AUTUMN BULB, CORM, RHIZOME OR TUBER GALLERY PAGES
Site Map of pages with content (o)

Introduction

FLOWER COLOUR
Bicolour
(o)Blue
Green
(o)Orange
(o)Pink
Purple
(o)Red
(o)Unusual Colours
(o)White
(o)Yellow

FOLIAGE COLOUR
(o)Green 1
(o)Green 2
(o)Green 3
(o)Other Colour

SEED COLOUR
(o)Seed Colour

BED PICTURES
(o)Garden

FORM
(o)Mat-forming
Prostrate/Trailing
(o)Mound-forming
(o)Spreading
(o)Clump-forming
(o)Stemless
(o)Upright

Bulb Use pages from
P Infill2 Index Gallery

Uses of Bulbs:-
...for Bedding
...in Windowboxes
...in Border
...naturalized in Grass
...in Bulb Frame
...in Woodland Garden
...in Rock Garden
...in Bowls
...in Alpine House
...Bulbs in Green-house or Stove:-
...Achimenes
...Alocasias
...Amorpho-phalluses
...Arisaemas
...Arums
...Begonias
...Bomareas
...Caladiums
...Clivias
...Colocasias
...Crinums
...Cyclamens
...Cyrtanthuses
...Eucharises
...Urceocharis
...Eurycles
...Freesias
...Gloxinias
...Haemanthus
...Hippeastrums
...Lachenalias
...Nerines
...Lycorises
...Pencratiums
...Hymenocallises
...Richardias
...Sprekelias
...Tuberoses
...Vallotas
...Watsonias
...Zephyranthes
...Plant Bedding in
......Spring
......Summer
...Bulb houseplants flowering during:-
......January
......February
......March
......April
......May
......June
......July
......August
......September
......October
......November
......December
...Bulbs and other types of plant flowering during:-
......Dec-Jan
......Feb-Mar
......Apr-May
......Jun-Aug
......Sep-Oct
......Nov-Dec
...Selection of the smaller and choicer plants for the Smallest of Gardens with plant flowering during the same 6 periods as in the previous selection

The process below provides a uniform method for
comparing every plant detailed in the following galleries with
the ones already compared in the relevant plant gallery
from the last list of plant galleries in this cell:-

• These are the galleries that will provide the plants to be added to their own Extra Index Pages
• Bee plants for hay-fever sufferers - Bee-Pollinated Index is in the column on the left
• Plants that grow in Chalk - A,
• Rock Garden and Alpine Flowers - A,
• Bulbs from the Infill Galleries see Hardy Bulbs, Half-hardy Bulbs, etc in the second row of Topic Table, usually positioned as the first table on the left.
• The complete Camera Photo is displayed on the screen
• Climber in 3 Sector Vertical Plant System
• Plants with Sense of Fragrance

The following Extra Index of Bulbs is created in the
Bulb Plant Gallery, to which the Bulb found in the above list will have that row copied to.
The Header Row for the Extra Indices pages is the same as used in the 1000 Ground Cover A of Plants Topic:-
A 1, 2, 3, B, C 1, 2, D, E,
F, G, H, I, J,
K, L 1, 2, M, N, O,
P, Q, R, S, T,
U, V, W, XYZ

Having transferred the Extra Index row entry to the relevant Extra Index row for the same type of plant in a gallery below; then
its flower or foliage thumbnail will be compared per month in that relevant gallery:-

• Aquatic
• Bamboo
• Bedding
• Bulb
• Conifer - Conifers have no flowers and are used for their foliage and cones
• Deciduous Shrub
• Deciduous Tree
• Evergreen Perennial
• Evergreen Shrub
• Evergreen Tree
• Fern - Ferns have no flowers and are used for their foliage
• Grass - Grass is used for its grass inflorescence and foliage
• Hedging
• Herbaceous Perennial
• Herb
• Odds and Sods
• Rhododendron, Azalea and Camellia
• Soft Fruit
• Top Fruit
• Vegetable
• Wild Flower
   

7 Flower Colours per Month in Colour Wheel below in BULB, CORM, RHIZOME and TUBER GALLERY.

Click on Black or White box in Colour of Month.

Besides the above Bulb Flower Colour Comparison Pages, you also have the following Comparison Pages:-
...Bulb Flower Shape -
7 pages of Number of Petals ...... 5 petals,
23 pages of Flower Shape ......... Stars and
7 pages of Natural Arrangements Drumstick

...Bulb Form -
7 pages of Bulb Form ...Clump-forming
...Bulb Use -
33 pages of Bulb Use ...Mass Planting,
Groundcover,
Grow in Patio Pot and
Use in Coastal Conditions
...Bulb Preferred Soil
5 pages of Soil preferred by Bulb ...Chalk

Autumn Bulb Gallery INDEX link to Bulb Description Page

Flower Colour

Flower Thumbnail

Flowering Months

Form Thumbnail and

Mat,
Cushion,
Spreading,
Clump,
Stemless,
Upright
as its form

Foliage Thumbnail

Height x Width in inches (cms) -
1 inch = 2.5 cms,
12 inches = 1 foot,
36 inches = 3 feet = 1 yard,
40 inches = 100 cms

