £12.00 for 3 early autumn flowering in red and green and are in leaf all winter, more dormant in summer. Very limited numbers available this year. Sept 18” (45cm) 56-14 £13.00

4 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Narcissus cyclamineus Lilium candidum Cyclamen hederifolium Silver Leaf DEC 20 JAN 21

Narcissus Paperwhite Ziva Cyclamen hederifolium MAR 21

The plants in the next 4 family entries can be included on either a LILIUM AUTUMN Late Summer or an Autumn order form. If you order them alone they will be sent as Late Sumer items but candidum FLOWERING FORMS ordering them with anything else their ‘delivery season’ will be A lily that is better started off hederifolium determined by what else you order. They would all benefit from earlier early, even in October some are These tubers may not have flowered planting if possible. beginning to show their leaves. last autumn so may be pink or white Inevitably the first orders get the (though pink will dominate). The pick of the crop, so ordering from petals sweep up and away from Paperwhite Ziva this section has its benefits. See NARCISSUS the flower and in the spring (and for Early to flower from being forced; page 50 of the Autumn Catalogue much of the year after) the ground Also see the main Autumn we reckon on about eight to ten for more details. Catalogue pages 19-23 for the weeks to bloom from potting, so June 36” (90cm) will be carpeted in their ivy-leaf main listing. These either need early work your potting date out from 107-114 £6.50 or £18.00 for 3 shaped leaves. planting (N. cyclamineus) or could when you want them in flower. 51-107 £14.00 for 5 provide a very early indoor display White flowered and multi-headed, from bulbs potted early (Ziva). with a huge room filling perfume. CYCLAMEN hederifolium Grow them in good light and at These are all hardy, tough and Silver Leaf cyclamineus cool temperatures without freezing perennial and once established The completely ghostly-silver foliage An iconic small species, one that so that they don’t get too tall, only will seed about. If you order and effect is outstanding, literally. is much loved and sought after bringing them in to admire at room plant them early these Cyclamen 51-132 £13.00 for 3 JUN 21 by many, but they rarely do well in temperatures for their final flourish. will arrive dormant and ready to warm, dry, limey soils. Neutral to Not reliably hardy. pop in and awake in their new acid soils suit them better, moist Dec/Jan 15” (38cm) circumstances. Ordering them from in spring and more shaded in 113-152 £8.50 for 5 or £10.50 for 7 the Autumn section, means that summer. Grow them where they will there will probably be some growth be happy and seed about. visible on them. These are all from seed, raised in the UK. March 5” (12cm) 113-179 £3.50 Flowering time Flowering height Item Code Price

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 5 Cyclamen coum Cyclamen coum Dark Pink Cyclamen repandum Iris Mary Barnard

Cyclamen coum album Cyclamen coum Roseum SPRING FEB 21 FLOWERING FORMS coum Iris Marondera In their first or second flowering season these were not graded for colour in the spring so may be white or pink flowered but will be MAR 21 IRIS Mary Barnard generally smaller in size than the UNGUICULARIS (STYLOSA) The darkest of them all and a glossy colour selected forms of C. coum marvel in the winter. Tissue-like below which are all a year older. A firm favourite for the winter garden. velvety purple blue flowers with 51-116 £15.00 for 5 They need a sunny site and are often white and golden markings on the found growing in rubble right up falls, the foliage shorter and darker coum album against the house wall or in very poor than the other forms. Discovered by GAP Images White flowered, but even the white soils, but they will perform even better E.B. Anderson near Algiers in 1962.

APR 21 Cyclamen coum Silver Leaf ones have a dark pink ‘nose’. if the growing conditions are not too Feb/March 15” (38cm) 51-118 £14.00 for 3 harsh. Avoid the inclination to shear 102-05 £8.50 off the untidy foliage in the summer, instead rake out some of the dead Walter Butt coum dark pink repandum leaves in the early autumn and give Palest of pale ice blues with some Tubers that have been selected for Better in more sheltered conditions the plant some water and a liquid feed fine purple veining, drawing one’s their dark pink flowers. and certainly needing more at the same time. It is then that they 51-131 £14.00 for 3 shade and leaf mould in the soil make their new roots and are initiating attention to the fact that they are not where they need to be planted their flower buds so that should result white. Longer leaved and with more more deeply. Only properly hardy in more flowers in the following upright, paler, foliage. The first form coum roseum in the south, though special winter. New divisions need careful to flower with the largest flowers Graded for flower colour in the spring circumstances may affect that planting and firming in, regular and the most scented too. so these are larger tubered and all generalisation, small bulbs which watering till established and possibly Nov/Feb 18” (45cm) will show pale pink flowers with the need careful handling - I feel that some protection in their first winter. 102-06 £7.50 characteristically darker ‘nose’. I am using too many caveats! The 51-117 £14.00 for 3 positives are many - they provide Marondera Plants we list which spicily fragrant, deep carmine Bigger flowered than the ‘ordinary’ have received the RHS coum Silver Leaf coloured flowers in late spring unguicularis and slightly darker, Commendation ‘Award and like the others do set seed of Garden Merit’ are now The rounded leaves are largely this is a strain that goes back to a tagged with the trophy silvery patterned so a few tubers and spread where happy, as at garden in the town of that name in symbol. Space does planted amongst others with more Knightshayes in the photo. Zimbabwe. It is as good and tough not allow us to add the hardiness rating – please be aware the award green leaves increases the variety April/May as all the others, and goes back a 51-129 £15.00 for 3 applies to the ease of cultivation, of the green tapestry, their flowers long way excellence and constitution, but not are mostly pink. Feb/March 15” (38cm) necessarily hardiness. 51-119 £16.50 for 3 102-13 £7.50

6 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Order for Late Summer Despatch 2020 Bulbs that need Early Planting this Autumn Please specify plants and costs here, and complete the other side of the form

Stock Price & No of £ item code Plant name Pack Sz Packs

106-10 Acis autumnale (EXAMPLE ONLY) 8.00/5 2 16.00

Iris Walter Butt

Iris unguicularis FEB 21 MAR 21

Iris unguicularis Alba subtotal

The normal postage and packing costs on any carriage unguicularis Late Summer Order is £4.95 (UK Mainland only) Orders over £100 are sent free of P&P total The species plant with pale mauve flowers, the standards slightly paler and more silvery. A tough survivor even in poor soil conditions. The example at the top shows the information we need – in particular, the item code given at Feb/March 15” (38cm) the bottom left of the plant’s entry. 102-04 £7.00 If possible, specify acceptable alternatives in case some of your choices are not available. unguicularis alba If you want your order to be sent as a gift to someone else (invoice to you), tick the box and put the Narrower petalled with all white flowered recipient’s name and address and postcode in the space provided in Other Delivery Instructions. except for the yellow markings at the throat. Is this an order for collection? Reportedly slightly less tough than its sisters but they have grown apace despite the cold Is it a gift? winter. Feb/Mar 15” (38cm) 102-11 £8.00 Please record personal and payment details overleaf

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 7 Order for Late Summer Despatch 2020 GDPR The new rules on Data Protection that came Bulbs that need Early Planting this Autumn into force in May 2018 apply to everyone storing and using your personal data. We collect information about you when you register with us or place an order for products or services. We also collect information when you voluntarily complete Office use only: customer surveys, provide feedback and Date received: Order No: participate in competitions. Website usage information is collected using cookies. Although we take payment details when Avon Bulbs Ltd • Burnt House Farm • Mid Lambrook you place an order, these details are held South Petherton • Somerset • TA13 5HE by our payment processor WorldPay and only an encrypted “token” is sent back to Avon Bulbs. The card number data remains Title: Mr Mrs Miss Other securely stored on WorldPay’s PCI Level 1 Compliant servers. We only have access to Name: the last four digits of your payment card for House name/number: identification purposes. Avon Bulbs has a formal agreement with WorldPay to accept Street: payments on our behalf. Any information that is submitted to WorldPay is used Town: solely for the purpose of completing your transaction with Avon Bulbs. County: We collect information about you to process your order, manage your account and Country: Postcode to enable us to contact you if there is a Contact number: problem with your order or delivery. We use your information collected from the website to personalise your repeat visits to our Tel: Mob: website. In processing your order, we will share your name and address and email Email address: address/ telephone number with Royal Mail and DPD Local to facilitate delivery. These companies are also GDPR compliant. Other delivery instructions/safeplace leaving: We will hold Information about services or products that we have provided to you in the past, including the service(s) or product(s)

provided, when and where, the amount that you paid, billing address and where the item was sent (if applicable), and any other information required to process a transaction. We will retain your information Please complete these questions (We now need your permission to stay in touch, for as long as is required to provide you with except with regard to this order) a good service whenever you contact us regarding past orders. By Post: Are you happy to receive our printed catalogues in the future? Yes No Once you are a customer or have requested By Email: Do you wish to receive occasional emailed Newsletter from us along with any an Avon Bulbs catalogue, we will send you Special Offers? Yes No further catalogues in the post from time to time, which is allowed under the GDPR (We will not sell or pass on any contact details except to manage your order regulations as a ‘legitimate interest’. You - see GDPR information across) can, of course, contact us and request that

we stop sending you direct mail. If you are a new customer and give your permission Payment: or if you subscribe to (and thereby give your Orders are not accepted without payment except by prior agreement. consent to receive) our newsletter via the Please include payment or please charge my Visa/Mastercard account. Avon Bulbs website, we may occasionally email you about our products and services Cheque enclosed Yes, value £ ______, or that we think may be of interest to you. You . . . can unsubscribe to these marketing emails Card No. by following the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the Card expiry date / bottom of each email. If you have consented to receive marketing information, you may Security code (last three digits on reverse of card) opt out at any time by contacting us. You have the right at any time to stop us from contacting you for marketing purposes. You can now update your mailing preferences Signature through your website account.

8 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 AUTUMN 2020 Plants and Bulbs to plant in the Autumn, mostly to flower the following spring. Despatch of these items begins in early to mid September with the intention of sending everything on your order in one parcel. For further information see the ‘Ordering from Avon Bulbs’ section at the back. You may include plants and bulbs from the last four ‘families’ in the Late Summer section to be sent with those that follow as Autumn items. GAP Images Crocus chrysanthus Ard Schenk

Crocus chrysanthus Dorothy Crocus imperati de Jager JAN 21 FEB 21

Crocus chrysanthus Blue Pearl Crocus chrysanthus Cream Beauty MAR 21

CROCUS chrysanthus (SPRING FLOWERING) Ard Schenk Very early flowering with pure Crocus chrysanthus Prins Claus Crocus minimus Spring Beauty The C. tommasinianus forms are white petals marked by a yellow perfect for planting in light grass or throat inside. Glistening in the early borders, self-sowing and increasing sunlight. chrysanthus imperati de Jager where happy and potentially 78-72 £4.40 for 20 or £10.00 for 50 Dorothy Flowering in the very early spring getting everywhere. The bees love Bronzy yellow throughout, the open when the delicacy of these flowers them and their opening is always chrysanthus flowers mirroring the sun with a is more than welcome, the outer a certain sign of spring arriving. petals are biscuit buff with purple The hybrid forms of the species C. Blue Pearl shiny sheen. Bright and cheery. stripes, the inside lilac to purple. chrysanthus in particular have been A lovely goblet shaped flower with 78-69 £4.40 for 20 or £10.00 for 50 From Western Italy and needing a raised for garden use but need a soft lavender-blue exterior, pale well drained sunny rockery. more particular situations than do silvery blue inside, and bronzing at chrysanthus the ‘tommies’. They are palatable Jan 5” (12cm) the base. Prins Claus 78-73 £8.50 for 3 to mice and squirrels as are some 78-12 £4.40 for 20 or £10.00 for 50 other small carbohydrate rich bulbs. A slightly bigger two-tone flower with ivory white within and a smoky minimus Spring Mesh baskets (as offered on the chrysanthus back cover of this catalogue) are purple blue reverse to the petal. Beauty Cream Beauty a great help (with the addition of a Grouped together each one seems Lovely lilac petals open wide in the home-made wire lid). These buried Elegant, with pale-cream petals to frame their neighbour and so sun, but notice their backs, richly containers mostly thwart those brushed with charcoal on the they show themselves off magically. feathered along their length on a opportunistic raiders. The bigger 78-70 £4.40 for 20 or £10.00 for 50 reverse and bright orange stigmas much paler background they really and later flowering C. vernus or when open wide in the sun. enhance that lilac. ’Dutch’ forms of Crocus are much 78-14 £4.40 for 20 or £10.00 for 50 78-59 £4.40 for 20 or £10.00 for 50 bigger bulbed (so can be planted more deeply) and seem to both persist better and are less affected Flowering time Flowering height by rodents. Item Code Price

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 9

MAR 21 MAR 21 FEB seed-heads atsoil levelinJune. if youremember, lookoutforthe have goneifplantedingrassand, shade. Don’tmowtilltheleaves sunshine sotrythemindappled don’t lastlonginblazingMarch to seedaboutandnaturalise.They with theintentionofallowingthem paler inhue.Theyareidealtoplant anthers, thisformisalittlefinerand pink flowersandbrightyellow Free-flowering withsilverymauve- 78-44 below.Whitewell Purple just ‘chubbier’anddarkerthan they areneitherRubynorGiant, deceived bythedeceptivenaming, the Cyclamencoum.Don’tbe early dwarfdaffodilsandtofollow an idealaccompanimenttothe Excellent fornaturalisingand with contrastingyellowanthers. Deep pinkish-silverypurpleflowered 10 78-45 Ruby Giant Whitewell Purple Crocus tommasinianusWhitewellPurple Crocus tommasinianusRubyGiant tommasinianus tommasinianus £4.00 for20,£9.5050 £4.00 for20,£9.50 for50 or £17.50for100 or £17.50for100

GAP Images 78-74 numbers. but isstillonlyavailableinlimited found toberobustincultivation from nearReigate.Ithasbeen a generousandgreatplantsman RHS PlantReviewandnamedafter in theMarch2020editionof chains ofeasternEurope,described species thatgrowsinthemountain A purpletippedselectionofa Harry Hay heuffelianus (vernus) 78-64 petals contrastnicely. deep purpleandsilverybacked ‘tommies’ dobrilliantly. Alternating the smallercrocus,though heavier soilgenerallydoesnotsuit here socomerecommended,our under abirchanddonequitewell survived insomeroughgrass later. Someleftover bulbshave Vanguard soabitlargerandslightly a largehybrid,perhapsC.vernus A hybridbetweena‘tommy’and Yalta tommasinianus Crocus tommasinianusYalta £5.00 for10or£11.5025

£8.00 for3 March flowering5”(12cm)tall. February andearly flowering. Late provide aslightlygreaterspreadof benefit) sochooseafewvarietiesto quite allflowertogether(whichisa 7- 12persquarefoot.Theydonot 4-6” (12-15cm)apart,orroughly in theMarchgarden.Plantthem effective contrasttotheseaofyellow early Daffodilseasontheycanbean multiple flowers.Floweringintothe lawn grasses.Eachcormproduces cope withroughergrasscoverthan planted moredeeplyandwould being biggerbulbedtheycanbe grass willhardlybegrowing)and andMarchthe (though inFebruary to provideanearlyspringshow useful forplantingingrassedareas originally fromC.vernustheseare Selected overthecenturies, ‘DUTCH’ HYBRIDS CROCUS VERNUS Crocus HarryHay Crocus GoldenYellow on page our CrocusCollection Brighten upSpringwith

58 Avon Bulbs

Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020

GAP Images Crocus FlowerRecord Crocus JeanneD’Arc 78-51 tulip inpots? the ‘Dutch’crocusandanyGreigii combination ofyourownany at thesametime.Onecouldtrya any oftheGreigiitulipswhichflower with latesnowdropsorasafoilto mix ofothercolours.Butalsonice planted aloneorelsesupportinga flecking) withstrongstems.Great crocus (occasionallywithpurple A superbgobletshapedwhite 78-52 vernus andC.angustifolius. all butatriploidhybridbetweenC. not tobeatrueC.vernusformat fractionally earlier).Ithasbeenfound with thepurpleforms(itflowers use themaloneorincombination Bright goldenyellowflowers.Either 78-71 planting. that darkercontrastinamixed The deepestpurpleform,providing JeanneD’Arc Golden Yellow FlowerRecord £6.80 for15,£12.00 for30 £6.80 for15,£12.0030 £6.80 for15,£12.0030 or £18.00for50 or £18.00for50 or £18.00for50 Crocus Pickwick Iris Lady Beatrix Stanley Iris Katharine Hodgkin FEB 21 GAP Images MAR 21 Crocus Queen of the Blues Crocus Remembrance Iris Harmony Iris Katharine’s Gold

Pickwick IRIS - DWARF histrioides Lady Katharine Strongly striped and feathered in (RETICULATA) Beatrix Stanley Hodgkin violet over a white background. A velvety pale blue flowered form An utterly distinct hybrid raised A larger flowered and vigorous These are derived from plants native with pale flecking on the lips and by EB Anderson in the 1960s. crocus, generally with several to the Middle East and do best in with a yellow stripe down the length Predominantly yellow with blue and flowers per corm. well drained conditions with a warm of the falls, scented of violets. sea-green veining and markings 78-53 £6.80 for 15, £12.00 for 30 dry summer rest. In UK conditions Flowering before the leaves extend over the wide petals. Probably the or £18.00 for 50 with our usual, but these days more so these are not too evident at most persistent and perennial form infrequent, summer rain this is not Queen of the Blues easy to achieve so they sometimes flowering time. when planted in a rich, gritty soil in do not do well year on year. It helps Feb/March 6” (15cm) a sunny site. Lavender blue, with a whiff of 101-22 £5.00 for 5 or £8.50 for 10 Feb/March 6” (15cm) purple in some lights but with an to plant them deeply 5” (12cm). The best situation would be a raised 101-07 £3.00 for 5 or £5.00 for 10 incredible depth of colour and bed in the sun with well drained soil Harmony slightly shorter stemmed. conditions. There you’ll be able to 78-68 £6.80 for 15, £12.00 for 30 Flowering with amazingly intense Katharine’s Gold or £18.00 for 50 admire them up close and smell the gentian blue flowers, only marked Creamy coloured predominantly scented ones. 15 bulbs will nicely with a small yellow and white crest with flecks of darker yellow and blue Remembrance fill a 9” (20cm) planter or pot filled on the falls. Our most popular of all on the falls. Visually quite startling with sharply draining compost for an the forms. so early in the year. The deep purple blue, and again early spring treat. Feb/March 6” (15cm) Feb/March 6” (15cm) slightly shorter stemmed. Brought 101-11 £4.00 for 15 or £6.25 for 25 101-24 £6.30 for 5 back into our list by popular demand. 78-63 £6.80 for 15, £12.00 for 30 or £18.00 for 50 We believe the plants where you Insect friendly see this symbol to be particularly beneficial to pollinating insects Plants such as bees, butterflies, moths and hover flies.

