Bulbs/annuals and pruning Hardy Fuchsias:

Bit of a mix I know, but as I'm still just getting into this I wanted to just ask some advice on two topics.

The first is, having planted quite a few bulbs/tubers last autumn a surprising number (given how wet it has been combined with clay soil) have come up and are flowering. Now I obviously want them to go through their natural cycle of life and hopefully return (and even multiply) for the future, so I intend to leave them in place rather than lift/store them.

However, having only a smallish garden, space is obviously valuable, so I was intending to sow some annuals around the bulbs, waiting until they had mostly finished blooming before doing so, hoping that will provide enough time for the bulb foliage to natural die back before any seeds that actually produce something (another first for me...) get too large and interfere with the bulb's leaves.

I know from previous threads and other posts that it isn't unusual to have perennials 'grow up' the fill in the blank space, and then die back. I'm just wondering if with a slightly more tightly planted area annuals would work.

For reference:
The bulbs planted were: Snowdrops, Crocus, Species Tulips, Daffodils, Anemone Blanda & Coronaria (de Caen).

And the "annuals" I intended to try were: Cornflowers, Corn Marigold, Pot Marigold, Tidy Tips (Layia Platyglossa), Globe Candytuft (Iberis Umbellata) and Swan River Daisies (Brachyscome iberidifolia).

So being new to all this, a few questions: 1) Is this a stupid idea? 2) If not, then how closely would it be alright to sow the seeds to the different bulbs? 3) Anything I should watch out for?

Second query, to save making excessive posts is to do with pruning Hardy Fuchsias. Ours have not been pruned back hard for years, and are now a little over 3ft tall. I had intended to cut them back at the start of spring when they were still dormant, but the winter has been so mild they haven't even stopped flowering yet, nevermind dropped their leaves. So given that, how far back should I prune them and when?

 

Well to be honest I don't think the annuals will interfere with the natural die back process of your bulbs. I have bulbs all over the place and they have other plants sprouting up close by. I have to say I do tend to sow my seeds in trays and that means I plant out bigger plants around May time. I do have loads of self seeded annuals that pop up everywhere. I know lots of people do direct sow and get brilliant results, my trouble is when I weed the borders I end up pulling up my seedlings too

Can't help with the Fuchsias, we always cut ours right back low each Autumn, they have always grown back well each year and reach about 3/4 ft by the Summer.

 

Hi
I have a very very wet shady back garden,a few bulbs have come up and was just wondering what I could put in there to fill the gaps when they die down: A lot of what I’ve tried doesn’t really thrive due to the wet and shade. Not my own house so I can’t do much about it any advise would be great thanks.

 

@Caelius

Agree with @Upsydaisy that starting your annuals off in pots or trays etc seems better than trying to sow them in the midst of all the foilage from the bulbs.
Probably too early to sow them in the ground now.

In our experience, once established, you can cut hardy Fuchsias back as hard or little as you like.
You must be in a very mild area if they have flowered all winter ! whats the variety ?
We have several different varieties from dwaft to 6ft high and all stopped months ago.

 

@Kim57

Not many plants like heavy shade and wet ground, so think you would be better going for plants in pots which will drain better and easier to move around etc.

If you search around the forum you will find lots of other posts about plants for shade, a few to start you off, as above, many Fuchsias do well in shade as do Begonias, Heucheras and Astibles to name but a few.