Seed Head Thumbnail

Comments

This is the Old Layout which is being changed plant by plant to

Autumn Bulb Gallery INDEX link to Bulb Description Page

Flower Colour with Flower Thumbnail

Flowering Months

Form Thumbnail and

Mat,
Cushion,
Spreading,
Clump,
Stemless,
Upright
as its form

Height x Width in inches (cms) -
1 inch = 2.5 cms,
12 inches = 1 foot,
36 inches = 3 feet = 1 yard,
40 inches = 100 cms

Seed Head Thumbnail

Foliage Colour with Foliage Thumbnail

Bulb Use

Comments

this New Layout starting in March 2020

Bulb Use pages from
Bulb Shape Gallery

A

Arisarum
proboscideum
(Mouse Plant - In spring cream and brown flowers are produced at ground level. They have a long, thin ‘tail’, making the flower look just like a mouse.

Dark Brown-Purple

Flowers and foliage appear at the same time.

April, May

Cushion.
Hood shape bloom
 

6 x 10
(15 x 24)

Acidic Sand, Clay, Chalk
Part Shade
Moist

Glossy, Bright Green and arrow shaped

Foliage dies down in late summer

A woodland perennial with flowers lasting a long time in indoor arrange-ments. Foliage is groundcover until late summer. Mix with spring-flowering woodland bulbs.

Great Plant Combinations: Waldsteinia ternata, Asplenium scolopendrium, Cyclamen coum, Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Anenome nemorosa. Can be invasive.

Arum italicum
'Marmoratum'

Greenish-Yellow spathes with a yellow spadix followed by spikes of orange-red berries lasting all summer

June

Mat, Erect

12 x 6
(30 x 15)

Well-drained Chalk, Sand
Part Shade
Dry

Mid-Green with Cream veins foliage from late autumn to mid spring

Cottage Garden. Ground cover with hosta. Naturalizes in woodland. Spathes and berries suitable for flower arrangements. Use in patio pots.

Underplant roses, hostas, Hemerocallis, Iris and shrubs.

Aruncus dioicus
(Goatsbeard)

Creamy-White

June, July

Clump
Plume

72 x 48
(180 x 120)

Clay
Part Shade, Full Shade
Moist or Wet

Pinnately compound, Mid-Green

Moist wood-lands. Good for cutting. Native garden, a specimen, or groups along stream or water gardens. Mass down a slope.

This plant demands space. Mix with gunneras and Campanula latifolia, which are also self-sowing. Border background plant.

C

"Dwarf Campanulas" by Graham Nicholls - from The Alpine Garden Society Bookshop.

Corydalis - "Bleeding Hearts, Corydalis, and their Relatives" by Mark C Tebbitt, Magnus Liden & Henrick Zetterlund - from the Alpine Garden Society Bookshop.

See Rock Garden Plant Index C for details on more campanulas, corydalis and cyclamen and
"The Cyclamen Society exists to encourage cultivation and conservation, and to disseminate and extend knowledge of the genus Cyclamen and its species, forms and cultivars. It combines scientific study with all the activities of a society for enthusiasts who cultivate the plants."
See Gardenia with their pages on plant combinations of Cyclamen with other plants.
Cyclamen species for the garden article have flowers that almost span the year depending on the specie.

See Gardenia with their pages on plant combinations of Campanulas (Bellflowers) with other plants.

Campanula
glomerata
(Clustered bellflower from the Bellflower Wildflower Family.)

Violet-Purple

June, July, August

Clump.
Fragrant 5 Petalled, Bell-shape blooms on a Column

30 x 36
(75 x 90)

Chalk,
Full Sun, Part Shade
Moist

Light Green

Houseplant, Woodland, Patio Pot. Grow in meadow on chalk soil.

Native UK plant.

This plant must be planted separate from other plants.

Campanula
persicifolia
(Peach-leaved bellflower, Harebell)

White to
Lilac-Blue

June, July

Clump.
5 petalled,
Bell-shape blooms

36 x 12
(90 x 30)

Alkaline Clay, Chalk.
Full Sun, Part Shade.
Moist.
Appreciates afternoon shade in hot summer climates.

Narrow, toothed, leathery, Bright Green

Open light woodland. Pollinated by bees and self.
Naturalizes in Mountain meadows and woodland. Cottage Garden.
Cut flower.

Use as mound in middle of border. Mix with other plants in large pots.
Colonise with once-flowering roses, its blue colouring in ideal contrast to their pinks and crimsons.

Centaurea montana
(Perennial Cornflower, Mountain bluet, Perennial Bachelor's Button, Great Blue-bottle)

Blue

June, July

Erect, Clump

18 x 24
(45 x 60)

Chalk
Full Sun
Moist soil, but well-drained as in a large Rock Garden. See plant combinations

Mid-Green, woolly beneath and densely woolly stems

Best massed in border fronts, cottage gardens or naturalized areas. Nectar attracts butterflies. Cut flower. Coastal conditions.