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Iris Spot On

Iris Pauline FEB 21

Chionodoxa luciliæ Chionodoxa forbesii Pink Giant MAR 21

The spring bulbs generally exhibit a huge range of bold shapes and luciliæ Multifunctional small bulbs, they GAP Images strong colours. As a result if one can go into your beds of perennials Iris Pixie Iris Purple Hill does not follow a colour theme or stick to a limited palette one or be allowed to seed about in can find that the whole effect can rock gardens in the sun or part look a bit haphazard. A way to shade, where they combine well Pauline Purple Hill help with this is to use a range of with the daffodils, grape hyacinths, the ’little blue bulbs’ to create a Narrower petalled with dark velvety Purple petalled and now the closest crocuses and other small spring more unifying backdrop. This ties purple flowers with bright white bulbs. They can also be naturalized form that one can obtain to I. the louder colours together and highlights on the falls. Mid-season George which was for years the in grass (though mowing too early provides a steadying consistency. and too short needs to be avoided). flowering. most popular purple form but Is Any of the Chionodoxa, Scilla, Brilliant blue with white centres. Buy Feb/March 6” (15cm) now not available. Anemone and Muscari which follow 101-13 £5.00 for 15 or £7.50 for 25 lots your planting densities need to Feb/March 6” (15cm) are the bulbs that I have in mind 101-26 £4.90 for 10 or £6.80 for 15 and perform this role, but you could be generous, though they will seed Pixie use other non bulbous plants as about in time. You’ll initially need Wide petalled in the deepest of Spot On well such as Brunnera or Myosotis about 30-40 per square ft. blue, not really purple, and equally Raised by Alan McMurtrie in (Forget-me-not). Feb/March 4” (10cm) 72-04 £4.00 for 20 or £9.00 for 50 scented. Canada this hybrid is evidently Feb/March 6” (15cm) the result of crossing I. reticulata 101-23 £4.00 for 15 or £6.25 for 25 Pauline x I. reticulata bakeriana . It CHIONODOXA forbesii Pink Giant appears and grows much like the Our ‘friends’ - the nomenclature With a spike of very pretty pale pink others but is slightly smaller though police have officially merged the flowers, this is a taller and slightly the white throat markings are Chionodoxas into the Scilla family. earlier flowering alternative to the distinct and outstanding surrounded However on such matters we are more common blue shades. Being as they are by the rich purples. slow adopters although the ‘new’ taller it needs to receive more light Feb/March 6” (15cm) seasonal ordering puts them to avoid it getting too leggy and 101-25 £4.00 for 5 or £7.20 for 10 together here ! flopping over. Plant about 2”- 3” Flowering time Flowering height (5-8cm) apart, or 15 per square foot. Item Code Price Feb/March 5” (12cm) 72-10 £3.00 for 10 or £6.80 for 25

12 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Chionodoxa forbesii Blue Giant Scilla bifolia rosea Scilla lilio-hyacinthus alba

Scilla bifolia FEB 21 GAP Images forbesii Blue Giant Scilla bifolia alba Scilla lilio-hyacinthus Scilla mischtschenkoana Larger flowered than the C. luciliae above with a more noticeable central white throat. The photo was taken of them in a pot of tulips that bifolia alba lilio–hyacinthus MAR 21 were yet to flower and the C. Blue The white flowered form. alba Giant were flowering their socks off, Feb/Mar 6” (15cm) This pretty form has all the attributes 125-04 £3.80 for 10, £8.80 for 25, providing a very good early show. or £16.50 for 50 of the blue but the flowers are white March/April 6” (15cm) and the leaves are slightly paler 72-11 £4.50 for 10 or £10.25 for 25 than those of the blue flowered form bifolia rosea above. Again best grown in some The pale pink flowered form shade. SCILLA Feb/Mar 6” (15cm) Mar/April 8” (20 cm) APR 21 125-06 £3.80 for 10, £8.80 for 25, 125-29 £10.00 for 3 The smaller Scillas, often sold in or £16.50 for 50 larger multiples, are not really used as star stand-alone performers, lilio-hyacinthus mischtschenkoana but they are the unmissable and (tubergeniana) necessary chorus, supporting the Broad and tidy leaved, with pretty, prima donnas of the bulb world so delicate racemes of soft pale blue. The earliest pale-blue gem. They GAP Images you shouldn’t be without them. Their Neat looking mounds of foliage seem to ignore the winter cold and Scilla siberica Spring Beauty preferred situations do vary widely. and a joy when in flower. The bulbs emerge especially early to flower are formed of loose lily-like scales at the same time as the Cyclamen bifolia which dislike being dried out (hence coum and the winter aconites - far the name). Clump forming and best earlier than other similar plants. Very siberica Spring An easy dwarf species with starry hardy and well suited to the rockery purple-blue flowers and waxy leaves. in some shade. A great addition to Beauty the early spring tapestry. Do please or a border and under deciduous Bone hardy, these hail from the Naturalises under shrubs or in light shrubs grass in summer shade where the order these early, they ‘move’ better Black Sea area. The Prussian-blue in September rather than too far into Feb 4” (10cm) massed heads really create an 125-17 £3.50 for 5 or £9.50 for 15 flowers piercing through the cold early purple haze, flowering with the October. ground in advance of their leaves, anemones and early daffodils. Small Mar/April 8” (20 cm) especially happy on sandy soils in 125-28 £10.00 for 3 bulbs that you need to be generous summer shade. with, plant them 2-3” (5-8 cm) apart, Mar/April 6” (15cm) 125-14 £6.50 for 10 or £14.60 for 25 15 per square foot. Feb/Mar 6” (15cm) For Scilla peruviana - see the May 125-05 £3.20 for 10, £7.50 for 25, or £13.50 for 50 flowering section, page 40

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 13 Anemone White Splendour

Anemone blanda Blue

Anemone apennina

ANEMONE apennina An excellent and very pretty plant, I The Anemones mark that moment Anemone nemorosa wish it were more easily produced when the weather is on the turn for as I think it more attractive than A. the better and the stronger light of spring is accentuated by the shiny blanda in British conditions, but it wet foliage resulting from scudding is not a similarly commercialised showers and windy conditions. This plant. In white or shades of blue is just what they love. They open with many deeply cut petals MAR 21 wide in the sunshine though if the on flowers held well above soft light is only dappled by dint of still mounds of leaves. Ideal under bare branches on the trees they big deciduous trees following Anemone Pink Star won’t mind. snowdrops and flowering with However they are not all alike the early daffodils with which the even when ‘resting’: the bulbous colours combine very naturally. (A. blanda) forms come as hard, Plant the small stick-like rhizomes in blanda Pink Star wizened corms, which need an Pale pink flowered plants of the APR 21 small groups 6” (15cm) apart where overnight soak before planting and they will thereafter seed about (I same stature. will take a long hot summer in their think our strimming activities have March 4” (10cm) stride. The rhizomatous forms (A. Anemone nemorosa bracteata greatly increased their spread). 57-08 £3.50 for 5 apennina and A. nemorosa) need a cooler, shady (but also dry) rest Home grown and dug-to-order from after they have flowered, so they under trees here, the damp packed blanda White prefer more shaded, woodland- rhizomes are inevitably rather Splendour nemorosa like conditions and, due to hating variable in size. Gleaming white petals surround a The wild wood anemone. The exposure to air, the rhizomes will March/April 8” (20cm) hub of golden stamens, which when simplest looking low white flowers 57-11 £6.50 for 3 be damp packed in coir when ruffled by the wind, show off their which derive from stick-like despatched by us. pink tinged backs. Opening widely rhizomes. For woodland situations, blanda blue in direct sunshine, their flowering is in shade with leafmold rich soils. As Low growing in shades of blue, a sure sign that spring has arrived. with many ‘wild’ plants they often that unconformity adding to their Compared to the blue forms slightly take a while to settle in and take off. attractiveness, with flowers which warmer soils and more direct light April 4” (10cm) Plants we list which 57-20 £4.00 for 5 have received the RHS shimmer close to the ground, suit them better, in too much shade Commendation ‘Award unaffected by the March winds and they get rather leggy. They grow of Garden Merit’ are now shaking off the rain. Easy in any from larger hard irregular corms, nemorosa bracteata tagged with the trophy summer shaded spot where the which you will receive whole - many symbol. Space does Double petalled in white with green not allow us to add the hardiness more angled light (and moisture) of providers sell these cut into smaller tinges to the outermost ones. Like rating – please be aware the award spring penetrate through. pieces. them all quite slow to get going but applies to the ease of cultivation, March 4” (10cm) March 5” (12cm) for a brief time in April a joy. excellence and constitution, but not 57-07 £2.40 for 10, £5.50 for 25 57-12 £5.00 for 10, £11.50 for 25 April 4” (10cm) necessarily hardiness. or £10.00 for 50 or £22.00 for 50 57-37 £5.00 for 5

14 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Anemone nemorosa Stammheim Muscari azureum Muscari White Magic

Anemone nemorosa Virescens MAR 21 nemorosa Stammheim Many bracteate petals in white and green and seemingly feathery Anemone ranunculoides Muscari aucheri Blue Magic Muscari Baby’s Breath flowered with bronzing In the petals as they fade.

April 4” (10cm) APR 21 57-30 £5.50 for 3 MUSCARI azureum aucheri White nemorosa The ‘Grape Hyacinths’, and as the Probably the easiest to grow and Magic name implies some are heavily not at all invasive. Tightly packed The aucheri forms are less vigorous, virescens scented. All do well in the drier, powder-blue flowers, flared open (and by implication not invasive) For us the most productive of all sunny conditions provided under at their tips, emerging initially so suited to smaller gardens. This the Anemone nemorosa forms. deciduous shrubs in the early cone shaped but becoming more selection has attractive pale green These do not have flowers in the spring, with summer shade later rounded as more flowers open. flower buds opening white, initially conventional sense, but frothy in the year. Part of the group of For a well-drained sink or rockery quite pointed but rounded when in green heads full of bracts that last ‘Little Blue Jobs’, that create the or in light soils at the front of a full flower. much longer than flowers might. backdrop and provide the ‘chorus’ spring border. April 5” (12cm) April 4” (10cm) to the spring display. M. Golden March 5” (12cm) 111-14 £6.50 for 10 or £15.00 for 25 57-17 £5.00 for 5 Fragrance may be better in warmer 111-15 £3.50 for 10 or £8.00 for 25 and more protected situations. Baby’s Breath The common and weedy ‘ordinary’ aucheri Blue Magic ranunculoides Grape Hyacinth (M. armenaicum) (Jenny Robinson) Bright blue with white rims to the A European native with bright is undoubtedly best avoided - it This form of M. neglectum was found mature flowers. These selected yellow petalled flowers, the tubers gives the well behaved Muscari a by Jenny Robinson, the then holder colour forms are derived from the underground are thicker and less bad name. As a guide plant them 4” of the National Collection of Muscari species which is native to alpine stick-like than those of Anemone (10cm) deep and 2” (5cm) apart. in Cyprus. Opening from lime green turf in Turkey, they will not be nemorosa. Easy in light spring shade buds the flowers are in the palest of invasive here. conditions amongst the other March blues with a wonderful scent. and April flowering woodlanders. April 5” (12cm) 111-20 £4.30 for 10 or £9.75 for 25 April 6” (15cm) April 4” (10cm) 111-23 £3.50 for 10 or £8.00 for 25 57-31 £5.50 for 3

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 15 Muscari botryoides Album Muscari Valerie Finnis Erythronium dens canis FEB 21

Erythronium dens canis Old Aberdeen Erythronium dens canis Snowflake

MAR 21 ERYTHRONIUM dens canis Old

GAP Images The Dog’s Tooth Violet is the only Aberdeen Muscari macrocarpum Hacquetia epipactis European form (that common name Noted for their exceptionally dark Golden Fragrance referring to the shape of the bulb); leaf markings the flowers are also the others are all American species more deeply coloured than the or hybrids where the common name standard E. dens canis. First named botryoides Album Valerie Finnis for them in America is the Trout Lily (I believe) by Carol Scott whom I A smaller form with pale leaves, Tightly packed ropes of scented (due to the markings on the leaves). met and stayed with 30 plus years APR 21 certainly no thug, with neat strings powder blue flowers, best grown They grow best where they have ago near Glasgow. They should of little pearls strung on pale stems. in open sunny conditions. It cool humus rich soil conditions in increase quite rapidly but E. dens the spring, usually grown in dappled Scented. arose in Valerie Finnis’ garden in canis is never in flower for long, so shade, with a drier resting phase April 6” (15cm) Northamptonshire (by then she was the great foliage is a strong reason in what will be deeper shade in the 111-06 £4.50 for 10 or £10.25 for 25 to grow these. Lady Scott). summer. They all have interesting March 7” (18cm) leaves and look great with Dicentra, March 4” (10cm) 111-18 £5.50 for 10 or £13.00 for 25 84-09 £4.00 or £10.50 for 3 macrocarpum Trilliums, Epimedium and the wood Golden Fragrance Anemones. Knightshayes Court, dens canis A form of M. macrocarpum, which HACQUETIA or The Garden House at Buckland was evidently selected from the Monachorum, both have good Snowflake An unusual European native in the species for its cold tolerance. displays. A white flowered selection, worth a Carrot family. Grow this where you can enjoy its closer look when in flower (though heavenly banana-like perfume, dens canis this can be awkward as they are growing in a sunny sheltered spot Epipactis The European Dogs Tooth Violet very close to the ground) in order where it gets dry in the summer Flowering fairly early in the year with magically mottled leaves with to admire the extraordinary mauve- whilst they have a rest. These have with yellow starry flowers with all brown and purple markings. The purple stamens. thick and fleshy roots to anchor green bracts that last longer still. flowers are pale pink through to March 4” (10cm) them into difficult niches. Violet Always low to the ground they are lilac or purple. They benefit from 84-11 £4.50 flowers, turning yellow as they age. deciduous but perfectly hardy. good spring light but with shade April 7” (18cm) A shade lover increasing slowly. from about April. Plant them 3-4” 111-10 £5.50 for 3 Divisions. (7-10cm) apart. Feb-March 4” (10cm) March 4” (10cm) 20-01 £5.50 84-08 £5.50 for 3

16 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Erythronium Pagoda Erythronium revolutum

Hyacinthus Carnegie

Erythronium tuolumnense Credit Neil Hepworth Erythronium revolutum Knightshayes Pink

Pagoda revolutum A more vigorous hybrid first Knightshayes Pink discovered in the late 19th Century, Named after the garden in which it is a bigger plant altogether, with these abound in Devon, this strain creamy yellow flowers. They are has even more heavily marked easier to grow than any of the leaves with pale pink flowers, but do Hyacinthus Delft Blue others and one starts with a big handle the tubers carefully, they are finger sized tuber. Ideally planted in long and brittle. some shelter from spring gales (the April 10” (25cm) large leaves tend to crack in strong 84-13 £5.50 or £15.00 for 3 HYACINTHUS winds) and ideally in humus rich The Hyacinths below can be soils where they will clump up. Plant

tuolumnense potted for use in the house, where APR 21 7” to 9” (16-20cm) apart. Early flowering plants with larger they will flower in March and look April 12” (30cm) bright plain green leaves and bright equally magnificent in pots or can 84-17 £4.50 for 3 or £9.50 for 7 be planted directly into the garden yellow flowers. A native of the to flower in March and April. All Sierra Nevada in California they are are tremendously fragrant. They revolutum perfectly hardy in the UK. Pagoda is The ‘wild’ pink flowered prefer very well drained and sunny a hybrid deriving from this species, Erythronium White Beauty situations, reaching a height of Erythronium, originally from the it is later and paler flowered, has 12” (30cm). We are not listing the western seaboard of North America, more marked leaves, and is quicker White Beauty ‘Prepared’ hyacinths now, their right through from California to to increase. supply has been unsatisfactory In Probably the best Erythronium Vancouver now a welcome highlight April 8” (20cm) the past few years. in woodland gardens here. More 84-24 £4.00 in Britain for more formal small subtle and refined than E. Pagoda, gardens and a favourite: if you but if you can grow that one then have visited Knightshayes in Devon Carnegie these are a definite possibility. They in early April you’ll know why. A Dense glossy white flowered spikes seed around quite vigorously and very neat and compact hybrid with with a hint of yellow in the buds mix in very naturally with wood mottled leaves and creamy white before they open. 86-12 £4.00 for 3 or £9.00 for 7 anemones, Anemone apennina, flowers, often multi-stemmed on and all those low growing gems established plants. The whole plant of April. A cool April is a blessing, is nicely proportioned. Pamper Delft Blue otherwise they are too quickly over. them with deep leaf mould rich soils Compact spikes of purple- blue with Some will be marked with lovely in the summer shade of trees or a darker stem. brown flecks on the leaves. shrubs. Plant 5” (12cm) apart. 86-11 £4.00 for 3 or £9.00 for 7 April 10” (25cm) April 10” (25cm) 84-21 £12.00 for 3 84-15 £6.00 or £16.00 for 3

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 17 Hyacinthus Gipsy Queen Hyacinthus Gloria Mundi Hyacinthus multiflora Anastasia Ipheion Alberto Castillo MAR 21

Hyacinthus Woodstock Hyacinthus multiflora white Ipheion uniflorum Charlotte Bishop APR 21 Gipsy Queen multiflora Alberto Castillo Neither yellow nor salmon, but not IPHEION Vigorous, with very white starry pink either. Quite a refreshing colour Anastasia These little bulbs often start pushing flowers over grey-green foliage in the spring when there is likely to The forms above are looked on as up one or two stems very early with smelling of onions when crushed. be so much yellow about. being a bit ‘chunky’ and soldierly pretty star shaped flowers, but their 86-36 £4.00 for 3 or £9.00 for 7 by some, the multiflora forms below main display is reserved for late Longer stemmed, which raises the are more slender, less dense and March and April. They are easy in flowers well above the foliage and Gloria Mundi more informal in appearance and any reasonably well drained soils they pick well for small posies but maybe less dominating of the little and a moderately sunny site and to prevent those longer stems from You’ll need to read the full story flowers with which they bloom so although the leaves can be burnt off flopping you should plant them in online on the website as this was a early, this is the prettiest deep blue in a heavy frost (with an associated conditions of fairly good light. remarkable find and there follows with dark stems. garlic smell) they seem to recover March/April 9” (22cm) an amazing story. White and green 86-20 £5.00 for 3 or £11.00 for 5 in weeks. The named forms are 97-09 £3.30 for 7 double petalled variety of antiquity better and more interesting than with pink centres. Still very few the species forms which are widely uniflorum bulbs and not yet super-sized. multiflora white available but tend to be invasive 86-37 £10.00 each Simply white when fully open (and for which reason we do not Charlotte Bishop but quite yellow in bud. Slighter stock). The biggest bulbs of the A pretty pink flowered form, dark Woodstock and somehow simpler than the first one are the size of a small pink on opening, fading gracefully clementine segment, but the others Deep beetroot purple, one of ‘standard’ orientalis forms. in the sun. In well drained soils they 86-09 £4.00 for 3 or £9.00 for 7 are much smaller. the most dramatic. It makes a are vigorous and will increase. March/April 6” (15cm) smashing twosome planted with 97-10 £3.30 for 7 Carnegie. 86-17 £4.00 for 3 or £9.00 for 7

