Anemone Blanda & Ipheion:

Hello,

I've been looking around at some "bulbs" to plant to try and liven up a few patches of the garden. In the course of which I've come across there two, Anemone Blanda and Ipheion Uniflorum.

Both look lovely and in terms of height/size/requirements sound like they would work. However reading around there is some indication they could potentially be mildly invasive?

I just wanted to ask what experiences anyone has with these and whether they would plant these around other plants, or if like Bluebells they'll just swamp everything?

Thanks.

 

@Caelius
I grow both and find them well behaved. I have several different Ipheion in clumps around the garden and the clumps slowly enlarge but stay where they were put. Anemone blanda grows under deciduous trees, shady but dry and well drained grass. Over the past 15 years they have moved themselves, mainly by self seeding, but have never become a problem. In fact I welcome their gentle spreading as they bring spring colour to an otherwise difficult area. They share the space with snowdrops and spring and autumn flowering crocuses and I have added Anemone nemorosa and some Anemone blanda colour forms.

 

I too grow both. Ipheion Wesley Blue is the one I grow and it is a truly delightful plant flowing over about a month. Like @NigelJ s it expands a little each year, getting better each year. I’ve divided it once so far. I grow them in my Mediterranean style garden in a sandy well drained bed; don’t know how they’d do in clay.

Anemone Blanca Blue I also have growing in the Med garden where it is happy, self seeds but isn’t a problem.

 

Well that sounds promising.

Essentially I was looking for something a bit different but which wouldn't end up swamping stuff, and they sound like that might be the case then.

As far as self-seeding goes, I'm fine with things 'filling in the gaps' provided they can be removed with relatively little fuss if need be, so that sounds okay.

Thanks.

 

Hi @Caelius how about anemone ranunculoides also? Lovely little yellow spring flowers - spreads very slowly. Or anemonella? (I must admit I found that very slow, but it's gorgeous.)

 

Those also look quite interesting Carolinel, certainly alot of very nice plants out there. I'm trying to be good though and not get 'carried away' buying lots of different plants.

I am wondering if there is something I could grow around (or in between) that would kick in later as the foliage is dieing back but not affect the various bulbs too much. I know some people suggest growing ground cover plants or pansies over daffodils, but Daffodils are planted a bit deeper so wouldn't be as bothered by the roots (besides the only experience I have of those is Campanula).

 

Both the Anemone blanda and Ipheion foliage I find quite unobtrusive, unlike daffodils and tulips, even snowdrops and crocuses have more intrusive foliage after flowering.
I just let the grass grow up around the anemone and then mow when the anemone foliage dies back.

 

Hi @Caelius if they are in a border then you can grow other things for later near them e.g. hardy geraniums as long as they give the bulb foliage a chance to grow and build the bulbs first. Hardy cyclamen would give you contrasting foliage for when the others have died down, and flowers in autumn

 

In spite of my earlier comments about trying to be good, a further query on the subject of Anemones.

Does anyone have any experience with Anemone Coronaria?

Just wondering if a mix of that and the Blanda would work out in terms of one blooming after another without either being thuggish/invasive.

 

I think that the A coronaria would overwhelm the A blanda as it can be a couple of foot high with foliage proportionately larger.