Native UK plant - from Kevock Garden. It prepares to flower while deciduous plants are bare. Grows in meadows and open woodland.

Cerato-stigma
plumbag-oides
(Plumbago, Blue Leadwort)

Brilliant Blue

August, September,
October

Upright, Mat
5 petalled, star shape in Cluster

18 x 8
(45 x 21)

Chalk, Sand, Clay
Full Sun
Moist

Bright Green in Spring and Summer. Rich Red in Autumn.

Ground cover, Edging, Rock Garden. Compact, bushy habit in patio pots and border. Attracts butterflies.

Interplant with spring bulbs. Under-planting for shrubs. Deer, rabbit resistant. Establish in dry walling.

Corydalis lutea
(Golden Corydalis, yellow fumitory, yellow corydalis, Native UK plant)

Golden Yellow

May, June, July, August, September

Cushion.
4 petals in tube-shape in sprays

16 x 12
(39 x 30)

Well-drained Chalk, Sand, Gravel
Full Sun, Part Shade, Full Shade
Moist - Wet soils in winter can be fatal

Finely cut, delicate-looking light-green to blue-green foliage

Shaded Rock Gardens, Edging. Cottage Garden. Naturalizes. Gravel gardens and in cracks within stone walls and dry walling, woodland

Commonly cultivated and naturalized on old walls near gardens scattered throughout the UK. It is toxic to horses.
It combines with Pulmonaria, Tiarella, Hosta, Ligularia, Paeonia.

Cyclamen
cilicium
(Sowbread, Turkish hardy cyclamen, Cicilian cylamen)

White
or
Pink

August, September,
October, November

Spreading.
Fragrant honey scent, 5 petalled

2 x 3
(6 x 8)

Chalk, Peaty, Scree, Sand.
Considering they grow in rocky/gravelly soil, good drainage will make all the difference and they do prefer a dryer spot in general.
Part Shade under trees or shrubs.
Dry.
 

Mid-Green above, Purplish beneath

The plant grows in a mound, 10 cm (3.9 in) tall and broad. The leaves are heart-shaped or oval and green, often patterned with silver

Cyclamen cilicium is hardy down to −5 °C (23 °F), so is best grown in a warm or coastal location. Pot plant in a cold greenhouse. Deciduous woodland.Shade in Rock Garden. Underplant roses. Mix with anemone, ranunculus, chionodoxa, crocus, scilla, galanthus, eranthis, primula, small ferns and hostas.

If not planted - corm should be just breaking surface and 2-3 inches apart - under trees, which provide fallen leaves in the autumn, then mulch with a little sifted leaf mould or peat moss in November. A little bonemeal added to the soil and used as a top dressing each spring will keep them happy.

Fragrant Plants as a Plant Selection Process for your sense of smell from
P Garden Style Index Gallery:-

Bulbs and Corms with Scented Flowers
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Cyclamen
coum
(Eastern Sowbread)

White
or
Red

March, April
March, April

Spreading.
5 Petals

2 x 4
(6 x 9)

Chalk, Peat, Sand
Part Shade under trees and shrubs
dry

Deep Green with Silver pattern

These are fully hardy and are best planted under trees in well drained soil. Native to mountains and coastal areas. Among rocks and roots in unfertilized woodlands. Grow in pots.

Varying in colour from white through to red, cyclamen coum flower March-April, at the same time that the leaves are produced as a winter groundcover.

Cyclamen coum
'Album'
(Sowbread)

White

March, April

Spreading.
5 Petals
 

2 x 4
(6 x 9)

Chalk, Peat, Sand
Part Shade under trees and shrubs
dry

The green leaves may marked with silver. They are round in shape. It flowers best in poor soils, so do not dig in compost or to add fertiliser as this will provide leaves but few flowers.

These are fully hardy and are best planted under trees in good fertile, well drained soil. Native to mountains and coastal areas. Among rocks and roots in unfertilized woodlands. Grow in pots.

Each white cyclamen coum bloom has a dark red mouth and flowers from late winter through to early spring, at the same time that the leaves are produced as winter groundcover.