18 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Ipheion Froyle Mill Narcissus fernandesii var. cordubensis Narcissus Elka

NARCISSUS (DAFFODILS) The highlight of the April garden in a ‘normal’ year, though some earlier ones are often welcome and the last will flower in May. Do plant them really quite deeply with 4-6” (10-15cm) of soil over the biggest bulbs (unless told differently), where they will remain cool and moist in the spring and safe from gardening activity above them in the summer. Do not be tempted to cut back or tidy the foliage after flowering – this period of replenishment of the bulb’s starchy food reserves is critical to future flowering. A liquid feed whilst the leaves are still green will benefit clumps in poorer soil, but generally

feeding is unnecessary. I would MAR 21 suggest that you plant in groups (and particularly any that you ‘naturalise’) resulting in swathes of the same variety and not a jumbled crowd – the

effect is generally better. Most should Credit Carlos van Veek Iris bucharica clump up from being planted about Narcissus Desert Bells Narcissus Exotic Mystery 4-6” (10-15cm) apart, further apart for more ‘relaxed’ planting. APR 21 Divisions: The number in brackets uniflorum after the name represents the type fernandesii var. Elka (1) Froyle Mill of flower expressed by the divisions cordubensis (13) A perfectly proportioned pale within the Narcissus family: 1= bicoloured miniature with a relatively First selected in Hampshire which trumpet, 2= large cupped, 3= small A small bright yellow jonquil with long cream coloured trumpet and explains the name, with starry, cupped, 4= double flowered, 5= what I think of as a jaunty attitude. velvety-violet flowers, similarly triandrus forms, 6= cyclamineus Generally with several small, milk white petals. It was raised by vigorous in sunny conditions. types, 7= jonquilla forms, 8= gleaming, fragrant flowers on Alec Gray, a Cornish flower grower March/April 6” (15cm) tazetta forms, 9 = poeticus types, each stem and narrow grass like and distinguished daffodil hybridiser 97-08 £3.80 for 5 10= bulbocodium types, 11= split foliage. A raised bed in the sun is a of the 1940s and 50s. corona, 12 = miscellaneous, 13= likely requirement for it to increase March/April 6” (15cm) 113-61 £4.00 for 5 (OTHER TYPES) species and wild variants (more happily. Naturally small bulbs. IRIS suitable for naturalising). April 10” (25cm) bucharica 113-103 £4.00 for 5 or £7.20 for 10 Exotic Mystery (11) The suggested flowering month Until now I have not been a great Easy to grow in any sunny border should be used as a guide only – Desert Bells (7) fan of the split corona group, or a well drained sunny site where annual variation can be great, as usually with large flowers, but this little else seems to do well. They Multiheaded with pale yellow recent springs have shown. is a smaller flowered form with originate from Central Asia with flowers that gradually fade to a crisp slightly downcast heads in the most bright glossy leaves, creamy white The flowering height suggested is white, the trumpets fading more magical soft primrose which looks and yellow flowers over low, bright, the height at which the first flowers slowly so that at any moment one lovely with pale Muscari blue. They shiny foliage. open, the stems often extend might have all the stages showing seem to last ages in flower. March/April 12” (30cm) thereafter. together which is nice. 103-09 £4.30 for 3 April 10” (25cm) April 15” (38cm) 113-35 £5.70 for 3 113-20 £7.50 for 5 or £13.50 for 10

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 19 Narcissus February Gold Narcissus Hawera Narcissus Minnow

Narcissus More and More FEB 21 MAR 21

Narcissus Julia Jane Narcissus Martinette

APR 21 February Gold (6) Julia Jane (10) Minnow (8) Dating back to 1923. Early flowering Soft pale yellow with billowing skirts, Multi-headed, with many small but, despite the name, only opening a named form of N. bulbocodium primrose yellow flowers held flat in late February in very mild winters. romieuxii, the species which derives only just above the top of the A long lasting, upright, golden from high on the Atlas mountains. foliage, the small cup rather darker yellow garden favourite with slightly Charmingly petite and early when they first open. It also needs swept back petals and a good flowering they look better and flower more sunny conditions and to be stature, also good for pots or tubs. for longer if protected from too grown in better drained soils, but is Feb/March 12” (30cm) much wind and rain, but are totally one that I wouldn’t be without. 113-09 £7.00 for 10 or £15.50 for 25 hardy with regard to the cold. In the March/April 12” (30cm) Narcissus moschatus summer they should stay dry. Small 113-51 £4.30 for 10 or £9.20 for 25 Hawera (5) bulbs as you would expect. Small clear lemon-yellow flowers Feb 6” (15cm) More and More (7) moschatus (13) with prominent cups and narrow 113-101 £4.50 for 5 Although I can’t say that I like the Palest creamy-white with a flower deep green foliage typify this name very much I can see how that always seems downcast in the plant. It is much happier in a drier Martinette (8) it occurred to someone, these way that it hangs – some describe and sunnier site than many of its Brilliant yellow with several flowers produce many flowers! Each bulb it as swanlike? They seem to prefer cousins. Shorter and more wind on each stem, the centres darker, produces 4 or 5 stems with several damper soil in more shade than tolerant. Pack them in quite tightly with a small, more orange coloured flowers each. Low growing and late most daffodils, but the pale colours for a mass of colour on a rockery. cup with an enormous scent. flowering, ideal for a rockery or in a show in shadier conditions perfectly. First bred in New Zealand. Narrower leaved and taller, not one planter. Naturally small bulbs. April 12” (30cm) April 10” (25cm) April 9” (25cm) for the shadier garden. 113-94 £5.70 for 3 113-38 £5.50 for 10, £12.30 for 25 March 14” (35cm) 113-104 £2.70 for 5 or £7.20 for 15 or £23.00 for 50 113-84 £3.50 for 5 or £9.50 for 15

20 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Narcissus Oxford Gold Narcissus poeticus recurvus Narcissus Sailboat DEC 20 JAN 21 FEB 21

Narcissus Pipit

Pipit (7) MAR 21 A multiheaded form called a ‘reverse’ bicolor. These flowers open with all parts a sharp lemon Narcissus obvallaris yellow and then fade outwards to Narcissus Rijnveld’s Early Sensation Narcissus Segovia a paler, creamier colour from the centre of the flower (most bicolors APR 21 Oxford Gold (10) fade from the tips of the petals Rijnveld’s Early Sailboat (7) inwards). Tough enough to plant in A selected form of N. bulbocodium Pale and interesting with a pleasant rough grass. Sensation (1) (the hoop petticoat forms) with perfume, the white petals fly back April 12” (30cm) Bright yellow throughout with a masses of large, butter yellow- 113-32 £3.50 for 5 or £6.20 for 10 short flared trumpet. So far not from the slightly flared pale yellow blooms which flower quite early with so unusual for a daffodil. But this trumpet on flowers which seem to a great scent. The foliage is narrow poeticus variety’s real star quality is that it hold their chins up ! Keep calm and and needle-like, indicating that they recurvus (13) really does flower in the garden carry on flowering? MAY 21 would prefer a sunnier situation. around New Year, sometimes March/April 14” (35cm) 113-89 £3.00 for 5 or £8.00 for 15 April 6” (15cm) The Pheasant’s Eye daffodil. Wild earlier. It is going over when the 113-92 £4.10 for 5 or £7.30 for 10 in high alpine meadows in Europe main daffodil season begins. and found gracing old gardens and They provide a blast of spring in Segovia (3) obvallaris (13) orchards here. White with slightly the middle of winter, even before These have a flattened pale lemon The daffodil suitable for naturalising swept back petals, highlighted the snowdrops. Plant them where trumpet that sits squarely against that grows wild in South Wales is by a stubby, burgundy rimmed they might be a bit protected from the bright white petals which flare the Tenby daffodil, this looks just cup. One of the last daffodils to wintery gales. back slightly. The whole effect is like it with a neat and tidy all yellow flower and deliciously fragrant too. Dec/Feb 12” (30cm) fresh and bright with narrow leaves, flower (though some doubt as to Very suitable for naturalising but 113-44 £5.40 for 5 or £10.00 for 10 so it would like a brighter spot in whether it is exactly the same plant). because of its late flowering better which to grow. Perfect for planting into rough grass planted in dappled shade in grass, April 6” (15cm) to provide ‘bomb-proof’ simple or in a cool border amongst other 113-87 £4.10 for 5 or £7.20 for 10 yellow daffodils. plants. March 10” (25cm) May 15” (35cm) Flowering time Flowering height 113-30 £3.80 for 5, £10.00 for 15, 113-28 £4.10 for 5, £11.30 for 15, Item Code Price or £18.00 for 30 or £20.50 for 30

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 21 Narcissus Silver Chimes Narcissus Tete-a-tete Narcissus Toto FEB 21 MAR 21

Narcissus Sir Winston Churchill Narcissus Sweetness Narcissus Thalia Narcissus Topolino

APR 21 Silver Chimes (8) Sweetness (7) Thalia (5) Topolino (1) A lovely multi-headed tazetta form Sturdy, simple, bright yellow and Raised in 1916. A national treasure, Small. vigorous and as close as which would best be planted in deliciously scented with narrow refined and elegant and a perfect one can now get in commercial slightly warmer conditions where foliage that does not get in the way, foil for all those March yellows stocks to N. lobularis, the wild N. it is not too wet. Broad leaved with everything a daffodil ought to be! with a greeny-white, multi-headed, pseudonarcissus. pure white petals around a pale March 14” (35cm) scented flower. A well-known classy March/ April 8” (20cm) primrose cup with a huge scent. 113-24 £3.50 for 5 or £9.50 for 15 favourite. 113-54 £3.20 for 5 or £ 8.60 for 15 Big bulbs. March/April 14” (35cm) April 12” (30cm) Tete-a-tete (12) 113-42 £3.40 for 5, £9.50 for 15, or £17.50 for 30 113-41 £6.00 for 5 or £11.00 for 10 Widely grown since it was raised soon after WW2 and many people’s Sir Winston favourite small daffodil. Very short Toto (12) Churchill (4) when first in flower, extending in Gorgeously pale and simple flowered, the trumpet just a Frilly white petals mix with splashes stem length as it matures and long lasting in cool conditions. Deep shade darker than the petals and of sulphur yellow to produce a early enough to overlap with that frothy and exuberant flower with a golden yellow and multi-headed from the biggest bulbs. blue phase in the garden when huge scent. They are quite tall and the Anemones, Muscari and late flowering. Reliable, with several Feb/March 6” (15cm) 113-16 £6.00 for 10, £13.50 for 25 Chionodoxa are at their best, the stems per bulb and each of these combination is wonderful. multiheaded. March/ April 8” (20cm) Brighten up Spring April 18” (45cm) 113-90 £3.60 for 3 113-97 £3.80 for 5 or £10.00 for 15 with our Narcissus Collection on page 58

22 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Narcissus W. P. Milner Narcissus White Lady Leucojum æstivum Gravetye Giant DEC 20 JAN 21 FEB 21 Bongardia chrysogonum

UVULARIA Bombproof but quite slow growing woodland plants of N. America needing cool leaf-mould rich soils MAR 21 in part shade. Quite slow growing, established clumps are quietly Narcissus Ziva Uvularia grandiflora impressive but easy to achieve in time in the right conditions. Brilliant with other choice shade plants like Trilliums, Sanguinaria and Erythronium.

W. P. Milner (1) (Paperwhite) Ziva LEUCOJUM APR 21 Attributed to Henry Backhouse’ (8) æstivum Gravetye grandiflora breeding in Yorkshire pre 1869 For indoor or very protected Known as the Merrybells in the and evidently named after William situations. These are best suited Giant eastern USA. Deep yellow flowers Pashley Milner his brother in law. to forcing in pots for indoor display The Loddon Lily, also known as hanging from arching stems. Soft Pale yellow throughout with swept- with a huge scent. They need lots Summer Snowflakes, with white, foliage but completely resistant to forward petals, beyond which of light and protection from actual hanging, bell-shaped flowers and our coldest weather. peeps the shy trumpet. Long lasting

frost, but nothing too warm. They often confused with snowdrops April 12” (30cm) MAY 21 and good for naturalising being are also available for even earlier despite them flowering much later 133-05 £7.50 smaller in stature. planting if you order from the Late (but not really in summer). Strings March/April 9” (22cm) Summer section. We work on about of emerald-tipped white bells hang 113-47 £2.70 for 5 or £7.50 for 15 eight to ten weeks to first bloom from bare upright stems above BONGARDIA from potting, it can be quicker if glossy green daffodil-like foliage. chrysogonum White Lady (3) Particularly happy in damp, even warm. White and multi-headed A rare bulb with coppery yellow Another form raised by Rev. winter-flooded situations, but with a huge perfume. Plant them flowers and attractive grey-green Engleheart pre 1897 and another they will do anywhere where the shallowly in the compost and in leaves marked with red, best suited to made famous as a major cut flower soil is heavier and more moisture good light so they don’t get too somewhere sun-baked and dry in the variety pre WW2, now sadly rather retentive. Daffodil-like bulbs, tall. Not reliably hardy outside. Big summer. As well as being fully hardy more rare. Taller stemmed with soft, planted 5” (12cm) deep and 6” bulbs. they are also hugely drought resistant more tissue-like white petals around Dec/Jan 15” (38cm) (15cm) apart. and love a hot dry soil. Very special a small yellow cup, sweetly scented. 113-52 £8.50 for 5 or £10.50 for 7 April 18” (45cm) members of the Berberis family with April 18” (45cm) 106-07 £3.60 for 3 or £7.60 for 7 113-65 £5.50 for 3 pretty, textured, nut-like tubers. April/May 9” (22cm) 67-04 £4.90 or £13.00 for 3

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 23 Hyacinthoides non scripta Hyacinthoides non scripta alba bracteata Camassia leichtlinii caerulea Maybelle

Camassia leichtlinii caerulea Camassia leichtlinii alba

CAMASSIA leichtlinii caerulea Especially valuable and happy in Very hardy bulbs of North American heavier soils and a feature plant Hyacinthoides non scripta alba Hyacinthoides non scripta rosea origin that love that heavy, often rather for the border in late spring where poorly drained soil that many bulbs find too tough to cope with. If your they make magnificent shows with soil is too heavy and the summers many erect stems of deep lavender HYACINTHOIDES non scripta alba too wet to get repeat flowering from blue flowers, curving skyward from bracteata your Tulips some of these might be thick clumps when established. The family name that covers all the They set no seed, only increasing White flowered with a pair of long a suitable (and more sustainable) varied ‘Bluebells’. alternative, albeit with a narrower as the bulbs split up. Longer lasting whiskery bracts alongside each

APR 21 colour palette? Suitable for borders flowers result from planting in some flower node. A quirky oddity. non scripta or in grassland where one could shade and they love clay soils that April/May 12” (30cm) achieve a full six weeks of interest The English Bluebell. Violet-blue 125-26 £9.00 for 3 hold the moisture. Ideal partners nodding bells which glisten in damp using a few different varieties. might be Polygonatum x hybridum, shady glades. Always in demand non scripta rosea Maianthemum racemosum or Tellima and providing that perfect moment leichtlinii alba grandiflora. We supply big bulbs that A pale pink clone that is distinctly in April when the woods turn violet. Ivory-cream in flower, standing out should be planted with 5” of soil over pink on first opening but fades to them, 9” (22cm) apart. MAY 21 Self-seeding, so increasing steadily brilliantly against any dark backdrop near white, we have built these up once established. Plant 4” (10cm) and a good contrast plant for April/May 32” (80cm) from a few bulbs over the years. deep and 4” (10cm) apart, working the Alliums in May. They spread 70-06 £9.00 for 5 or £16.00 for 10 on up to 15 per sq. ft. April/May 12” (30cm) 125-34 £6.50 for 3 their seed around freely, and in April/May 12” (30cm) time sow themselves through the leichtlinii caerulea 125-10 £5.00 for 10 or £11.50 for 25 herbaceous border in good cottage Maybelle garden style. They do not naturally These flower two or three weeks non scripta alba make as big a bulb as the blue C.