Index of Bulbs from
P Infill2 Plants Index Gallery

Further details on bulbs from the Infill Galleries:-
Hardy Bulbs
...Aconitum
...Allium
...Alstroemeria
...Anemone
...Amaryllis
...Anthericum
...Antholyzas
...Apios
...Arisaema
...Arum
...Asphodeline
...Asphodelus
...Belamcanda
...Bloomeria
...Brodiaea
...Bulbocodium
...Calochorti
...Cyclobothrias
...Camassia
...Colchicum
...Convallaria 
...Forcing Lily of the Valley
...Corydalis
...Crinum
...Crosmia
...Montbretia
...Crocus
...Cyclamen
...Dicentra
...Dierama
...Eranthis
...Eremurus
...Erythrnium
...Eucomis
...Fritillaria
...Funkia
...Galanthus
...Galtonia
...Gladiolus
...Hemerocallis
...Hyacinth
...Hyacinths in Pots
...Scilla
...Puschkinia
...Chionodoxa
...Chionoscilla
...Muscari
...Iris
...Kniphofia
...Lapeyrousia
...Leucojum
...Lilium
...Lilium in Pots
...Malvastrum
...Merendera
...Milla
...Narcissus
...Narcissi in Pots
...Ornithogalum
...Oxalis
...Paeonia
...Ranunculus
...Romulea
...Sanguinaria
...Sternbergia
...Schizostylis
...Tecophilaea
...Trillium
...Tulip
...Zephyranthus
Half-Hardy Bulbs
...Acidanthera
...Albuca
...Alstroemeri
...Andro-stephium
...Bassers
...Boussing-aultias
...Bravoas
...Cypellas
...Dahlias
...Galaxis,
...Geissorhizas
...Hesperanthas
...Gladioli
...Ixias
...Sparaxises
...Babianas
...Morphixias
...Tritonias
...Ixiolirions
...Moraeas
...Ornithogalums
...Oxalises
...Phaedra-nassas
...Pancratiums
...Tigridias
...Zephyranthes
...Cooperias

Cyclamen hederifolium
(Persian Violet, Syn. Cyclamen neapolitanum)

Pink flowers are produced before the leaves

November, December

Spreading
Scented
5 Petals
 

5 x 6
(12 x 15)
Chalk, Peat, Sand
Part Shade under trees or shrubs
Dry

Ivy-shaped, mottled leaves are variably colored, but usually gray-green with silver and white marbling.

 

Deciduous and coniferous Woodland. Shaded part of Rock Garden. Coastal conditions as well. Almost evergreen ground cover.
Houseplant and Pot plant. Mass in front of shrubs / trees.

Self-seeds freely. Rare native UK plant from the Primrose Family. Same cultivation techniques as for cyclamen cilicium. Very long lived.

F

See Rock Garden Plant Index F Page for further details of Fritillaria. The bulbs of all fritillaria are very fragile and must be handled with care.

The Fritillaria Group is a special interest group within the Alpine Garden Society.
See Gardenia with their pages on plant combinations of Fritillaria with other plants.

Fritillaria imperiallis
(Imperial fritillary, Crown Imperial, Crown Imperial fritillary)

Orange,
Yellow or
Red.

July
July
July

Mat
6 petall,
Bell-shape flowers in a whorl

60 x 12
(150 x 30)
Plants succeed in most fertile, well-drained, humus-rich soils, avoiding pure chalk, heavy clay and boggy sites. Sand, or raised scree.
Light woodland shade.
Dry

Lance-shaped, glossy, Light Green

Use in sunny border or rock garden. Deer, squiirels and rodent resistant. Plant a low ground cover over bulbs to shade these bulbs from the sun. Grow in Pot, Coastal Conditions, Mass and speciman.

The bulbs have an unpleasant foxy odour. Prone to attack by lily beetles. Companion plants are Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' and the Lily family - see Companion Planting. Use in greenhouse. Cottage garden, Alpine House

Fritillaria imperiallis 'Lutea'

Bright Yellow.

July

Mat
6 petal,
Bell-shape flowers in a whorl

60 x 12
(150 x 30)
Plants succeed in most fertile, well-drained, humus-rich soils, avoiding pure chalk, heavy clay and boggy sites. Sand, or raised scree.
Light woodland shade.
Dry

Light Green

Use in sunny border or rock garden. Deer, squiirels and rodent resistant. Plant a low ground cover over bulbs to shade these bulbs from the sun. Grow in Pot, Coastal Conditions, Mass and speciman.

The bulbs have an unpleasant foxy odour. Prone to attack by lily beetles. Companion plants are Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' and the Lily family - see Companion Planting. Use in greenhouse. Cottage garden, Alpine House

Fritillaria imperiallis
'Rubra Maxima'

Orange-Red.

July

Mat
6 petal,
Bell-shape flowers in a whorl

48 x 12
(120 x 30)

Light Green

Use in sunny border or rock garden.Deer, squiirels and rodent resistant. Plant a low ground cover over bulbs to shade these bulbs from the sun. Grow in Pot, Coastal Conditions, Mass and speciman.

The bulbs have an unpleasant foxy odour. Prone to attack by lily beetles. Companion plants are Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' and the Lily family. Use in greenhouse. Cottage garden, Alpine House

G

Galanthus.co.uk contains information on all aspects of snowdrops, their care and their cultivation; based on their experience.
See Gardenia with their pages on plant combinations of Galanthus (Snowdrops) with other plants.

There are another 207 Gladiolii detailed in the Gladiolus Photo Gallery.
See Gardenia with their pages on plant combinations of Gladiolus (Sword Lilies) with other plants.

Galanthus elwesii (Snowdrop)

White

March

Mat.
Honey scented, 6 tepal, bell-shaped flowers in 2 whorls

8 x 12
(21 x 30)

Chalk, Part Shade
Moist

2-3 narrow (to 1.25 inch wide), linear, basal glaucous green leaves (to 4 inch long at flowering)

Best massed in sweeping drifts in areas where they can naturalize, such as open woodland areas, woodland margins or in lawns under large deciduous trees. Rock Garden and Edging. Houseplant.

A giant-flowered snowdrop with honey-scented blooms, which have two delicate green marks on the petals. The leaves are grey-green in colour.

Gladiolus communis
subsp. byzantinus
(Byzantine gladiolus. Known as Jacks or Whistling Jacks in Isles of Scilly, Cornwall and Devon)

Deep Magenta

June, July

Clump.
6 petal, trumpet shaped blooms in a spike

36 x 12
(90 x 30)

Well-drained Sand, Chalk
Full Sun
Dry - but do not allow soils to dry out during the growing season

Narrow sword-shaped basal mid green leaves in a fan of 3-5.

Use in middle of suuny bed, hedgerows, cottage garden. Good with Centaurea cyanus and Papaver rhoes 'Shirley'. Grow with border phloxes to cover its position later. Houseplant. Plants will naturalize in the garden over time by cormlets and self-seeding.

It is fully hardy but does not like wet winters. Mulch in winter with hay/straw or evergreen boughs. Weed in Australia. When foliage of any gladioli goes yellow, remove corm from pot or ground to dry before planting later in the year

Gladiolus papilio
'Butterfly'
(Butterfly sword lily)

Red, Yellow, Pink

July, August

Clump.
4 Ruffled petals of hooded funnel flowers in a spike

24-36 x 6 (60-90 x 15)

Sand, Chalk
Full Sun
Dry

Narrow, Grey-Green

Use in Cottage/Informal Garden style beds and borders. Useful Cut Flower. Can be used in Poor Soil. Speciman.
Houseplant -
Gladioli can be forced.

Where the plants are to tower above a groundwork of other material such as Antirrhinums, 12 inches (30 cm) each way is the most satisfactory distance with yellow Antirrhinums and blue Gladioli, scarlet Antirrhinums and white Gladioli, and vice versa.

Index of Bulbs from
Plants Extra Gallery
Bulb
Photos - Bulb

H

Helleborus are often very tolerant of dry shade conditions and associate beautifully with snowdrops, Erythronium, Primula, Pulmonaria and Tiarella. Which hellebore should you grow where?
See Gardenia with their pages on plant combinations of Helleborus (Hellebores) with other plants.

The sap of the English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) was used to glue feathers onto arrows in the Middle Ages and to stiffen ruffs in Tudor times.

BULB, CORM, RHIZOME AND TUBER INDEX - There are over 700 bulbs in the bulb galleries.
The respective flower thumbnail, months of flowering, height and width,
foliage thumbnail,
form thumbnail
use and
comments are in the relevant index page below:-
(o): A 1, 2, 3
(o): B
(o): C 1, 2
(o): D
(o): E
(o): F
(o): G, Gladiolus
(o): H
(o): I
....: J
....: K
(o): L 1, 2
(o): M
(o): N
(o): O
(o): P
....: Q
....: R
(o): S
(o): T
....: U
(o): V
....: W
(o): XYZ
Type of Form (Mat, Cushion, Spreading, Clump, Stemless, Upright),
Soil Type,
Sun Aspect,
Soil Moisture,
Foliage Colour,
Uses
added, starting in March 2020 with Bulb Allium Anemone Gallery

Hedysarum
hedysaroides
(Alpine French Honeysuckle, Alpine Sainfoin)

Red-Violet

August, September

Clump.
Spike

24 x 36
(60 x 90)

Alkaline Sand
Full Sun
Dry

Mid-Green

Attractive to Bees and suitable for a Rock Garden.

Native habitat of Alpine French Honeysuckle is gravel river bars, roadsides, rocky hills and meadows, 1200-2500 metres in the Alps.

Helleborus
foetidus
(Stinking Hellebore is in the Buttercup Wildflower Family, Bear's Foot, Dungwort, Stinkwort.

Green

February, March,
April, May

Upright.
Terminal clusters of bell-shaped flowers

30 x 18
(75 x 45)

Chalk or well-drained Clay
Full Sun, but prefers Shade
Moist

Mulch annually in autumn. Prevent soil from being dry or water-logged.

Dark Grey, palmate, deeply cut leaves

Grow in groups in mixed or shrub border, or naturalized in woodland garden. Contrasts well with Hostas and Ferns.

A native UK plant in woods, and scrub on chalk and limestone. Plant at foot of deciduous shrubs, where it will show up strongly once the shrub's leaves have been shed.

Helleborus
niger
(Christmas Rose, Black Hellebore)

White

February, March,
April, May

Clump.
5 Sepals, cup-shaped flower

12 x 18
(30 x 45)

Well-drained Clay, Scree.
Prefers Part Shade instead of Full Shade.
Moist

Dark Green

In woods mix with Anemone nemerosa, Anemone trifolia, Cyclamen purpurascens.

Grow in groups in mixed or shrub border, or naturalized in woodland garden. Deer resistant. Place patio pot near kitchen to enjoy the winter bloom.