JUN 21 later than L. caerulea, are much Wild populations of English caerulea and often flower from quite shorter and more compact and the Bluebells are nearly all violet-blue, small bulbs, ideally planted about flower colour more blue, less purple. but rarely white flowered plants 9” (22cm) apart. These generally Late May can be a time when one occur and it is from those that these flower about 10-14 days later than is noticeably short of colour in the derive. They will stand out in a sea the ‘standard’ blue form of C. garden so these really fill a gap and of blue. These will always stay white ‘caerulea’. extend the Camassia display, and and will increase below ground, May/June 36” (90cm) being somewhat shorter may suit though their seedlings may be blue. 70-07 £5.00 for 3 or £14.00 for 9 more exposed sites? April/May 12” (30cm) May 24” (60cm) 125-12 £9.00 for 3 70-16 £9.00 for 5 or £16.00 for 10

24 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Camassia leichtlinii Sacajawea Fritillaria acmopetala

Camassia Blue Heaven

Blue Heaven Paler blue than all the other Camassia that we sell and of shorter stature. This is the result of a crossing of C. cusickii and C. leichtlinii, and a considerable Camassia leichtlinii semi-plena Camassia quamash Fritillaria elwesii improvement on the pale blue C. cusickii which I think gives the other Camassia a bad name (they do not flower well after the first year but leichtlinii Sacajawea quamash (esculenta) acmopetala being widely and cheaply sold are Carrying cream coloured flowers The shortest of all the Camassia, A native of the Eastern often people’s first disappointing these are a variegated form with suitable for naturalizing in rough, Mediterranean with one or more introduction to the family). This a bold cream coloured edge to very late mown grass, or to dot in hanging jade green bell-shaped hybrid form is considerably better at the leaf, this nicely accentuates groups informally in the borders. flowers, reflexed at the opening, repeat flowering. what is (in Camassia generally) not Much smaller bulbed than all the with chocolate brown markings. April/May 24” (60cm) very interesting foliage. The name forms above, these give rise to Grow them in a little shade in fairly 70-17 £9.00 for 3 honours a native American Indian rich, dark purple-blue flowers with well-drained conditions, out of the woman who saved the starving startling yellow stamens. A true strongest wind. APR 21 leichtlinii Avon’s explorers on the Lewis and Clark meadow plant. The bulbs are often April/May 12” (30cm) Stellar hybrids expedition of 1805 as they crossed pitted and marked when dormant, 85-04 £6.00 for 3 or £9.20 for 5 America east to west (and back though this seems to make no A seed raised form, these are the again) for the first time, feeding difference to their growth, plant elwesii result of hybridisation and selection them the native ‘quamash’ bulbs. them 3-4” (10cm) apart. Dark stemmed with narrow, more work done here. The plants Again 10-14 days later into flower May/June 12” (30cm) tubular, slate and green flowers exhibit widely varying colours, MAY 21 than C. caerulea. 70-05 £3.00 for 10 or £7.00 for 25 covered in a fine bloom held atop a combinations of purple blue, May/June 36” (90cm) fine stem. They hail from southern mauve, greyish, purplish, green and 70-15 £9.00 for 5 Turkey and will happily survive our pale pink. We cannot guarantee FRITILLARIA cold winters, but would do better for what you might receive, it is ‘pot leichtlinii semi-plena The plants listed below are a dry summer rest, so that calls for luck’ but many are individually eye- A tall tower of full petalled, almost illustrative of the amazing diversity better drained soils. catching and from the seed that fluffy looking, cream coloured of the family, from small bulbs of April 15” (35cm) they in turn produce, who knows moist riverine meadows to giants flowers. A sterile form of the cream 85-07 £8.00 for 3 JUN 21 what you might raise yourself! The of near desert like locations. Sadly flowered plant that is the species: bulbs also vary somewhat in size. few of the many species of Fritillaria C. leichtlinii alba. But the benefit of None for sale this year, drought are well suited to ‘ordinary’ garden sterility for gardeners is a longer affected and the stock needs to conditions in Britain but, particularly flowering season. Better where they Increase. if you can invest some effort into receive more sun than shade and May 36” (90cm) - colours will vary their planting and exercise judgment 70-11 better still where the soils are damp in where to plant them, the following all through spring and early summer. are to be recommended. Our June 36” (90cm) website does provide more detail on Flowering time Flowering height 70-08 £8.00 for 3 all of them. Item Code Price

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 25 Fritillaria imperialis William Rex Fritillaria imperialis lutea

Fritillaria meleagris

Fritillaria imperialis Rascal Chopin

imperialis imperialis lutea Bright yellow flowered on a pale MAR 21 William Rex Deeply coloured orange-red flowers green stem, no more difficult to which surround a strong dark stem. grow than the red flowered form. A selected and named form of Both grow very rapidly in the early the Crown Imperial Lily. A top knot spring and needing to quickly of green leaves above the flower replenish that effort, we suggest makes them look quite exotic. For that they benefit from liquid feeding rich sunny soils, well-watered in whilst in growth to encourage APR 21 spring but well drained in summer, flowering in subsequent years. sheltered from wind and planted April 36” (90cm) 85-21 £9.00 or £25.00 for 3 6-8” (15-20cm) deep. April 30” (75cm) Fritillaria michailovskyi Fritillaria pallidiflora 85-20 £9.00 or £25.00 for 3 meleagris The ever popular Snakeshead imperialis Rascal Fritillary. Serpent like with darkly Chopin chequered nodding bells, a michailovskyi pallidiflora smattering of which may be paler or A striking small plant with a yellow Pale straw green bells, speckled The Rascal series is the result of even white. In Elizabethan times it band around the rim of the chunky, within the bell with darker flecking. years of interbreeding F. imperialis was widespread – typically in damp, reddish brown, bell shaped flower. Usually the broad leaves and and F. raddeana to produce grassy, late-cut meadows and in These need a well drained soil to relatively large flowers act as a sail bulbs that flower younger, aiming moist alluvial soils. So, with that persist in the ground, otherwise and the stems become more S (eventually) to bringing the cost in mind, aim for these conditions growing them in a pot in the shaped. This actually helps to see down, but they are still relatively to have them increasing and self- protection of something such as inside the flower! None too difficult new! I like their daintier stature, seeding yourself. They are best a bulb frame to keep them drier, and charming in a raised bed or in their less regimental stance and ordered early to allow for timely particularly in summer, is advisable. well drained soils. the earlier flowering which ought planting. Plant 4” (10cm) deep in March / April 8” (20cm) April 12” (30cm) to allow more time for them to ‘put drifts, 4” (10cm) apart (10-15 per 85-31 £3.20 for 3 85- 36 £5.00 on weight’ before going dormant sq ft.) again, something the later flowering March/April 12” (30cm) ones struggle with In some years. 85-27 £6.00 for 15 or £17.00 for 50 March/April 30” (75cm) 85-23 £8.50 or £23.00 for 3

26 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Fritillaria persica Fritillaria pontica Corydalis flexuosa China Blue Corydalis flexuosa Blue Dragon MAR 21 GAP Images Fritillaria persica alba Fritillaria raddeana Corydalis flexuosa Blue Panda APR 21 persica pontica CORYDALIS flexuosa We grew these with ease and to Bell shaped flowers (hardly showing A family with snapdragon like flowers Blue Dragon great proportions 30 years ago on any of the flared lip that you see of which we sell pot grown ‘flexuosa’ Bronze purple foliage, its colour the limestone brash at Bradford on in F. acmopetala) with green and forms. These do not derive from a heightened when planted in some Avon. That indicated their surprising brown markings. Shorter too and true bulb so are supplied as growing direct sunshine, particularly in the preference for good light, and good more suited to a bit more shade, plants in small pots ready to plant early spring, with deep purple-blue MAY 21 drainage. Our heavier soils here seeding freely where happy. out. These need ‘encouragement’ flowers. Sold by the potful. seem to suit them less well, but they April/May 9” (25cm) to grow away from the compost in Spring/Summer 6” (15cm) are impressive all the same with 85-39 £6.00 for 3 which they are currently established, 76-12 £3.50 towers of bell shaped flowers like tease out the roots a bit, break up grapes with a similar bloom. raddeana the pot shape root ball and firm flexuosa April/May 24-30” (60-75cm) Closely related to the Crown them in to your soil so that they root Blue Panda 85-37 £8.00 or £22.00 for 3 Imperials above but rather shorter across that boundary. The foliage shows red markings on and less formal arrangement of the mainly deep green leaves with persica alba flowers in yellowish green. They flexuosa China Blue reddish stems and deep purple- A form in which the dusky black root early in the autumn and then Exhibiting beautiful pink-fringed blue flowers. Sold by the potful. flowers have lost their pigmentation emerge equally early and race up to juvenile foliage when planted in Spring/Summer 6” (15cm) and instead are a fresh matt green. flower quickly. They will need a bit some sunshine and startling pale 76-24 £3.50 Huge bulbs. of shelter from the wind and good blue flowers, this still remains a ‘buy April/May 24-30” (60-75cm) light, though are very cold tolerant. on sight’ plant. Sold by the potful. 85-43 £15.00 each Mar/April 18” (45cm) Spring/Summer 6” (15cm) 85-41 £12.00 76-22 £3.50

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 27 Convallaria majalis Bordeaux Convallaria majalis Hardwick Hall Convallaria majalis Fernwood’s Golden Slippers

Convallaria majalis Fortins Giant Convallaria majalis Hofheim

CONVALLARIA majalis Fortins majalis Hofheim A creamy yellow edge to the Lilies of the Valley. Spring flowering Giant otherwise plain green leaf marks plants of woodland origins with Larger flowered and taller than the stringy rhizomes under the soil. ‘common’ white Lily of the Valley these out, these marginal highlights They like humus rich soil and part but equally scented. For sun or are considered rather stronger in shade but everyone’s experience shade but in the former they need a this form than it is in C. Hardwick of growing these is different and more moisture retentive soil. Good, Hall, the flower is creamy white and scented. (as is reported to us) they will grow strong, fresh-dug rhizomes (stringy Convallaria majalis rosea in the most unlikely places. But the roots) to plant horizontally about 2” 75-12 £9.00 for 3 critical commonality is that they do deep (5 cm) and twice that apart. MAY 21 need patience to begin with and 75-05 £4.50 for 5 majalis Fernwood’s majalis rosea tales of them taking 2 or 3 years to Golden Slippers settle abound. They are all about 6” Like small and very exclusive pink (15cm) tall when in flower in May. majalis Hardwick A startlingly golden leaved form, pearls, a vigorous form which we Hall particularly in the early spring know to be tough and productive Wide leaved with a creamy coloured before the flowers appear. They with lovely pale pink fragrant majalis Bordeaux margin to the leaf, providing a appear perfectly stable as there has flowers. Best in dappled light or part been no reversion to green. There Bigger flowered than the ordinary feature of interest even before they shade, direct bright sunshine tends flower. The flowers are large, white is an ongoing argument regarding to burn out the pink. As with any forms with what are supposed to the name, should it be Verwood, be darker leaves - but grown here and scented. Convallaria you’ll need a degree of 75-09 £9.00 for 3 Fernwood or what? We obtained the in different conditions that Is hard to patience before they thicken up. initial stock from the late Stephen 75-07 £9.00 for 5 verify. It has bulked up well from the Taffler (inveterate variegated plant small patch we started with. addict) who used to live nearby. 75-13 £9.00 for 3 75-11 £9.00 for 3

28 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Tulipa bakeri Lilac Wonder Tulipa batalinii Honky Tonk Tulipa clusiana Cynthia

Tulipa batalinii Bronze Charm Tulipa batalinii Salmon Gem Tulipa clusiana Peppermintstick

TULIPA bakeri Lilac batalinii Salmon clusiana Cynthia SPECIES TULIPS Wonder Gem These are growing and flourishing in Silvery pink with a yellow bull’s eye Pinkish red within the flower with a some rough grass here somewhat The species types tend to have in the centre of each flower, most contrasting paler, dusty pink reverse to my surprise, but given good light small bulbs, typically about the size of which are multi headed and held to the petal. Grey- green leaved. A and a drier summer rest they have APR 21 of an almond. They are particularly above broad, deep green, glossy relatively new hybrid for well drained performed well. This form is yellow grown for their bright bold colours in leaves. A dependable sun loving conditions in good light. behind the pink flush. late April and early May and due to plant closely related to T. saxatalis. Mid-Late April 10” (25cm) April 10” (25cm) the fact that in the right conditions 131-146 £5.00 for 5 or £13.50 for 15 131-167 £3.00 for 5 or £8.50 for 15 persist from year to year and even Mid-Late April 6” (15cm) 131-53 £4.30 for 10 or £9.70 for 25 increase better than do the bigger hybrid forms. In villages nearby there batalinii Honky clusiana are various forms that I see growing batalinii Bronze Tonk Peppermintstick and spreading. They are sun lovers Charm Pale yellow flowered above grey- The furled petals look like a little and don’t want it too wet, particularly Apricot yellow with increased green foliage. The Tulipa batalinii stick of edible rock which, when in the summer when the bulbs are bronzing on the petals in sunnier group are closely related to the red open, are ivory white inside with a resting. They are attractive to mice conditions. Grey-green leaved. A flowered T. linifolia types, and may violet eye, the backs of the petals and squirrels looking for the high really endearing small tulip with be botanically indistinguishable. are blushed cerise pink. The whole levels of the carbohydrates that Mid-Late April 10” (25cm) effect is lovely but remember that all they contain in the autumn, if that poise and character. Gravelly soils 131-03 £5.90 for 10 or £13.30 for 25 the clusiana forms have reasonably might be a problem there is mention or planted into a well-drained large flowers on quite slender stems (under the Crocus heading) of a rockery would be perfect. way of keeping them protected and Mid-Late April 10” (25cm) so plant them in sunny conditions the same applies here. They should 131-08 £5.00 for 5 or £13.50 for 15 where it is not too windy. be planted quite close together. April 10” (25cm) The quantity in the first pack size 131-02 £6.50 for 10 or £14.60 for 25 for each item would be suitable for a 5-6” (12cm) pot or an equivalent area of garden. Flowering time Flowering height Item Code Price

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 29 Tulipa humilis Lilliput Tulipa Little Beauty Tulipa Little Princess

Tulipa praestans Shogun

Tulipa humilis Persian Pearl Tulipa linifolia MAR 21

humilis Lilliput linifolia Little Princess Almost flowering at ground level A crimson- red flowered, low Of complex parentage but similar and in flower thereafter for ages as growing small tulip with red margins to the humilis forms above these the stem length increases slightly. to the wavy edged leaves suitable exhibit fiery coppery-orange A glossy, deep crimson red with a for any sunny well drained garden coloured flowers, goblet shaped

APR 21 dark centre. site. before opening fully in the sun, the March /April 4” (10cm) Mid-Late April 6” (15cm) flowers are on short stems so are 131-15 £5.90 for 10 or £13.30 for 25 131-26 £2.20 for 10 or £5.50 for 25 pretty resilient, a really cracking good dwarf tulip for a sunny spot. humilis Persian Little Beauty Mid-Late April 5” (12cm) Pearl Growing wild in much the same 131-05 £5.90 for 10 or £13.30 for 25 The species T. humilis of which area as T humilis these have

MAY 21 this is a selected form comes from shockingly bright crimson-pink praestans Shogun Tulipa sprengeri Turkey and eastwards, all the family flowers which open wide in the sun Not as dwarf as most of the other has low leaves nearly flat to the to reveal white and blue centres bulbs in this section but earlier to ground and colourful flowers. They which is slightly startling . For a flower than any of the hybrid forms need full sunlight to stay compact. sunny well drained site again. that follow. A remarkable colour for sprengeri Deep magenta rose coloured Mid-Late April 5” (12cm) a tulip, multiheaded in a clear pale Wonderful in early summer if you 131-27 £4.30 for 10 or £9.70 for 25 flowers with silvery backed petals Marigold orange. can get shafts of light to pick out April 4” (10cm) March/April 14” (35cm) the rich gold, verdigris and crimson 131-12 £5.90 for 10 or £13.30 for 25 131-07 £4.30 for 10 or £9.70 for 25 colours. They will naturalise in many situations, either in shade or sun, but resent disturbance as young plants. They are an enigmatic and Sign up to our monthly newsletter to get News, Views, emblematic tulip, but we are always short of them so do order early. Special Offers, Advice and Alerts to sales and more. If April/May 12” (30cm) you want to you can Unsubscribe yourself at any time. 131-35 £6.00 each

30 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 GAP Images Tulipa sylvestris Tulipa turkestanica Tulipa Exotic Emperor MAR 21

Tulipa tarda Tulipa whittallii Tulipa Flaming Purissima

sylvestris turkestanica FOSTERIANA Flaming Purissima APR 21 Easy to grow, and possibly the only Ivory and cream coloured within the Creamy white when they first one that will persist in some shade, flower with dark anthers contrasting TULIPS open with just a hint of pink at the but naturally a bit shy to flower. We with the petals, greenish tinged (Group 13) Earlier flowering than the edges of the petals. This becomes have some that have increased on their backs. It is widespread in main Tulip display, large flowered increasingly dominant as the flower happily under an Amelanchier for 10 its natural range from SE Europe on sturdy stems and available in matures, feathering gracefully in years or so, flowering intermittently through to Iran and Russia. Growing lovely pastel colours. They need from the edge of the petals which as seems to be their nature, I am away early and quite tall they need planting about 5” (12cm) apart and are mostly red with dark anthers not sure why they do not flower bright conditions out of too much are equally suitable for containers or when they fully develop. more profusely. The flowers are wind. borders. Mar/April 14” (35cm) sulphur yellow and fragrant. April 9” (20cm) 131-71 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25, or £26.50 for 50 April 12” (30cm) 131-134 £2.70 for 10 or £6.00 for 25 Exotic Emperor 131-37 £6.80 for 10 or £15.80 for 25 Double petalled in white and when whittallii about to flower somewhat rose- tarda Named after Edward Whittall, a like with the white buds clasped A perennial performer with larger, plant collector extraordinaire who by intriguing green bracts. Where very rounded bulbs which produce collected many such treasures of we have seen it in gardens it has multiple flowers from each bulb, all around Izmir in Turkey where there persisted for years on thin stony crammed together, honey scented is still a famous garden named after soil. in a deep golden yellow, edged him. These are a gorgeous bronzy April 18” (45cm) in white. Pretty bulbs to plant in a orange with a dark centre and 131-100 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 sunny site. Easy and persisting. would love sunny conditions in a or £30.00 for 50 Mid-Late April 5” (12cm) raised bed or rockery. Flowering time Flowering height 131-38 £2.70 for 10 or £6.00 for 25 April 12” (30 cm) Item Code Price 131-42 £5.00 for 5 or £13.50 for 15

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 31 Tulipa Orange Emperor Tulipa Annie Schilder Tulipa Brown Sugar MAR 21

Tulipa Purissima Tulipa Barcelona Tulipa Calgary Orange Emperor MID SEASON Annie Schilder Brown Sugar One of my favourites with quite Warm rose orange when in bud Difficult to pin down in colour terms, long flowers in pale orange with TULIPS then the flower opens and pales to bronzed apricot or coppery pink APR 21 pretty green shading at the base. These Triumph (Group 3) and a lighter shade with some yellow perhaps with some purple on the Good for bold contrast and a Darwin (Group 4) tulips all have at the petal edges. Broadly bowl reverse, tall and strong stemmed great combination planted with roughly the same flowering season - shaped with a lovely perfume that with a beautiful perfume. Purissima below for an early we used to say mid to late April and seems to come with many of the April 18” (45cm) flowering twosome. Picture taken early May, but in our fickle climate orange tulips. Dating back to the 131-142 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 at Great Dixter. this is just a guide, some years 1920s this is one that has been or £30.00 for 50 With Pieter de Leur, Queen of Night Mar/April 16” (40cm) they are early and the frequency around a while. or Firework 131-72 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25, of that happening seems to only April 18” (45cm) or £26.50 for 50 increase. These would be planted 131-135 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25, about 5” (12cm) apart and are very or £24.00 for 50 Calgary Purissima well suited to the open garden With Ballerina, Paul Scherer and in borders, or containers. Some Havran Very short and compact with waxy Opening a pale primrose yellow, suggested tulip combinations that white flowers that are brilliant in about which we receive a number look good together for this purpose exposed conditions, shrugging off of phone calls wondering whether are offered under each entry. Barcelona any wind and rain, lasting brilliantly. a packing mistake has occurred, Outstanding at Keukenhof when We use them at the edges of they turn through creamy shades I visited with strong stems and a exhibits and you could use them to pure white and then in late very vibrant pink flower. It made the in the same way in the garden or March sunshine they open wide shortlist straight away. containers. to reveal dramatic mascara black April 18” (45cm) April 9” (22cm) anthers. Strong stemmed over 131-159 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 131-48 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 bright green leaves, or £30.00 for 50 or £30.00 for 50 With Ballerina , Merlot or With Prinses Irene, Orange Mar/April 18” (45cm) Suggested planting 131-16 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25, Honeymoon Princess, Flaming Flag or purple companions or £24.00 for 50 hyacinths

32 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 GAP Images Tulipa Calgary Flames Tulipa Flaming Flag Tulipa Havran