Mulch the Christmas Rose annually in autumn. Prevent soil from being dry or waterlogged. Always wear gloves when handling hellebores due to its poison. Cottage garden.

Helleborus
orientalis
(Lenten Rose, Lenten Hellebore, Oriental Hellebore)

White or
Greenish Cream

February, March,
April, May

Clump
5 Sepals, Cup-shaped flower

18 x 18
(45 x 45)

Well-drained Clay
Part Shade
Moist

Dark Green

Grow Lenten Rose in groups in mixed or shrub border, or naturalized in deciduous woodland garden. Repels deer.

Mulch the Lenten Rose annually in autumn. Prevent soil from being dry or water-logged. Always wear gloves when handling hellebores due to its poison.

Helleborus orientalis
abchasicus
(Lenten Rose)

Pale Green tinted
Reddish-Purple

February, March,
April, May

Clump
5 Sepals, cup-shaped flowers - Locate plants near a kitchen window, patio or walkway so that the early bloom may be enjoyed to the fullest.

18 x 18
(45 x 45)
Clay. Shallow rocky soil. Very tolerant of most soils. They prefer a sheltered position in semi shade with a rich, moist free draining soil.

Dark Green. New leaves develop in April with a second generation in the autumn.
Remove old leaves in late December.

Grow in groups in mixed or shrub border, or naturalized in woodland garden. May also be massed to form an attractive ground cover.

Mulch the Lenten Rose annually in autumn. Prevent soil from being dry or water-logged. Always wear gloves when handling hellebores due to its poison.

Hyacinthoides hispanica
(Scilla hispanica, Scilla campanulata, Endymion hispanicus, Spanish Bluebell, Wood Hyacinth)

Blue

April, May

Clump.
6 petal, bell-shaped, not fragrant flowers in Spike

17 x 5
(42 x 12)

Chalk, Prefers Sand.
Part Shade
Moist

Resistant to deer and rodents

2-6 Glossy Dark Green strap-shaped

Cut flower, bedding.

Grow in groups as underplanting in shrub border, or naturalized in grass or woodland garden. Edging and Rock Garden.

May be grown in pots/containers, alone or in combination with other spring flowering bulbs.
The Spanish Bluebell self-seeds.

Website Structure Explanation and User Guidelines

Hyacinthoides
non-scripta
(formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta,
English Bluebell, Common Bluebell, Bluebell)

The English Bluebell is Native UK plant in the Lily Family.

Mid-Blue or
White

April, May
April, May

Clump
Scented, recurved tepal, tubular flowers in one-sided spike

12 x 3
(30 x 8)

Chalk,
Part Shade
Moist

Good in woodland in association with Red Campion and Greater Stitchwort.

Glossy Dark Green

Plant them in pots and once they have flowered , replace the pots into the greenhouse until the following year, because of their dying foliage.

Grow in groups as under-planting in shrub border, or naturalized in grass or woodland garden.

Its natural Habitat is Woodland, hedgerows, shady banks, under bracken on coastal cliffs and uplands. Pollinated by bumblebees. They flower at the same time as hyacinths, Narcissus and some tulips.

I

The British Iris Society was founded in 1922 by iris enthusiasts whose interests were primarily to establish a forum for the exchange of views and knowledge of the genus.

Impatiens
tinctoria
(Balsam)

Scented White

July, August,
September, October

The butterfly-shaped flowers appear at the tops of the branches most months of the year.  The spur-shaped blossoms are white with red streaks, and have a curved, red spur in back that's almost 5 inches long!  The blooms have a sweet aroma and are especially fragrant in the morning.

96 x 36
(240 x 90)

John Innes No. 2 for pots.
Full Sun - It prefers filtered sunlight, or bright shade with some morning sun.
Moderate to high humidity - over 40% is recommended.

Large, ovate-lanceolate, Green

Can be grown as houseplant in the UK, since it is frost tender.

The plant can be brought indoors over the winter, where it may stay evergreen and continue flowering.  It will need a very large pot - at least 15 gallons.  If the pot is too small, the tubers may break it!  It can be grown outdoors in the ground in the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands if mulched heavily and given overhead protection. 

Impatiens tinctoria comes from higher elevations in central Africa, where the climate is relatively cool.  Ideally it prefers temperatures between about 50 and 80 degrees Centigrade.  It can tolerate temperatures in the 80s and even above, but it might decline in consistently hot temperatures, especially if nights are warm. Like most Impatiens, it enjoys moist, well draining soil and regular feeding. 

Iris
foetidissima
(Stinking Iris, Coral Fruit Iris, Gladwin Iris)

Roast-Beef Plant is a Native UK plant from the Iris Family.

Purple tinged
with Yellow

June, July

Stemless. Clump.

Good for seaside gardens and can be naturalized in hedge bottoms or wooded corners.

24 x 6
(60 x 15)

seed capsules.
Acidic Sand with leaf-mould.
Full Sun, Part Shade.
Dry

Dark Green, sword-shaped leaves, up to 30 inches (75 cm) long

Use a compost of equal parts light loam (sandy loam), leaf mould, and silver sand for pots inhouse.

Stinking gladwin is a species of iris found in open woodland, hedgebanks and sea-cliffs. The burst seedpods make good cuttings for bouquets. Grow in pots. Deer, Rabbit resistant. Pollinated by bumblebees.

Partially expose the rhizome when planting in groups of three; 6-12 inches apart. Mulch the Stinking Iris with organic matter in the Spring. After 4 years, divide and replant in fresh soil. Self-seeds.

Iris laevigata
(Japanese Water Iris, Rabbit-ear Iris, Kakitsubata, Kombirei )

The Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA) has further details on this plant.

Purple-Blue

May, June

Stemless.
6 petals in an umbel

30 x 6
(75 x 15)

Acidic Sand with composted organic material.
Full Sun
Wet - It is found growing in shallow waters and seems to prefer marshy and still ponds although it can also be grown in damp soil if conditions are right.

Mid Green, sword-shaped leaves

Double-pot your plants for insulation from the sun’s radiant heat, also for decorative purposes and let them flower in a cold greenhouse

The Japanese Water Iris much prefers to be grown in water. Can be used in small water features as well as a marginal in ponds.

Recom-mended water depth over crown of plant:
0 - 10cm (0 - 4 inches)

Broad sword-shaped leaves with tall mid-blue iris flowers which have a narrow cream splash on the falls. For cultivation indoors of bulbous Irises, a compost of equal parts light loam (sandy loam), leaf mould, and silver sand

Iris pseudacorus
(Yellow Flag, Pale yellow iris, water flag)

Yellow Flag is a Native UK plant from the Iris Family.

Yellow

3 large downward-spreading sepals and 3 smaller erect petals

August, September

Stemless.

3 petals in star-shaped flower.

36-48 x 12 (90-120 x 30)

Acidic Sand.
Full Sun
Wet - Grows in water to 25 cm deep, or very near water, such as lakeside muds.

Grey-Green, sword-like

Mulch with organic matter in the Spring.

Yellow Flag can be invasive when planted as a marginal in a pond. Clumped distribution in grasslands, more linear growth in woodlands. Indoor plant within water.

Partially expose the rhizome when planting in groups of three 6-12 inches apart. After 4 years, divide and replant in fresh soil. It is a weed in New Zealand and prohibited in USA. It is used as an erosion control plant

M

Mitella breweri
(Bishop's Cap, Mitrewort)

Yellowish-Green

May, June, July

Clump.
5 petals in saucer-shaped flowers on a
Spike.

6 x 8
(15 x 21)

Leafy Acidic Sand.
Part Shade
Moist

Mid Green, shiny, hairy

Use for groundcover in a woodland garden. Grows in moist meadows, moist woods, along streams and mountain forests. Suitable for containers.

Self-seeds freely. Very pretty tiny pale green flowers on many short flower spikes. It creeps to form dense carpets under trees and shrubs.

Mimulus
primuloides
(Erythranthe primuloides, Monkey Flower, Musk)
UK native plant Primrose Monkeyflower from the Figwort Family
 

Yellow with Red-spotted
throats

July, August

Moss-like Mat.
5 Sepal, tubular-shaped flower on a stem

4 x 8
(9 x 21)

Clay, Peaty.
Full Sun, Part Shade.
Very Moist - Native USA Plant in Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast.

Light to Mid Green, lance-shaped leaves in a basal rosette.

Plant in damp section of rock garden. A ground cover for small, moist situations, creek side situations.

It grows in wet habitat in mountains and plateau areas, such as stream banks.
The plant forms like bulblets which go dormant in winter so it should emerge again in Spring.

O

Omphalodes
cappadocica
(Cappadocian Navelwort, Blue-eyed Mary)

White-eyed,
azure Blue

April

Clump.
5 petal, star-shaped flower on a spray

10 x 16
(24 x 39)

Chalk, Peaty.
Part Shade
Moist

The foliage is a very bright green and heart shaped, forming 40cm patches of tight rosettes all year round.

Use Navelwort as groundcover in a moist, shady, border, rock garden or woodland garden to create a slowly creeping carpet of shiny leaves

Prefers areas with moist soil and dappled shade in the afternoon but can tolerate occasional periods of drought.
Native to woodland habitats in Turkey.

Ophiopogon
planiscapus
(Lilyturf, Mondo Grass)

Pale Purplish-White

July, August

Clump, Spreading.
5 petal, bell-shaped flowers on a spike

8 x 12
(21 x 30)

Acid Sand with Peaty.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Moist

The Japanese have been selecting new color forms, some may be grown by Plant Delights Nursery.
 

Tufts of grass-like, Dark Green leaves

Can be used as a turf subst-itute (no mowing though)

Grow as grassy groundcover, for border edging, in a rock garden, in pots, edging or peat bed. It is native to Japan, where it grows on open and forested slopes.