Tulipa Couleur Cardinal Tulipa Grand Perfection Tulipa Hemisphere Calgary Flames Flaming Flag Havran Hemisphere A variant on the Calgary model with White with broad raspberry flames Darker than plum in some lights, These change colour as the a prominent yellow flush to the outer from the base. The white with a with a grape like bloom dusting the flowers mature so the effect is one petals, we find them invaluable at crimson mix is like an expensive petals, these are not quite as dark of gradual evolution, each flower flower shows as with such short ice cream, absolutely perfect in as Queen of Night but are a slightly developing its freckling and faint APR 21 stems they do not flop over during combination with the pink and white more pointed shape and would stripes at a slightly different rate. the show, so at the front of borders apple blossom that is out at the open earlier, so these could start The whole result is a range of or close to the edge in big pots same time. A few of these tulips go off your dark theme. Quite often warm colours from white through these too could lift your display? a long way. they have more than one flower to to raspberry. Most tulips are pretty April 9” (22cm) April 18” (45cm) a stem. uniform, these are less so, which I 131-136 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 131-168 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25, April 18” (45cm) like. They do look better en masse. or £30.00 for 50 or £24.00 for 50 131-57 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 April 18” (45cm) With Prinses Irene, Orange With Paul Scherer, Hemisphere or or £26.50 for 50 131-137 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 Princess or Calgary Queen of Night With Flaming Flag, City of or £30.00 for 50 Vancouver or Jan Reus With Flaming Flag, Flyaway or Couleur Cardinal Grand Perfection Havran Intensely crimson red with darker Exhibiting broad flashes of red over more plum coloured marking on the what is, when they first open, quite outer petals, famously scented and a yellow background, but this soon long lasting, first named in 1845. turns white for a stronger raspberry April 16” (40cm) and vanilla contrast. Reminiscent of 131-126 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 the tulips illustrated in the paintings or £26.50 for 50 by the Dutch Masters at the height With Paul Scherer, City of of the Tulip mania. Vancouver or Cummins. April 18” (45cm) 131-123 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25, or £24.00 for 50 With Hemisphere, Couleur Cardinal or Sanne See our range of Tulip Collections on page 61

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 33 Tulipa Jan Reus Tulipa Negrita Tulipa Prinses Irene

Tulipa Mistress Tulipa Paul Scherer Tulipa Sanne

Jan Reus Negrita Prinses Irene Sanne Deep purple-red when first open One might imagine Negrita to be An earthy mix of oranges, Pale apricot when they first open APR 21 they fade to a ruby red with petals darker than the name suggests? marmalade and purple, but unlikely with a pinkish tinge added to the that shimmer in the sun atop a dark This is a lovely purple tulip with as it seems they work brilliantly mix as they mature, the tips of the strong stem that adds to the impact. beetroot veining running through together. This is a great favourite, petals always slightly paler. Soft, They combine with just about the petals, strong stemmed too. with low reddish marked leaves and feminine and subtle with a great everything, especially the acid green April 18” (45cm) on short stem it is less affected by shape. foliage of emerging Euphorbia. 131-149 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25, poor weather and adding in a huge April/May 18” (45cm) April 18” (45cm) or £24.00 for 50 scent, one can see why it is so 131-122 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25

MAY 21 With Paul Scherer, Honeymoon or 131-62 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 popular. See also ‘Orange Princess’ or £30.00 for 50 La Belle Epoque With Pacific Pearl, Jan Reus or or £26.50 for 50 which is a double form of the same With City of Vancouver, Havran, Paul Scherer tulip, page 39. Negrita or nearly everything else Paul Scherer April 15” (38cm) Strong stemmed, with slightly grey- 131-10 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 Mistress green foliage contrasting with the or £30.00 for 50 A clear strong pink with simple exceptionally dark cup shaped Try it with Calgary or Calgary Flame flowers they remind me of an old flowers. I love the possibilities that for a low duo, or maybe with its double flowered cousin Orange Princess favourite now unobtainable called tulips provide to play with colours Douglas Bader which also showed in a way that no other plants allow. very well. As dark as Queen of Night and April 20” (50cm) probably with a stronger stem these 131-162 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25, are better than dark chocolate. We have a collection or £24.00 for 50 April 18” (45cm) With Honeymoon, Foxtrot or 131-107 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 of Calming Tulips on Angelique or £30.00 for 50 With Honeymoon, Couleur page 61 Cardinal or Sanne

34 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Tulipa Sunny Prince Tulipa Black Parrot Tulipa White Parrot

Tulipa Unique de France Tulipa Rococo Tulipa Angel’s Wish

Sunny Prince PARROT TULIPS Rococo SINGLE LATE Bright butter yellow within the flower, Earlier than most other Parrot tulips (Group 10) Exuberance is the (Group 5) These have simple, APR 21 slightly paler on the backs of the greatest asset of this group, with with short stems, these are deep elegant cup or goblet shaped petals, this is a relatively short, flowers that seem to be overflowing velvety red with the reverse of the flowers and longer stems, flowering sturdy form seemingly filled with with frilled or fluted petals. Dramatic petal marked with green, the petals after the mid season tulips (but happiness. is the best way to describe them tightly crimped as though they had overlapping with them). April 14” (34cm) I feel. Wonderful to use as part of been gripped too tight in the bud, 131-143 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25 a fantastical flower arrangement. very suitable for pots. Angel’s Wish or £24.00 for 50 Big and heavy headed, best in April 12” (30cm) With Lambada, Queen of Night or good light and in some breeze 131-127 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 White with creamy yellow. Simple MAY 21 Prinses Irene which will shake the rain from the or £26.50 for 50 looking with broad petals and multitudinous petals. With Jan Reus, Paul Scherer or a strong stem. A great white, Unique de France White Parrot for vivid contrast rather bigger flowered than City of Amazing petals - shiny and Black Parrot Vancouver. gleaming like a newly painted White Parrot April/May 18” (45cm) The unopen flower buds seem to 131-32 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 pillar box, certainly one of the be clutched in a green fingered grip Large flowered, the whole head or £30.00 for 50 most vibrant coloured tulips but and when it escapes to flower the bursting full of crimped petals, With Pieter de Leur, Sanne or most unique for its foliage, the dark chocolate purple petals seem like clouds of egg white about to Merlot leaves are deep green and very to erupt in a cockscomb of frilled become meringue, the outermost waxy, quite different from any other excess, a dark favourite indeed. ones with a tinge of creamy green. tulip’s foliage. Good for the garden April/May 20” (50cm) April/May 18” (45cm) or containers where they will be 131-17 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 131-64 £10.00 for 10, £22.50 for 25 noticed! or £26.50 for 50 or £41.00 for 50 With Queen of Night, Sanne or April 16” (40cm) With White Triumphator, Angel’s 131-121 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 Wish or Spring Green Backpacker Flowering time Flowering height or £26.50 for 50 Item Code Price Outstanding on its own.

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 35 Tulipa Antoinette Tulipa Queen of Night Tulipa Elegant Lady

Tulipa City of Vancouver Tulipa Ballerina Tulipa Firework

Antoinette Queen of Night Ballerina Firework A chameleon tulip which starts One of the darkest delights, and Soft tangerine coloured flowers, A bright and zingy combination of greenish-yellow then fades to justifiably one of our best sellers. though different lights and differing strong yellow petals with a bright APR 21 creamy-yellow with a hint of pink Though not quite black, only Paul levels of UV light seems to result in red flare up the centre of each petal. and finally turns salmon pink with Scherer comes close. The deepest some variation in the shade from Not particularly tall so perhaps a a touch of orange. With a multi hue shows on bulbs in direct year to year. One of my favourites better choice for windy sites? headed nature this provides lots of sunlight, in more shade they are (and in that I am not alone), I April/May 16” (40cm) flower and continual development deep purple and often taller. particularly love its scent when 131-163 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 and interest. April/May 24” (60cm) warmed in the sun. The tangerine or £30.00 for 50 With Foxtrot, Hemisphere or Sunny April/May 20” (50cm) 131-58 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25 hue also goes perfectly with all the or £24.00 for 50 Prince MAY 21 131-153 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 leafy greens, altogether very eye- With City of Vancouver, or £30.00 for 50 catching with a heady perfume. With Firework, Princess Irene or Honeymoon or Pacific Pearl April/May 20” (50cm) Angelique 131-65 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 or £26.50 for 50 City of Vancouver LILY FLOWERED With Queen of Night, Sanne or Pale creamy yellow and turning TULIPS Firework paler as they age. Simply gorgeous. April/May 20” (50cm) (Group 6) Characterised by their Elegant Lady longer stems and that refined ‘hour 131-156 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 Pale ivory yellow with pale pink glass’ shape to the flower, waisted or £26.50 for 50 edging, refined and elegant. With Queen of Night, Pacific Pearl when in bud and opening up in the sun with pointed tips. They April/May 24” (60cm) or Mistress 131-78 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 Looking for a project? are great in flower borders, and or £26.50 for 50 Why not try the Layered in tall containers which seem to With Mistress, Sunny Prince or exaggerate the stem length. Cummins Lasagna Planter Collection on page 58

36 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Tulipa Fly Away Tulipa Madalyn Tulipa Pieter de Leur

Tulipa Greenstar Tulipa Merlot Tulipa Trés Chic Tulipa White Triumphator

Fly Away Madalyn Pieter de Leur White Much more apparently ‘Lily flowered’ Most impressively coloured with Glistening, vibrant, deep vermilion Triumphator with the typically pointed silhouette, vibrant pink over most of the petal red, almost opalescent as a ruby All white with long clean green APR 21 the band of yellow is narrower and and a base of green, the flowers tiffany lamp, not a tulip for the stems. An iconic and popular tulip, the red rather more pronounced. splay open very dramatically and faint hearted but then these are but not so typically lily flowered in April/May 22” (55cm) widely. It was also being hugely showy tulips doing what they do its shape. They seem always more 131-164 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 admired in Holland. New, and I think best! My father’s favourite with dramatic when provided with a or £26.50 for 50 it will be in heavy demand. his dimming eyes. With Firework, Unique de France stronger background against which April/May 20” (50cm) April/May 18” (45cm) to view them. or Hemisphere 131-166 £10.00 for 10, £22.50 for 25 131-150 £5.90 for 10, £13.30 for 25 April/May 20” (50cm) or £41.00 for 50 or £24.00 for 50 131-46 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 MAY 21 Greenstar With Barcelona, Pieter de Leur or With Spring Green, Angel’s Wish or £30.00 for 50 I saw these at Keukenhof on a Pacific Pearl or White Triumphator Safe as houses, goes with busy day there, it was heaving with everything! people and I had trouble getting Merlot Trés Chic close to take a shot of these tulips Tall and elegantly poised with Creamy white when in bud, without people in the way because flowers that mimic a wine glass in becoming white with faint green everyone else was taking selfies in both shape and content, there is no tips to the pointed petals as they front of them. They were evidently doubt about how the name arose. open properly, sometimes with pink the right background for everyone April/May 28” (65cm) as well. Much shorter in stature else. They are extraordinary, very 131-130 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 which in exposed gardens or some or £30.00 for 50 angular, vase shaped and strongly planters may be an advantage, a With Barcelona, Havran or Pieter green marked. tulip that lives up to its name. de Leur April/May 20” (50cm) April/May 12” (30cm) 131-165 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 131-66 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 or £30.00 for 50 or £30.00 for 50 Flowering time Flowering height With City of Vancouver, Flyaway or With Unique de France, Mistress Item Code Price White Parrot or Negrita

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 37 Tulipa Cummins Tulipa Lambada Tulipa Artist

Tulipa Honeymoon Tulipa Pacific Pearl Tulipa Spring Green

FRINGED TULIPS Honeymoon Pacific Pearl Artist Creamy white, sometimes with Gorgeous against the light when Shorter in stature, one of the early (Group 7) First popular in the florist shops these are fringed by frills a tinge of green and edged in the richness of the colour shows at forms of viridiflora with salmon and along the edges of the petals, they a sparkling white frosted fringe. its best, and the frilly edge means green coloured petals. APR 21 are not just frivolous though, they A cracking tulip that looks as that you can mix them with any of April/May 12” (30cm) provide a contemporary twist. though it has just been drawn the other unfringed ones and find 131-155 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 from the ice bucket. that they complement each other or £30.00 for 50 With Lambada, Greenstar or April/May 15” (38cm) hugely. Cummins Mistress 131-95 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 April/May 18” (45cm) Dove grey in some lights, a pale or £30.00 for 50 131-152 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 lilac purple in others, with a deep With Mistress (which might seem a or £26.50 for 50 Spring Green white frosting around the edges of bit unconventional?), or anything else! With Lambada, Honeymoon or City

MAY 21 Pale apple-white petals marked the petals. of Vancouver with wispy green brush strokes on April/May 15” (38cm) Lambada the back of each petal. Often less 131-88 £10.00 for 10, £22.50 for 25 or £41.00 for 50 A fringed apricot - rose coloured VIRIDIFLORA ‘regular’ in height and flower shape With Havran, Negrita or Queen of tulip with perhaps a hint of compared to many other tulips but the Night orange as well. A bit shorter with TULIPS ideal for separating strong colours a smaller head. in the border or for flower arranging. (Group 8) Multi-coloured tulips with April/May 18” (45cm) One of the all-time favourites. 131-151 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 vertical colour banding, most often in green. Some of these exhibit April/May 18” (45cm) or £26.50 for 50 131-51 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 With Sunny Prince, Artist or complicated colour patterning, or £26.50 for 50 Brownie like an artist’s mixing palette. In With everything, and they all look the borders they provide great better for it! opportunities to create subtle combinations.

38 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Tulipa Angelique Tulipa Brownie Tulipa La Belle Epoque

Tulipa Backpacker Tulipa Foxtrot Tulipa Orange Princess

DOUBLE Backpacker Foxtrot Orange Princess I have been looking for a better An early flowering double in old rose I was tempted to list this alongside PETALLED TULIPS tulip than Blue Diamond, the colour pink which deepens in colour as the Prinses Irene, it is after all a double (Group 11) Also known as the Paeony of which is fantastic, but the stem flowers age. Tidy and neat and much form of that favourite tulip. But flowered forms. These tend to be late is less strong. These seem to be earlier than the similar Angelique. being a double this is where it fits APR 21 flowering with more spherical buds better and are nearly the same hue, April 12” (30cm) best and if you love the single form and rounded flower shapes, filled with a mauve through to violet purple 131-147 £6.50 for 10, £14.60 for 25 you will recognise the similarity and deep layers of petals. pom pom. or £26.50 for 50 perhaps be tempted to try them? With Sunny Prince, Havran or April/May 18” (45cm) I find the encircling green tipped Orange Princess Angelique 131-157 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 petals rather appealing. or £30.00 for 50 Often multi-headed, the flowers April/May 16” (40cm) With Angelique, La Belle Epoque La Belle Epoque 131-140 £10.00 for 10, £22.50 for 25 filled with ruffled petals in delicate MAY 21 or Unique de France Another colour that is difficult to or £41.00 for 50 shades of pink, genuinely paeony- describe: pinkish or even pale tea- With Firework, Calgary Flames or like from a distance, somewhat Brownie rose coloured, turning more apricot Annie Schilder shorter in stature than most. Late as the flower develops, a more flowering beauties for borders as A coppery coloured double with subtle colour that goes well with well as cut flower. a relatively short stem which April/May 16” (40cm) is advantageous as the heads the pinks and lilacs that are often 131-24 £7.50 for 10, £16.80 for 25 become heavy with any rain and prevalent in tulips. In short supply. or £30.00 for 50 so long stemmed doubles tend to April/May 18” (45cm) With Backpacker or Hemisphere bend a lot. 131-104 £10.00 for 10, £22.50 for 25 April 14” (35cm) or £41.00 for 50 131-169 £10.00 for 10, £22.50 for 25 With Ballerina, Brownie or Sanne or £41.00 for 50 With Foxtrot, Queen of Night or Firework

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 39 Scilla peruviana Polygonatum X hybridum Iris X Apollo

Polygonatum Betberg Polygonatum odoratum flore pleno Polygonatum curvistylum Iris Blue Magic

SCILLA POLYGONATUM X hybridum IRIS X The naturally occurring hybrid Most of the Scillas flower a lot earlier The Solomon’s Seal family. Hardy HOLLANDICA and are listed In their flowering perennials that grow in most situations between P. multiflorum and sequence back on page 13, pretty much without any attention, P. odoratum with gracefully These are hybrid forms of Iris however one member of the family preferring moisture-retentive, heavier arching stems and pendant xiphium that florists use lavishly in stands out as being later flowering soils best of all. They do get quite a jade green and Ivory flowers. the late spring and summer, but the bit taller in shade. Their only downfall Is Increasing slowly but steadily to bulbs are reasonably inexpensive peruviana their appeal to the Gooseberry Sawfly form a thicket. A great screen in and you could easily grow your caterpillar which strips the leaves in damp, moist shade. The stems own? In the garden they are likely to Suffering from an unfortunate June in some gardens. There Is now cut well for flower arrangements last far longer than cut flowers too! confusion when they first arrived These would be planted 4-6” (10- APR 21 an organic nematode spray available when you have plenty. which led to their unlikely name against them. May/June 24-36” (60-90cm) 15cm) apart in sunny conditions and (they are of Mediterranean 37-04 £6.50 for 3 or £12.00 for 7 in lighter soils. origin) the low broad, fleshy, near evergreen leaved plants produce Betberg Named after the German village in Apollo a big architectural flower head On sturdy plants the broad yellow of bright blue flowers, especially the Black Forest near Laufen where It odoratum flore was first found. The stems and leaves falls (the three lower parts of the dramatic in bud. Easy in good soil pleno iris flower looking like a tongue)

MAY 21 a dark chocolate brown when they but they must be in full light and The rarer double flowered form emerge (as long as they get direct the colour of free range egg yolks planted deeply, they do also flower which when in flower requires one sunlight), against these the white contrast with the creamy white, better in the spring following a warm to turn the flowers over to check flowers are a marked contrast. As the even blue tinted, standards (the summer. out the tidy cones within cones. three upright parts). May /June 10” (25cm) season progresses the leaves become May 18” (45cm) May/June 18-24” (45-60cm) 125-11 £4.90 or £14.00 for 3 more olive green. Slow to increase for 37-12 £8.00 for 3 99-04 £3.30 for 7 or £6.50 for 15 us, we are probably too dry for them. April/May 24-30” (50-75cm) JUN 21 37-16 £12.00 Blue Magic A deep violet-blue flower with a curvistylum yellow signal marking (edged in Dark stemmed plants with narrow white) on the lower petals. They purple tinted foliage and mauve increased well at the RHS trials and waisted bell shaped flowers in whorls were awarded an AGM. at each leaf axil. Graceful yet tough in May/June 18-24” (45-60cm) sun or part shade. 99-12 £3.30 for 7 or £6.50 for 15 June 30” (75cm) 37-10 £11.00 for 3

40 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Iris Lion King Iris Red Ember Mathiasella bupleuroides Green Dream Ornithogalum nutans

Iris Professor Blaauw Iris Silvery Beauty Ornithogalum magnum Moskou Ornithogalum pyrenaicum

Lion King Silvery Beauty bupleuroides nutans Deep reddish violet and greeny- Simply fresh and somehow a bit Green Dream Very pretty, soft silvery grey-green brown petals, a combination that ‘lighter’ this is probably my favourite Unfamiliar plants to many which look flowers, bluebell-like in stature and should sound pretty enticing? Dark form with white and pale violet to have some of the characteristics long lasting when picked. They leaved as well providing additional flowers above leaves that display of some other well known garden probably should be grown in light contrast, late flowering. Slightly the silvery sheen implied in the plants - Hellebores, Angelica and shade. If dry or stressed in May smaller bulbed than the other forms. name. Roundly admired at Wisley. maybe even Euphorbia, so one the foliage tends to naturally begin June 18-24” (45-60cm) May/June 18-24” (45-60cm) can see how these have become to yellow at flowering time. Plant 99-13 £3.00 for 7 or £5.80 for 15 99-11 £3.50 for 7 or £7.00 for 15 desirable. Plants from 9cm pots irregularly, about 3” (8 cm) apart, that ought to settle in this winter and 10-15 per square foot. Professor Blaauw flower in 2021. May 9” (22cm) MATHIASELLA 117-09 £3.75 for 15 or £7.00 for 30 The deepest of rich blues with May 24” (60cm) a yellow flash. You should really A Mexican umbellifer which was 69-04 £8.50 expect two flowers per stem, and first described only in 1954. These pyrenaicum will observe the pregnant swelling are architectural plants and seem Tall, slim, waving wands tipped of the buds within the stems before to do well in full sun or part shade ORNITHOGALUM with starry pale green flowers. A they burst open. with green foliage in spring, and in The ‘Star of Bethlehem’ family. naturalised native in the area of May/June 18-24” (45-60cm) autumn pink and purple tints. They Silvery white and green flowered Bath, and hence called the ‘Bath MAY 21 are sterile and consequently last for 99-08 £3.30 for 7 or £6.50 for 15 and generally tough and Asparagus’. Easy to grow in free several months in flower, lime green accommodating, many are perfect draining limey soil, planted 12” when they first open but coloured for naturalising. Red Ember with purple later in the year. (30cm) apart. Rust coloured, though in some June 18” (45cm) lights they also have a deeper magnum Moskou 117-11 £11.00 for 3 tinge of purple on the standards, I have these successfully growing altogether an unusual hue. in some rough (late cut) grass to JUN 21 Recommended at the trial of these follow some Camassias and they bulbs at Wisley are doing well, but they could also May/June 18-24” (45-60cm) add to a border. Tall, white flowered 99-10 £3.30 for 7 or £6.50 for 15 with dozens of flowers circling a stiff stem. June ` 24” (60cm) 117-16 £5.70 for 3 Flowering time Flowering height Item Code Price

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 41 Ornithogalum umbellatum Anthericum x Paradisea Allium Ambassador

Anthericum liliago major Allium angulosum Umbellatum Anthericum x ALLIUM Ambassador A sun lover and excellent in thin Beginning to flower in late May Paradisea Alliums are always welcome to grass from what are unpromising We have tried, and failed, to get gardeners in the early summer these flowers should see one looking bulbs. Clumps of them in much help with this oddity. We as the flowers offer height and through all of June and into July sunny conditions really hug the have grown both Anthericum liliago distinction when most gardens with very tall stems topped by their ground and they are especially major and Paradisea lusitanica for are not quite so colourful. mid purple heads about 6” (15cm) useful for carpeting a sunny bank a long while and they do not really Their exclamation mark shape across. Very big bulbed plants with white in April with their grey- overlap much in their flowering differentiates them from the benefitting from deep planting to green leaves and white flowers. but have some similarities. We plants around them, and those ensure that the stems remain firmly Plant about 4” (10cm) apart, 10 per believe them to have created an companion plants in turn ‘hide’ what upright. Good seed heads follow square foot. inter-generic hybrid as these flower is sometimes distracting foliage, the main flower show. April/May 4” (10cm) which (in most of these Alliums) June/ July up to 50” (130 cm) APR 21 between the two, It is much bigger 117-13 £4.50 for 10 is beginning to yellow at flowering than the Anthericum and earlier 53-60 £6.00 or £15.00 for 3 or £10.00 for 25 time. They are generally plants of and smaller than the Paradisea. sunny and well-drained soils, and angulosum If you like the group - and who can be used either in dramatic eye- ANTHERICUM wouldn’t, they are easy, attractive catching sweeps, or else, in a more (pyrenaicum) liliago major and increasing - maybe you cottagey style, in isolated small Wonderfully easy to grow plants. would like to give a division of this groups to equally good effect. Bright glossy green leaved with lots Pretty white flowered perennials (presumed) hybrid a go, and if an Everyone seems to love Alliums MAY 21 of pale lilac flowers in the height from southern Europe. They grow expert let us have your views? and, knowing that the beneficial of summer when butterflies and from an agapanthus-like crown of May/June 24-36” (60-90cm) insects and bees are struggling hoverflies jostle to feed on them. We thick fleshy roots when dormant in 58-06 £7.50 each nowadays, it is worth a reminder supply small clumps to be planted the autumn, providing for splendid, that Alliums provide a fantastic food 9” (22cm) apart, in the sun where supply for those insects, especially informal looking plants that thrive in it is not too dry. Divide them again the late flowering forms. Our beds moisture retentive soil in good light. when they are thick. of A. angulosum, A.glaucum When settled, each plant will carry July/Aug 12” (30cm)

JUN 21 and A. tuberosum shimmer with ten or more flower stems piercing 53-28 £7.00 for 3 upward each carrying a dozen or activity on sunny summer days. (divisions, not true bulbs) more flowers looking like little flared Try out a number of different forms to see which do best in your trumpets with yellow stamens, circumstances. The results of a trial opening sequentially up the stems. over the past 3 years at Wisley have Border plants for good fertile soils Insect friendly been published in a useful booklet in the sun. Plant 4” deep and called the RHS Grower Guide on 24”(60cm) apart. Plants JUL 21 Ornamental Onions. May 24” (60cm) 58-05 £7.00

42 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Allium cæruleum Allium cernuum White Master Allium Early Emperor Allium Globemaster

Allium cernuum Allium cristophii Allium giganteum Allium senescens ssp. glaucum

cæruleum cernuum White Early Emperor Globemaster Unusual blue flowered drumstick Master The parentage of this hybrid means Probably the best of the large flowers originating from the steppes The white flowered form of the plant that while it is still a big flower at headed Allium hybrids with of Russia and China. They will do above, just as easy but I suspect about 6” (15cm) across it flowers exceptionally long lasting flowers. best in a well-drained sunny spot or that its seed may result in pink and rather earlier than the other large The first array is replaced by rockery where the small bulbs can white flowered plants. headed Alliums and it is not quite another second flush of their deep be planted quite closely, only 1-2” Summer 18” (45cm) so tall. The flowers are rosy lilac with violet-purple flowers. The insects (2.5-5cm) apart. 53-72 £7.50 for 3 contrasting silvery white stamens still love to feed on them, although June 18” (45cm) providing a halo like sheen. despite their attentions you’ll not be 53-14 £4.90 for 15 cristophii May 30” (75cm) left with a remnant seed head as 53-68 £10.00 for 3 they are sterile. Tidier leaved than If you only ever buy two or three most, even at flowering time. Plant cernuum Alliums, this must be one of them. them about 12” (45cm) apart in well Dainty chandeliers formed of Sculptural flower heads, initially giganteum dozens of small claret pink Densely filled heads in pale purple drained soils in good light. Great

greenish purple, are gradually MAY 21 planted with Astrantia ‘Roma’. flowers hanging off the nodding transformed as they are pollenated the size of a grapefruit top each stem so the bees have to hang tall bare stem. A central Asian May/June 40” (100cm) into metallic silvery-violet coloured 53-46 £5.00 each or £13.70 for 3 upside down to get at the flowers, spheres about 8” (20cm) across, all species requiring well-drained sometimes several heads form in borne on quite stocky stems. The soils and a sunny site, by the time a succession. Easy to grow and round melon sized heads naturally that they flower the leaves have senescens ssp. seeding themselves in lighter soils complement the purples of rampant mostly withered away. Its name is glaucum in the sun. Delivered as fresh dug geraniums or the spikier silvery a reference to its impressive height Low growing, quite tussocky flowering size plants rather than blues of Lavender. Buff coloured rather than to an enormous flower. plants with narrow twisted blue- JUN 21 bulbs. seed heads follow. Plant them A seedhead looking like a grass green foliage. The lilac pompoms Summer 18” (45cm) 8+” (20cm) apart in sunny well thatched hut remains at the end. which are carried in profusion are 53-04 £7.50 for 5 drained soils in borders or even Late June/July 48” (120cm) adored by the Insects. They need 53-20 £14.00 for 3 rough grass, they will also grow in a open sunny conditions. These degree of shade, but will be taller. from division. June 10-24” (25-60cm) Summer 12” (30cm)

53-11 £2.70 for 3, £8.20 for 10 53-30 £4.00 for 3 JUL 21 or £14.60 for 20

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 43 Allium hollandicum Allium karataviense Ivory Queen Allium Mount Everest

Allium hollandicum Purple Sensation

hollandicum hollandicum Best for bigger gardens, or Purple Sensation wherever you might want a more An intensely deep purple coloured subtle and textured display. These strain, with heads the size of small provide that irregularity in colour, oranges. Another of that select height, size and maturity which group of those ‘must have’ Alliums. adds subtlety and charm to any They provide purple polka dots planting, especially one on a bigger to your planting scheme, adding scale. Deep lilac to pale purple colour, texture and geometric Allium hyalinum flowers about the size of an orange. silhouettes to your borders. Derived Easy in any free draining soil in the from a clone these should all be the sun, planted about 6” (15cm) apart. same hue. The RHS trial report said May/ June 24-36” (60-90cm). MAY 21 of them: “an excellent performance karataviense Mount Everest 53-08 £3.80 for 5, £7.00 for 10 or £13.00 for 20 and is reliably perennial”. Ivory Queen Probably the best tall white flowered May/ June 35” (90cm) A selected form of A. karataviense. Allium. Grapefruit sized heads 53-09 £4.20 for 5, £7.80 for 10 top a tall glossy green stem. The or £14.30 for 20 These are similarly very broad leaved and grow close to the leaves persist, so are not too hyalinum ground with a pale margin around obtrusive at flowering time. Lovely the leaf and an apple-white flower. when combined with other strong A species from California where it JUN 21 Their best use is in full sun on a coloured flowers such as Gladiolus grows on shady canyon slopes in raised bed or rockery where the byzantinus, and ideally planted the Sierra Nevada around 1200m. foliage provides a very metallic against a dark backdrop, though Star shaped flowers in pale pink looking and modern effect long some planted in the dappled with needle like grey leaves, but before (and after) the flowers. shade of a Laburnum are great. We very floriferous. They need good May/June 10” (25cm) suggest that they are planted about Insect friendly drainage and drier summer rest. 53-23 £4.50 for 3 or £12.60 for 9 12” (30cm) apart. Plants Naturally small bulbs (about pea May/June 36” (90cm) sized) setting lots of seed. 53-43 £10.50 for 3 or £16.50 for 5 May 12” (30cm) 53-70 £6.00 for 10

44 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Allium Powder Puff Allium Pinball Wizard

Allium nigrum Pink Jewel Allium obliquum Allium nigrum

nigrum obliquum Pinball Wizard Powder Puff (multibulbosum) These are Siberian in origin so are Fully 6” (15 cm) across, these A broad leaved allium with violet Greeny-black ovaries in the centre incredibly tough despite being in heads are not as densely packed purple flowers about the size of a of each floret provide the reason for leaf all winter. They never really with flowers as those of A. tennis ball held on much shorter the name, though the suggestion of seem to be fully dormant. Their Globemaster, so the effect is rather stems than would normally be blackness somehow does not sit so flowers are the size of large hens’ more ‘fluffy’ but they are slightly expected for an Allium with this size well on what is otherwise a creamy eggs in June when they eventually taller with thick weather resisting of head. It is a hybrid between A. straighten from their crook like stems. The flowers are a mid purple nevskianum and A. sarawschanicum, white flower! The flower head shape MAY 21 is less rounded and more flattened stature to stand erect, greenish- and a bit earlier flowering than both from Central Asia. Great for and they are easily grown in yellow in colour and increasingly most, at their best in mid May windy sites. The RHS trial reported on sunny well-drained soils with a dry ‘fluffy’. They set lots of seed as well May 40” (100 cm) them that they “bulked up well, one of 53-61 £4.50 or £12.00 for 3 summer rest. as forming clumps in time. the best in the trial, great for patios or June 24” (60cm) June 24” (60cm) the front of the border”. 53-24 £4.20 for 5 or £8.00 for 10 53-26 £9.50 for 3 May/June 15” (35cm) 53-66 £5.00 for 5 nigrum JUN 21 Pink Jewel A pale pink form of the plant above, See the stunning one which was much admired in the earlier Allium trials at RHS Wisley in 2014. Large domed pale pink Allium Collection heads with dark centres. May/June 36” (90cm) on page 58 53-65 £4.00 each

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 45 Allium schubertii Allium stipitatum Violet Beauty Allium sphærocephalon

Allium Purple Rain

Purple Rain siculum A product of the cross between A. (Nectaroscordum) Purple Sensation (from which it gains (Now officially in the Allium family) its height and deeper colouration) Tall stemmed (with a pronounced and A. cristophii (which gives it the keel – think of the seam in a pair of open structure) with heads about 6” tights) leading upwards to dozens (15cm) across. With such popular of hanging green and burgundy Allium siculum (Nectaroscordum) and eminent parentage these marked bells pendulously arranged should be superior and indeed they in a loose head. They enjoy more performed superbly well in the Allium shade than most true Alliums trials at Wisley and were judged “the and seed about in conditions that sphærocephalon stipitatum Violet best in the trial”. they like and have strongly garlic Butterflies love these egg shaped Beauty June (later than Purple Sensation) scented foliage when crushed. heads (and at their peak they A dusty violet colour with flowers 34” (85cm) The bees love them. The dry seed are about the same size). They 4” (10cm) in diameter, spherical 53-67 £3.80 for 5, £7.00 for 10 emerge as tight deep green buds or £13.00 for 20 heads look like models of multi- except that the base is flattened. MAY 21 turreted fairy castles. in June, turning purple from their This one also did exceptionally well schubertii Early summer 30” (75cm) tips through July and swaying in in the RHS Allium trial where its 53-32 £3.80 for 5 or £6.90 for 10 the summer breezes on long wiry usefulness as a cut flower (it has Spectacular and eccentric. stems. Woven through a summer a light fragrance) and its increase Emerging early in the late winter border, often as rivers of colour, they over the three years of the trial these are at some risk in extreme visually ‘tie things together’. Easy impressed. winters but when planted in a warm and inexpensive for the effect that May/June 27” (70cm) sunny garden and given a dry

JUN 21 they provide, just do plant enough 53-71 £3.80 for 5 or £7.00 for 10 warm summer rest following their of them for a generous display. We flowering they can be fabulous. Like always supply bigger bulbs than a tumbleweed, the long spokes are are generally available, ensuring what they might roll away on when that the flowering will be better as a dry, the seeds held on the shorter result. Plant them 3” (7cm) apart or extensions. A vegetable explosion 10-15 per square foot. or firework caught mid burst! Summer 24” (60cm)

JUL 21 June 18” (45cm) 53-33 £6.50 for 15, £12.00 for 30 53-31 £9.00 for 3 or £18.50 for 50

46 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Allium tuberosum Dichelostemma congestum Ixiolirion tartaricum (ledebourii)

Allium tripedale (Nectaroscordum) Allium unifolium Pimpinella major rosea

tripedale unifolium PIMPINELLA DICHELOSTEMMA (Nectaroscordum) Shell pink heads of quite papery major rosea Allium-like bulbs of North West Like N. siculum above, but with and long lasting flowers, about 15 America with nice stories to go more numerous flowers in a contained within each head. Easy to Cow Parsley - like plants with flat with them. They are obviously very gorgeous soft pink, which emerge grow in any sunny and well drained flower heads comprising of many unusual plants to be found in UK like hatchlings from their translucent spot, especially the rockery. The tiny pale pink flowers over several gardens but they are hardy and sheath. Happy in sun or part shade small bulbs should be planted quite weeks in late spring through to early tough enough to grow in lighter and and not as difficult to grow as the close together where their massed summer. Best in a little shade and in free draining soils. They grow much price may suggest, but uncommon effect is very attractive. soils that are not too dry. A clump as any Allium but flower later. The and very select. Persistent and May 10” (25cm) forming hardy perennial. Plants in sap from cut stems can be caustic 53-40 £5.00 for 30 increasing in our heavy loam in 9 cm pots. to the skin. some summer shade. How should May - June 24-36” (60-90cm) 28-01 £5.50 one say the name? I am not sure, IXIOLIRION congestum but hope that it should be ‘tripi- dali‘ From the far west of America, MAY 21 rather than ‘tripe-dale’. tartaricum producing a compact, hens egg June 36” (100cm) (ledebourii) sized flower head much like an 53-25 £6.50 for 3 or £14.00 for 7 Allium, formed of very long-lasting Originally from the steppes of lilac-purple flowers, on a slender but Central Asia, the grass-like foliage tuberosum very wiry stem. They will grow where hides flowers which become more one would expect Alliums to thrive. As much a herb as a bulb (as are star like as they open more widely. chives) but with a long flowering June 24” (60cm) The colour varies slightly from 82-04 £3.50 for 5 or £6.50 for 10 JUN 21 period through the summer, the violet-mauve to lilac. Free draining white flowers displayed over lush soil in a sunny situation would suit foliage on very wiry stems which them best and they look better with persist as dry straw-like markers quite close planting. through the winter. They are May 9” (20cm) multifaceted plants, and brilliant 104-04 £3.50 for 10 or £8.00 for 25 Insect friendly insect feeding stations too. Plants Aug/Oct 24” (60cm) Flowering time Flowering height 53-38 £7.00 for 3 (small clumps) Item Code Price

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 47 GAP Images

Dichelostemma Pink Diamond Paradisea lusitanica Disporum flavens

Dichelostemma ida-maia Disporopsis pernyi Triteleia Corrina

ida-maia PARADISEA DISPORUM TRITELEIA Spectacular red, yellow and green lusitanica uniflorum (flavens) Early summer flowering bulbs, also coloured flowers, shaped like known in the past as Brodiæa but cigars, opening at the tip of a wiry This species comes from Northern Soloman’s Seal -like plants with soft now more accurately Triteleia. They stem. Named after the daughter Portugal and Spain where it grows yellow flowers at the ends of their come from north-west America. So of a Californian stage coach-driver in damp meadows. Dormant stems in the spring. Korean in origin often we are told that they look like and pollinated (in the wild) by their thickened fleshy roots look they are not very well known but miniature Agapanthus, to which humming-birds! Grown much as a bit like those of a dormant understated plants for shade. they are unconnected. Their papery any Allium. Agapanthus crown. In flower they June 18-24” (45-60cm) flowers are a lasting pleasure, with June 18” (45cm) provide elegant spires of bright 30-06 £6.00 up to 25 flowers per stem. Plant in 82-05 £3.50 for 5 or £6.50 for 10 white flowers providing impressive well-drained soil – in good light, 4” uprights in the herbaceous border, (10cm) deep and 2” (5cm) apart. Pink Diamond and a great accompaniment to DISPOROPSIS MAY 21 A naturally occurring sport of D. Ida- the Alliums. Supplied as fresh dug Similar to the Solomon’s Seal in that Corrina maia with bright pink flowers with divisions, to be planted 4” (10cm) the flowers emerge at the leaf axils A dark flowered form, creating a white tips. deep in moisture retentive soil in along the stem, and are also shade haze of deep blue when viewed lovers, however these are scented, June 18” (45cm) sun or part shade. from a distance. Wiry stemmed and the Solomon Seals are not. They are 82-06 £3.50 for 5 or £6.50 for 10 June 36-48” (90-120cm) a deep blue that anticipates the 140-04 £6.50 each or £17.00 for 3 very hardy plants of the Far East. Agapanthus season to come. June 18” (45cm) JUN 21 pernyi 68-06 £3.00 for 15 or £4.50 for 25 These carry perfumed white bells, often in pairs up the speckled stems. The foliage is nearly evergreen and we cut out all the stems from the past year in the late spring in order to tidy up the clumps. May/June 18” (45cm) 36-04 £6.30 for 3

48 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Triteleia Rudy Triteleia Foxy Gladiolus byzantinus

Triteleia Silver Queen Gladiolus Atom Gladiolus Nathalie

The ‘named’ dwarf gladioli flower in Rudy GLADIOLUS the early summer. Short enough not Atom The same shape and stance as T. to need staking, they do not tower Dusty orange-red flowers, each Corrina but white flowered with a byzantinus over the garden as do the larger petal margin enriched by white broad violet blue stripe down the Rich magenta coloured flowers forms. These make particularly good piping, which highlights their centre of each petal. Very eye- with white flashes. These are free cut flowers too. They also grow away individual shape. This is particularly catching and ‘different’ with a long flowering plants with large strongly early, and this may result in the foliage effective where the petals overlap vase life for when you feel that you coloured flowers, and generally being susceptible to severe late frost, one another. Best in well drained have enough to pick. infertile as the plant is tetraploid. so mulching is a possible requirement soils and in the sun. June 18” (45cm) They are lovely, persisting colourful in very cold gardens. Plant them in a July 30” (75cm) 68-07 £3.50 for 5 or £9.30 for 15 cottage garden plants for the early sheltered site in well-drained soil, 6” 88-18 £6.50 for 10 or £12.00 for 20 summer, but the leaves do emerge (15cm) deep, 4” (10cm) apart on a Foxy early in the year and in very cold bed of sharp sand. The winter dormant Nathalie gardens (or in the north) they may hybrid forms are also sold in the White flowered with a purple blue spring, if yours is a cold garden buy Predominantly pink flowered with need a mulch over winter. There is marking up the centre of each petal, them then instead. the bottom petals on each marked skulduggery about regarding what is effectively more striped than Rudy with a darker rose and cream sold under this name. A poor relation which shows more blue. Carol Klein coloured flash, pretty and easy to fit to what we sell is G. byzantinus ssp. loved them at the Gardeners’ World into the summer colour theme. communis which is often passed Show in 2017. July 30” (75cm) June 18” (45cm) off as the same plant and is a good 88-19 £6.50 for 10 or £12.00 for 20 68-15 £4.50 for 5 or £12.50 for 15 deal cheaper. The two are like chalk and cheese. For sun or slight shade. JUN 21 Silver Queen Plant 4” (10cm) apart. June 24” (60cm) Need bigger quantities of our bulbs? White with a green rib, perfect for the 88-04 £5.00 for 5 or £14.00 for 15 garden, or to use as cut flower? Just There are occasions when our pack sizes are unsuitable for the thing to plant in a sunny border bigger projects or large gardens. If this is the case do email ahead of a summer wedding, given us for a specific quotation for your requirements. We do not a bit of advance warning? do a ‘trade’ list. You’ll get the same quality of bulbs as all our June 18” (45cm) JUL 21 68-13 £3.50 for 5 or £9.30 for 15 retail customers.

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 49 Gladiolus Nymph Lilium martagon Snowy Morning

Lilium candidum Lilium martagon Claude Shride Gladiolus The Bride

retribution) although Provado used Nymph LILIUM systematically seems to reduce martagon White flowered, but clearly marked The species plants from which Lilies would have to come near the future generations more effectively. these derive (and which are with luscious pink and purple lipstick top of any list of most gardeners’ Please Note: The martagon lilies more variable) is now not grown kisses on the lower petals. Much less favourite bulbs. For stature, grace are usually not ready for despatch commercially in Europe and we formally upright, the bigger flowers and perfume they are unbeatable, till mid-October so if you include have had to withdraw them from bending the stems this way and that, but to ensure longevity it helps them on your order it may affect the sale. These listed below are grown so they weave through surrounding to get things right. Unless it says delivery time of your whole order (we by micro propagation initially so will plants with an appealing informality. otherwise (in the text below) do do try to save costs and have your be identical plant to plant. May/June 24” (60cm) incorporate plenty of organic matter order all come at once)… 88-11 £6.50 for 10 or £12.00 for 20 in the area to be planted, having chosen a site that is of good, candidum martagon Claude probably rich soil, not too dry in MAY 21 The Bride The ‘Madonna Lily’ often depicted Shride summer, and possibly shaded – Starry, tapered, gleaming white as a religious icon in early Christian many lily flowers will last longer in A dark mahogany red selection flowers tinged with green at the paintings. Large, loose scaled and cooler shade. Plant at least 5” deep of the martagon lily with yellow throat, a strong-growing favourite (except L. candidum). If planting slightly shaggy bulbs are typical of fleckling at the throat. of ours and our customers. Do in the confinement of a container, this plant. They grow away early and June/July 36” (90cm) ensure that the soil is well drained try to ensure regular watering. Lily bulbs may already have begun to 107-41 £6.00 or £18.00 for 3 and if you have failed before, try beetle are a problem in warmer leaf up before they are despatched. them again planted in deep pots Satin white flowered with a delicious JUN 21 parts. Readily seen as red and martagon Snowy protected from the worst of the cold black beetles they eat any foliage fragrance. They need shallow Morning till spring and then plant these out of the Liliaceae (which includes planting in a warmer sunny spot and into your sunny border. the Fritillaria). These beetles drop seem to do better in relatively poor Pure white with extended orange June 18” (45cm) off and hide on the ground if you soil (also available from the Late anthers. 88-06 £6.50 for 10 or £12.00 for 20 alarm them, but sneakily picking Summer Section, on page 5). Best June/July 36” (90cm) 107-47 £6.00 or £18.00 for 3 off the adults and cleaning the ordered before mid September. messy black ‘eggs’ off the foliage June 36” (90cm)

JUL 21 is moderately effective (and 107-14 £7.50 or £20.00 for 3 squashing them satisfies a lust for

50 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 GAP Images Lilium martagon Sunny Morning Lilium regale

Maianthemum bifolium Asclepias tuberosa Bomarea salsilla martagon Sunny MAIANTHEMUM ASCLEPIAS BOMAREA Morning bifolium tuberosa salsilla Golden orange flowered plants with An unusual native of northern From the eastern USA where it Mexican and South American

deeper mahogany speckles. MAY 21 England. Plants with leaves that June/July 36” (90cm) is known as the Butterfly Plant or climbers that one might imagine 107-45 £6.00 or £18.00 for 3 look a bit like small Hostas. These Milkweed this is a plant of sunny require protection from severe cold, are plants for shade with ground and dry conditions where Its flowers but recent winters here have left regale covering possibilities in nice, leafy, last ages. So far, and reports from them untouched, buried as they are damp, dappled shade where they Familiar and much loved favourites others confirm, it seems perfectly deep in the ground. Long lasting can then form a dense mat. The with ivory-white trumpets, flushed hardy here, though those growing pink flowers crowd on the ends leaves open in the spring with a with pink on their backs, providing it in cold gardens may need to of thick tangled stems with quite

welcome fresh greenness growing JUN 21 great wafts of beautiful scent. take more care. Pot grown plants succulent foliage, sometimes the from the small wiry roots. The Accommodating in most gardens, (intended for Hampton Court in July heads look down, or up, but never flowers are like small white plumes. either in borders or large deep pots. 2020!) the same way! They seem happy June/July 18” (45cm) Autumn planted L. regale bulbs May 4” (10cm) with either full sun or part shade but 190-01 £4.50 always seem to do better than 110-04 £4.50 for 5 you will need to provide support for spring planted ones. With longer them to grow over. to root over the winter before they Summer flowering 30” (70cm) 10-04 £5.50

flower that would be logical? JUL 21 July 36” (90cm) 107-04 £10.00 for 3

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 51 INDEX Autumn availability unless: Late Summer only Late Summer or Autumn

Acis 1 Bomarea 51 chrysanthus Dorothy 9 elwesii 25 autumnalis 1 salsilla 51 chrysanthus Prins Claus 9 imperialis lutea 26 Allium 42 Bongardia 23 imperati de Jager 9 imperialis Rascal Chopin 26 Ambassador 42 chrysogonum 23 minimus Spring Beauty 9 imperialis William Rex 26 angulosum (pyrenaicum) 42 Camassia 24 tommasinianus Ruby Giant 10 meleagri 26 cæruleum 43 Blue Heaven 25 tommasinianus Whitewell Purple 10 michailovskyi 26 cernuum 43 leichtlinii alba 24 tommasinianus Yalta 10 pallidiflora 26 cernuum White Master 43 leichtlinii Avon’s Stellar hybrids 25 (vernus) heuffelianus Harry Hay 10 persica 27 cristophii 43 leichtlinii caerulea 24 Crocus vernus ‘Dutch’ hybrids persica alba 27 Early Emperor 43 leichtlinii caerulea Maybelle 24 10 pontica 27 giganteum 43 leichtlinii Sacajawea 25 Flower Record 10 raddeana 27 Globemaster 43 leichtlinii semi-plena 25 Golden Yellow 10 Gladiolus 4/49 hollandicum 44 quamash (esculenta) 25 Jeanne D’Arc 10 Atom 49 hollandicum Purple Sensation 44 Chionodoxa 12 Pickwick 11 byzantinus 49 hyalinum 44 forbesii Blue Giant 13 Queen of the Blues 11 Nathalie 49 karataviense Ivory Queen 44 forbesii Pink Giant 12 Remembrance 11 Nymph 50 Mount Everest 44 luciliæ 12 Cyclamen Autumn flowering The Bride 50 nigrum (multibulbosum) 45 Colchicum 1 forms 5 tristis 4 nigrum Pink Jewel 45 agrippinum 1 hederifolium 5 Hacquetia 16 obliquum 45 autumnale 1 hederifolium Silver Leaf 5 epipactis 16 Pinball Wizard 45 autumnale album 1 Cyclamen Spring flowering Hippeastrum 4 Powder Puff 45 byzantinum Innocence 1 forms 6 x acramannii 4 Purple Rain 46 speciosum 1 coum 6 Hyacinthoides 24 schubertii 46 Water-Lily 1 coum album 6 non scripta 24 senescens ssp. glaucum 43 Convallaria 28 coum dark pink 6 non scripta alba 24 siculum (Nectaroscordum) 46 majalis Bordeaux 28 coum roseum 6 non scripta alba bracteata 24 sphærocephalon 46 majalis Fernwood’s Golden Slippers coum Silver Leaf 6 non scripta rosea 24 stipitatum Violet Beauty 46 28 repandum 6 Hyacinthus 17 tripedale (Nectaroscordum) 47 majalis Fortins Giant 28 Cypripedium 4 Carnegie 17 tuberosum 47 majalis Hardwick Hall 28 Gisela 4 Delft Blue 17 unifolium 47 majalis Hofheim 28 Dichelostemma 47 Gipsy Queen 18 Amaryllis 2 majalis rosea 28 congestum 47 Gloria Mundi 18 Avon’s belladonna hybrids 2 Corydalis 27 ida-maia 48 multiflora white 18 X Amarygia parkeri alba 2 flexuosa Blue Dragon 27 Pink Diamond 48 multiflora Anastasia 18 Anemone 14 flexuosa Blue Panda 27 Disporopsis 48 Woodstock 18 apennina 14 flexuosa China Blue 27 pernyi 48 Ipheion 18 blanda blue 14 Crocus (autumn flowering Disporum 48 Castillo 18 blanda Pink Star 14 forms) 2 uniflorum (flavens) 48 uniflorum Charlotte Bishop 18 blanda White Splendour 14 boryi 2 Erythronium 16 uniflorum Froyle Mill 19 nemorosa 14 goulimyi 2 dens canis 16 Iris (other types) 19 nemorosa bracteata 14 ligusticus (medius) 2 dens canis Old Aberdeen 16 bucharica 19 nemorosa Stammheim 15 sativus 3 dens canis Snowflake 16 Iris Dwarf (Reticulata) 11 nemorosa virescens 15 speciosus 3 Pagoda 17 Harmony 11 ranunculoides 15 speciosus albus 3 revolutum 17 histrioides Lady Beatrix Stanley 11 Anthericum 42 tournefortii 3 revolutum Knightshayes Pink 17 Katharine’s Gold 11 Anthericum x Paradisea 42 Crocus (spring flowering) 9 tuolumnense 17 Katharine Hodgkin 11 liliago major 42 chrysanthus Ard Schenk 9 White Beauty 17 Pauline 12 Asclepias 51 chrysanthus Blue Pearl 9 Fritillaria 25 Pixie 12 tuberosa 51 chrysanthus Cream Beauty 9 acmopetala 25 Purple Hill 12

52 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Spot On 12 Julia Jane 20 Sternbergia 2 Havran 33 Iris unguicularis (Stylosa) 6 Martinette 20 lutea angustifolia 2 Hemisphere 33 Marondera 6 Minnow 20 Tecophilaea 3 Jan Reus 34 Mary Barnard 6 More and More 20 cyanocrocus leichtlinii 3 Mistress 34 unguicularis 7 moschatus 20 cyanocrocus violacea 3 Negrita 34 unguicularis alba 7 obvallaris 21 Triteleia 48 Paul Scherer 34 Walter Butt 6 Oxford Gold 21 Corrina 48 Prinses Irene 34 Iris x hollandica 40 Pipit 21 Foxy 49 Sanne 34 Apollo 40 poeticus recurvus 21 Rudy 49 Sunny Prince 35 Blue Magic 40 Rijnveld’s Early Sensation 21 Silver Queen 49 Unique de France 35 Lion King 41 Sailboat 21 Tropaeolum 4 Tulips (Parrot) 35 Professor Blaauw 41 Segovia 21 tricolor 4 Black Parrot 35 Red Ember 41 Silver Chimes 22 Tulips (Double Petalled) 39 Rococo 35 Silvery Beauty 41 Sir Winston Churchill 22 Angelique 39 White Parrot 35 Ixiolirion 47 Sweetness 22 Backpacker 39 Tulips (Single Late) 35 tartaricum (ledebourii) 47 Tete-a-tete 22 Brownie 39 Angel’s Wish 35 Leucojum 23 Thalia 22 Foxtrot 39 Antoinette 36 æstivum Gravetye Giant 23 Topolino 22 La Belle Epoque 39 City of Vancouver 36 Lilium 5/50 Toto 22 Orange Princess 39 Queen of Night 36 candidum 5 W. P. Milner 23 Tulips (Fosteriana) 31 Tulips (species) 29 candidum 50 White Lady 23 Exotic Emperor 31 bakeri Lilac Wonder 29 martagon Claude Shride 50 Ziva (Paperwhite) 23 Flaming Purissima 31 batalinii Bronze Charm 29 martagon Snowy Morning 50 Nerine 2 Orange Emperor 32 batalinii Honky Tonk 29 martagon Sunny Morning 51 Nerine flexuosa alba 2 Purissima 32 batalinii Salmon Gem 29 regale 51 Ornithogalum 41 Tulips (Fringed Tulips) 38 clusiana Cynthia 29 Maianthemum 51 magnum Moskou 41 Cummins 38 clusiana Peppermintstick 29 bifolium 51 nutans 41 Honeymoon 38 humilis Lilliput 30 Mathiasella 41 pyrenaicum 41 Lambada 38 humilis Persian Pearl 30 bupleuroides Green Dream 41 Umbellatum 42 Pacific Pearl 38 linifolia 30 Muscari 15 Paradisea 48 Tulips (Lily Flowered Tulips) 36 Little Beauty 30 aucheri Blue Magic 15 lusitanica 48 Ballerina 36 Little Princess 30 aucheri White Magic 15 Pimpinella 47 Elegant Lady 36 praestans Shogun 30 azureum 15 major rosea 47 Firework 36 sprengeri 30 Baby’s Breath (Jenny Robinson) Polygonatum 40 Fly Away 37 sylvestris 31 15 Betberg 40 Greenstar 37 tarda 31 botryoides Album 16 curvistylum 40 Madalyn 37 turkestanica 31 macrocarpum Golden Fragrance X hybridum 40 Merlot 37 whittallii 31 16 X hybridum flore pleno 40 Pieter de Leur 37 Tulips (Viridiflora) 38 Valerie Finnis 16 Scilla 1/13/40 Trés Chic 37 Artist 38 Narcissus 5 autumnalis 1 White Triumphator 37 Spring Green 38 cyclamineus (13) 5 bifolia 13 Tulips (Mid Season Tulips) 32 Uvularia 23 Paperwhite Ziva (8) 5 bifolia alba 13 Annie Schilder 32 grandiflora 23 Narcissus (Daffodils) 19 bifolia rosea 13 Barcelona 32 Desert Bells 19 lilio-hyacinthus 13 Brown Sugar 32 Elka 19 lilio–hyacinthus alba 13 Calgary 32 Exotic Mystery 19 mischtschenkoana (tubergeniana) Calgary Flames 33 February Gold 20 13 Couleur Cardinal 33 fernandesii var. cordubensis 19 peruviana 40 Flaming Flag 33 Hawera 20 siberica Spring Beauty 13 Grand Perfection 33

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 53 Some features of our website that you may not yet know about?

If you have seen a plant, or read about it somewhere and want to order it, but it is ‘Out of Season’ you can ‘Register an Interest’ by putting in your email address and the next time that we have that plant ready to order you’ll get an email to say that you can look again with a view to ordering that item.

There is also a Quick Order Form function. If you have found items that you wish to order in the catalogue you just need to put their code number (as printed alongside every item in the catalogue ie Iris bucharica 103-09) into the Search field and then go to theSelection Option (below that) to be shown the pack sizes which you might order and then Add them. Once you have completed your list go to Add items to your basket and they will do just that. Easy!

You can buy our Gift Tokens through the website: Just click on Shop to access the Gifts and Vouchers section where you can make an order. The recipient can equally easily redeem the voucher that will be sent to them against a purchase, either on the website by phone or even at a flower show that we attend.

Something New! Mesh Pots

We have long suggested the use of aquatic baskets to contain special bulbs in the garden. This helps to keep them from ‘wandering’, means that you can move them all at once without excessive disturbance (and your own home-made lid) offer protection from pests. The plants within can root out into the surrounding soil but not escape. Good for small bulbs and special snowdrops. These are rugged and long lasting pots from the Finofil range. We can offer 2 sizes, both cylindrical: 668-02 14 cm diameter x 10 cm deep (1 litre) 3 for £4.00 669-03 23 cm diameter x 13 cm deep (3.5 litre) £2.00 each or 3 for £5.00

54 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 ORDERING FROM AVON BULBS

This catalogue covers the period July 2020 to December 2020. It costs £2. Delivery may be weather affected Prices are given at the end of each plant description; prices are for a single bulb or plant unless stated otherwise. We despatch ‘Autumn’ orders through from mid September to early November dependant on the prevailing conditions, the ‘Late Summer’ orders between late Aug Please list acceptable alternatives and mid September. All plants and bulbs are offered subject to availability. Stocks we anticipate being Delivery can be tailored to your needs saleable as we write the catalogue in April sometimes fail before their due despatch season in Sept - Nov, but that’s gardening. We do not make substitutions, but a list We use the Post Office (Royal Mail) for smaller parcels, DPD Local for larger parcels. of alternative bulbs that might be acceptable helps greatly. Both organisations now allow us to specify Safe Place Leaving Instructions and if these are provided no signature on delivery is required, the delivery will be made Payment following those instructions. If you do not specify a Safe Place you will have to sign for Please order by post and send your payment with your order with cheques made the parcel or arrange a redelivery on receipt of their card. If you might be away during out to Avon Bulbs Ltd. “Not To Exceed” (NTE) cheques are a convenient and safe our delivery season, please tell us – we can fit around most dates. way to allow for slight variations in your order — particularly useful for late orders Providing us with your email address means that you will receive an email from us where availability is less certain, after 1 September. Make the cheque out as usual confirming despatch of your parcel, and a further email from DPD Local (if your and sign it but do not date it or complete the value in words or in figures. At the top parcel is bigger) confirming the expected delivery date and time slot of one hour. of the cheque write “Not to exceed £X”, where X is a round number of pounds that If you wish to collect your order please either advise us of the intended date or allow is likely to be enough. Once your order has been sent, we complete the date and us to suggest one. Around most dates up to the end of October. amounts to match the amount invoiced (and supplied), bank the cheque and your account is settled. Completed cheques (ie not NTE cheques) are banked as orders Please raise problems promptly are accepted. While we try to ensure everything is correctly named and labelled, errors do occur Paying by card: points to note occasionally.­ If we seem to have made a mistake please tell us as soon as possible; late complaints are very difficult to deal with in the same reason if stocks are limited. We normally debit your account when bulbs are despatched, not when your order is Regrettably,­ the bulbs we sell cannot be absolutely­ guaranteed to flower and thrive, received, so do try to ensure that your card does not expire before the date when we nature is fickle sometimes and we cannot be responsible for its vagaries, or even will need to draw from the account. poor gardening. Please allow for p&p We do keep computerised records with your name and address and order history for our own business use and for our carriers to communicate with you regarding a The contribution towards packing and delivery is £4.95 per order (mainland UK). It delivery. We will not sell or pass on your details to any other businesses and all credit is likely that for larger orders this will be exceeded by costs to ourselves. Orders to card details that are stored by us are done so in an encrypted manner that we cannot mainland UK for any season over the value of £100 P&P is waived. You will however ourselves view. Please see Page 8 for the full GDPR Privacy Policy. receive an acknowledgment, individual planting instructions for all items, a strong box and further catalogues from us whilst you continue to order. For customers with By placing an order with us customers are agreeing to these terms. If you do not wish addresses outside the UK mainland (Channel Isles, Northern Ireland, Isles of Wight, to receive any marketing material from us please let us know. Man, Shetlands etc.) we will probably need to add a surcharge dependant on the Overseas customers are requested to check the website for details of the costs weight of the parcel and your location, this sometimes takes the cost of a parcel (or two of shipping to the European Union. The minimum postal cost for non UK orders if we split the delivery) to about £15.00. is £10.00. Please retain our acknowledgement We acknowledge all orders by post or email unless the order is to be despatched immediately. If you need to contact us about your order, please use this invoice reference number. Five year Diaries! This remarkable diary really is a real memory builder! As you fill one entry you cannot help but look back to what you wrote on the same day in past years. Keeping a record year on year of the weather for the day can really help you understand your garden and its microclimate, as well as remind you of your gardening successes and lessons to learn. But you can also include films you saw, books you read, how much jam you made, who called for a chat or came to dinner, what you ate, what the grandchildren told you, the list is endless! Finished in a wipe clean cover and spiral bound with botanical illustrations by Susan Olgilvy marking the start of each month. 6” wide (15 cm) and just over 9” deep (23.5 cm) and weighing 770g these are provided in a purpose made delivery sleeve and can be posted at any time (they make great Christmas presents) but can be started at any time of year. Unique to ourselves and not available elsewhere. £17.50 including P&P (within UK) Additional EU postage £6.00

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 55 Seeds from Avon Bulbs We have a seed box which travels to the shows and from which customers can pick out seed packets that they might like to purchase. The range is small and generally reflects the plants that we have grown and are showing to associate well with the bulbs on the display (but the annuals flower from seed very much more quickly than bulbs). But many of our mail order customers do not see us at the shows and may like the chance to buy a packet or two? Availability may be limited depending on the demand at the shows!

777-025 777-003 777-024 777-004 777-006

Average seed contents: 20 Average seed contents: 80 Average seed contents: 15 Average seed contents: 15 Average seed contents: 25

Allium cernuum Camassia leichtlinii Cerinthe major Dahlia coccinea Gladiolus tristis ‘Avon’s Stellar hybrids’ ‘Purpurascens’ var palmeri Claret pink flowered plants of A beautiful South African species that reasonably well drained locations in Hardy North American plants, A hardy annual from the Single orange-red flowers in late flowers in April/May in Britain with full sun. Of North American origin Camassia all like heavy soils in sun Mediterranean region, known as summer on a plant which exhibits wonderful pale straw coloured flowers and hardy in the UK, self sown or part shade. They flower in late April Honeywort. An aristocratic border very dissected ‘frothy’ foliage. The with pretty green highlights and a good seedlings spreading and thickening or early May, (after the blue flowered plant which is beautiful and versatile. plant can be large, the seed was perfume in the evenings. 3-4’ (30-40 one’s clumps. Summer flowering forms which produce little or no seed). It is adored by bees and is much collected from an established plant cm) tall. They will need a sheltered about 18” (45 cm) tall with leaves The flowering plants are 24-26” tall favoured as a cut flower. It has about 7’ tall. Dahlias like a rich situation in cold gardens or cold that persist for much of the year. (60-90 cm). Colours will vary - pink, glaucous leaves with interesting fertile soil and need planting in the districts, but if they can be grown in a The flowers are good for beneficial lilac, blue, cream and green. purple bracts and bell shaped flowers sun. They may need a mulch (or to favoured spot they will set seed and insects. They may take 3 years to from May to September. be lifted) in cold gardens, but the increase. They are in leaf through much flower from seed, some will flower in species forms seem hardier than the of the winter when they will cope with their 2nd year hybrids. These should flower in their temperatures down to -3ºC. first season.

777-008 777-027 777-030 777-005 777-026

Average seed contents: 80 Average seed contents: 15 Average seed contents: 50 Average seed contents: 20 Average seed contents: 50

Nicotiana mutabilis Nectaroscordum Nigella papillosa Orlaya Grandiflora Pimpinella (Ornamental Tobacco) siculum ‘African Bride’ and (White Lace Flower) major rosea Closely related to Alliums (the ‘Midnight’ A striking tender plant up to 5’ (1.5m) A plant of meadows, vineyards and Deep pink umbels of small flowers, ornamental onion), originally from The species is an annual and native to with showers of white flowers which olive groves in the Mediterranean. they look like a pink flowered cow Asia minor and Mediterranean these southern Spain and southern France turn through pink to a deep magenta as Fern-like foliage and lace-like parsley. Blooms in May/June, have tall smooth stems on which and is synonymous with N. hispanica. they mature. The effect is spectacular white umbels, with the outer petals ideally in the sun or light shade, there open dangling bell shaped These are collected oddities with greatly with both colours present on the plant larger than the inner. 18-24” tall 40” (100cm) tall. Sow the seeds in flowers in pink, purple and green. enlarged and contrasting stamens. together. Flowers in the late summer. (45-60cm). An easy to grow annual the autumn in ordinary garden soil When dry they stand erect. The White flowered plants with purple-black If a plant is overwintered (in frost free setting seed that you can collect or gritty compost (as they require whole plant is very garlic scented stamens as well as deep blue flowered conditions) flowering is much earlier and grow. chilling to break the dormancy) and when handled. They grow best in plants with blue stamens. A lovely and more profuse the second year. overwinter the seed tray outside. lighter soils in sun or part shade and mix that flowers over the typical ‘Love They may not germinate until the are happy growing in grass. They in the Mist’ foliage which is fine and spring. Prick out into small pots flower in the early summer about 30” fennel-like. Insect friendly (75cm) tall. when the seedlings are large enough Plants to handle and when these plants are large enough themselves plant into their final position. P&P for any number of seed packets ordered alone within UK £1.50,or destinations within the EU please add £2.50 P&P

56 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020

Any packet 777-013 777-014 of seeds £2.50

777-019 777-028 777-031

Double Black Double Lilac

Papaver somniferum 777-012 Fully double flower heads of various colours. June flowering about 36” (90cm) tall. May need staking in windy gardens. They are plants of open, sunny situations in well drained soil and are hardy, but annual, so you will be reliant on falling (or collected) seed for future years. Self fertile, Average seed contents: 10 Average seed contents: 10 Average seed contents: 10 but some slight variation in flower Double Shiraz colour may occur.

Lunaria annua Lunaria Lunaria 777-011 777-017 Chedglow Corfu Blue Somerset Marble

Hardy biennial flowering April to early Hardy biennial, flowering in the spring Hardy biennial, flowering in the spring May with wonderful chocolate leaves often earlier than other Lunaria, with with purple flowers and wonderful and lilac flowers, growing to 3’ (1 m) purple-blue flowers on purple flushed marbled leaves, often edged in red, or a bit more. Decorative seed heads stems, growing to 3’ (90cm) tall and a growing to 3’ (90cm) tall. The seed persist with translucent discs that can spread of up to 30” (75cm). The seed cases are like translucent discs that be used in dried arrangements. cases are distinctive as papery silvered can be used in dried arrangements. seed heads. These may hybridise with Sow two seeds per single pot outside other Lunaria close by. The leaves are in a shady sheltered spot and plant out browsed by rabbits. into the border in full sun or part shade when large enough. Double Pink Blackcurrant Fizz

777-029 777-010 777-023

Glove sizing: If unsure this is a guide – finger to wrist, or right round the palm, whichever the larger measure – under 8” we think the Small (7) size is likely to fit best, over 8” our Medium (10) may be better. Average seed contents: 50 Average seed contents: 15 Average seed contents: 30 Maxiflex Tagetes patula Tulbaghia cominsii Tulipa sprengeri Gardening Gloves x violacea Varying from deep red through to May flowering species tulip, now More and more people now garden in gloves. yellow a gloriously warm mix of Long flowering perennial of South unknown in the wild. Red flowered, These are hard wearing and comfortable colours on well branched and bushy often verdigris marked on the outside African origin. Long thin leaved gardening gloves that still allow you to feel what plants. A well known and loved foliage, onion scented when crushed. with contrasting golden anthers. annual that flowers all summer, even Purple – pink flowers from June to About 18” (40cm) tall. May take 3-4 you are doing but most importantly one’s hands from seed sown as late as June to October, 18-24” (45-60 cm) tall. years to flower, but avoid disturbance do not sweat inside them. Washable (inside fill in some bare patches. Sow them in the area. Once flowering will self Seedlings may vary, due to the hybrid out in a cool wash). The Medium size fits nearly thinly in sunny fertile soils that have nature of the plant. Plants flower in seed. Bulbs flower when grape sized warmed up from March to June and their second year. Very good patio or larger. everyone here, though a Small size is offered too. water in. plants in planters, enjoying warm Include these with an order for £5.00 each (sent conditions and very drought tolerant. on their own please add £3.00 postage). In cold areas mulch plants in the ground in winter and protect pots from 669 - 01 Maxiflex gloves (Medium) £5.00 extended freezing temperatures. Hardy 669 - 02 Maxiflex gloves (Small) £5.00 outside to about -10˚C.

P&P for any number of seed packets ordered alone within UK £1.50,or destinations within the EU please add £2.50 P&P

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 57 Ideal as 2020 Collections Gifts Themed Collections of Bulbs for autumn planting in pots or the garden.

Allium Collection Crocus vernus Collection 999-372 £19.50 999-373 £24.00 hollandicum x 10 Powder Puff x 5 Flower Record x 15 Golden Yellow x 15

Violet Beauty x 5 sphaerocephalon x 15 Pickwick x 15 Queen of the Blues x 15

Narcissus Collection A Layered ‘Lasagne’ Planter 999-374 £26.50 999-375 (Planting instructions included) £18.50 Sailboat x 15 Pipit x 10 Narcissus Minnow x 10 Narcissus Oxford Gold x 10

Segovia x 10 Topolino x 15 Muscari Baby’s Breath x 10 Tulipa Purissima x 10

58 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Order for Autumn despatch You can also include any of the last four items in the Late Summer section (pages 5-7) in Please specify plants and costs here, particular any Cyclamen and Iris unguicularis and complete the other side of the form. on this order form for Autumn despatch.

Stock Price and No. of packs No. x price Item Code. Plant name pack size required £

131-24 Tulipa Angelique (EXAMPLE ONLY) 8.50/10 2 17.00

The example at the top shows the information we need – in particular, the Item Code given at the bottom subtotal left of the plant entry. If possible, specify acceptable alternatives in case some of your choices are not available. carriage

The normal postage and packing costs on any Autumn Order is £4.95 (UK Mainland only) Orders over £100 are sent free of P&P total

Please record personal and payment details overleaf

Remember – cards, gloves and diaries can be ordered to accompany your bulbs, saving on postage. Please fold this sheet into a smaller envelope to avoid postal surcharges

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 59 Mail Order for Office use only: Autumn 2020 Date received: Plants and bulbs to flower in the spring Order No:

Avon Bulbs Ltd • Burnt House Farm • Mid Lambrook South Petherton • Somerset • TA13 5HE

Title: Mr Mrs Miss Other ______

Name: ______

House Name/No: ______

Street: ______

Town: ______

County: ______

Country: ______Postcode ______

Telephone/Mobile No:______

Email address: ______It may be helpful for us or the carrier to contact you if any problems arise. Please complete these questions (We now need your permission to stay in touch, except with regard to this order) By Post: Are you happy to receive our printed catalogues in the future? Yes No By Email: Do you wish to receive occasional emailed Newsletter from us along with any Special Offers? Yes No (We will not sell or pass on any contact details except to manage your order (see more on this on page 8)

Other Delivery Instructions: ______

Is this an order for collection? ______Is it a gift? ______If you are likely to be out during the day, please suggest where the parcel should be left or who ______else might accept delivery. ______If you want your order to be sent as a gift to someone else (invoice to you), tick the box ______and put the recipient’s name and address and postcode in the space provided to the right. ______

Payment Orders are not accepted without payment except by prior agreement. Please include payment or please charge my Visa / Mastercard account.

Cheque enclosed Yes, value £ ______, or Card No. · · · Valid from date / Card expiry date /

Security code (last three digits on reverse of card) Signature ______

Please fold this sheet into a smaller envelope to avoid postal surcharges

60 Avon Bulbs Mail Order Catalogue Autumn 2020 Ideal as 2020 Collections Gifts Colour Themed or Seasonal Tulip Collections. 10 of each of 4 varieties for planting in pots or the garden.

White Tulip Collection Zesty Tulip Collection 999-376 £25.50 999-377 £23.00 Angel’s Wish x 10 Calgary x 10 Annie Schilder x 10 Ballerina x 10

Elegant Lady x 10 Honeymoon x 10 Lambada x 10 Princess Irene x 10

The Calm Tulip Collection The Striped Tulip Collection 999-378 £27.50 999-379 £22.50 Cummings x 10 Foxtrot x 10 Firework x 10 Flaming Flag x 10

Green Star x 10 Sanne x 10 Grand Perfection x 10 Spring Green x 10

Tel: 01460 242 177 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.avonbulbs.co.uk 61 If undelivered please return to sender: Avon Bulbs Burnt House Farm Mid Lambrook South Petherton Somerset TA13 5HE

Please recycle this item after use snowdrops areeasiertopackanddespatch For allthesereasonsandalsobecause Brexit (GalanthusbeingontheCITESlist). paperwork inordertocrossintoEuropepost in Europe)wewillnowrequiremuchmore may bedifficulttoachieveand(forevents feel reluctanttoattend,socialdistancing attendees areoftenquitematureandmay uncertainty aboutsuchsalesgiventhatthe next February –thereisobviouslysome shall beabletoattendtheSnowdropevents There isalsosomedoubtaboutwhetherwe having missedthecataloguepublication. they areonlysoldOnlineinthesummer advertise theminthiscatalogue–normally year sotheopportunityarisestobeable many ofthesnowdropsratherearlierthis cancelled wehavebeenabletodealwith and asaresultofthesummershowsbeing Because thecataloguehasbeendelayed DORMANT SNOWDROPS G. Pom-Pom G. Fieldgate G. Trumps G. Imbolc Prelude 999-381 1. build onCollectionNo and formthesesubtly Varied inflowershape NO. 2 COLLECTION SNOWDROP 999-380 eye-catching. big floweredandvery increase steadily, are All theseareonesthat NO. 1 COLLECTION SNOWDROP G. Jonathan collectable. see thedifferencesthatmakesnowdropsso a numberofdifferentvarietiesinorderto indeed offeracheapermeansofacquiring someone juststartingintosnowdrops,or very differentsnowdropswhichwillcharm The listincludestwooffivevigorousand occasionally under10bulbs. there isonlyaverylimitednumberavailable, despatch verypromptlybutforsomevarieties – theseareordersthatwewillbeableto you ordertheseOnlineorbyphone Snowdrop heading)andwewouldaskthat (under theShoptablookforDormant the endofJulyonAvon Bulbswebsite The fulllistwillstillbeavailableonlinetowards dormant maybethewayforward. help!) wefeelthatsellingmoreofthemwhen look afterthemforanother6monthswould when dormant(andnothavingtopotand Pigot No3 G. Acton £55.00 £45.00 G. SirHerbert G. Heffalump Monostictus G. Hercule G. Lord Maxwell