Top-dress annually with leaf mould in the autumn.
The plants spread by underground stolons with thick fleshy roots making fair sized colonies which can be separated by division in the spring.

Ophiopogon
planiscapus
'Nigrescens'
(Lilyturf, Mondo Grass)

Pale Purplish-White

July, August

Clump, stemless,
Spreading.
5 petal, bell-shaped flowers on a Short spike

8 x 12
(21 x 30)

seed capsules

Acid Sand with Peaty.
Full Sun, but prefers Part Shade.
Moist

Almost Black foliage

Can be used as a turf subst-itute (no mowing though)

Grow as grassy groundcover in raised beds, for border edging, in a rock garden or peat bed. Also alongside streams and pond margins. This may also be grown in containers and wintered indoors in a sunny window.

For growth as a ground cover, plants are best spaced 4” apart.
Top-dress annually with leaf mould in the autumn. Contrast this with yellow or grey-foliaged plants, such as Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea') or Creeping Lamium (Lamium maculatum).

S

Scilla siberica is 1 of the 4 scilla detailed in the Rock Garden Plant Index S Page, which can be used as an alpine in a rock garden.

Scilla siberica
(Siberian Squill, Wood Squill)
 

Bright Blue

April, May

Stemless, Erect.

6 Petal, star or bell-shaped flowers in a spike

6 x 6
(15 x 15)

Deep, fertile, well-drained Chalk or Sand.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Dry

Thin, sword-like, Mid Green leaves

Grow very well in the garden, thriving under trees or the open border.
Grow under edge of deciduous woodland and shrubs, naturalizes in grass or scattered in rock garden. Grow in pans in Alpine House

Plant 3-4 inches deep and 6-8 inches apart in grass, and it will spread by seed to form large colonies that go dormant by the time grass needs to be mowed. Keep dry during summer dormancy. To extend the spring floral show, mix scilla with other early spring bulbs that spread, such as  snowdrops and glory-of-the-snow, which bloom a little earlier. Or try planting them under the forsythia.

Scilla
peruviana
(Portuguese Squill, Giant Scilla)

Purplish-Blue or
White

Poisonous if ingested.

June
June

Clump.

Up to 100 of
6 tepal,
star-shaped flowers within a 6 inch (15 cm) sphere

12 x 12
(30 x 30)

Deep fertile Chalk, but prefers Sand.
Full Sun, Part Shade.
Dry

24 inch
(60 cm) long green strap-shaped leaves develops in the autumn as old leaves fade.

Plant with neck at soil level and 6-8 inches apart.

Grow under deciduous trees and shrubs, or in grass.
Suitable for growing in sheltered gardens only, otherwise grow it in pots.
 

Completely unlike any of the other Scillas. Plant with neck at soil level and 6-8 inches apart. It mixes brightly with pinks and whites, and contrast crisply with yellows and golds - from Scilla Planting Guide

Symphytum
ibericum
(Symphytum grandiflorum of gardens, Comfrey, Dwarf Comfrey, Georgian Comfrey, Iberium Comfrey)

Pale Yellow

May, June

Upright Mounds.
Tubular flowers in a terminal spray

16 x 24
(39 x 60)

Fertile Chalk, Fertile Clay, or Sand with Peaty.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Moist

Hairy Mid Green

Excellent ground-cover plant for a shady border or woodland garden, but they can be rampant. Attracts bees and butterflies. Suitable for coastal conditions.

Erect Form becomes Decumbent (Growing close to the ground but usually with upward-growing tips). Makes impenetrable weed-cover in shade - particularly beneath trees and shrubs where it is difficult to establish other plants.

T

Tricyrtis hirta
(Tricyrtis japonica, Toad Lily, Japanese Toad Lily)

Purple-spotted
White

August, September,
October

Clump
6 tepal, star-shaped flowers in a bunch

30 x 24
(75 x 60)

Deep fertile humus in Chalk or prefers acidic Sand.
Part Shade, Full Shade.
Moist

Pale Green

Use Toad Lily in woodland garden, a shady border, naturalized or a peat bank. Useful cut flower, and in pots which never dry out.

Plant in areas where they can be easily observed at close range, because the beauty and detail of the small flowers becomes lost at a distance.
Plant it with Astilbes for a nice textural contrast, or with Cimifuga ‘Black Negligee’ to bring out the purple of the flowers.

Site design and content copyright ©January 2007.
Page structure amended November 2012.
Feet changed to inches (cms) July 2015.
Index structure changed and links from thumbnail to another bulb page changed from adding that bulb description page to changing page to that bulb description page November 2015.
Colour Wheel per Month and Index to other Bulbs in other Bulb Galleries added May 2017.
Bulb Description Pages updated April 2018.
Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.  

There are other pages on Plants which bloom in each month of the year in this website:-

• 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index
• Plants Blue, Orange, Red, Yellow, White, Other Colours which lead on to other pages
• Colour Wheel - All Flowers per Month 12
• Bedding
• Bulb
• Climber
• Deciduous Shrub
• Deciduous Tree
• Evergreen Perennial
• Evergreen Shrub
• Evergreen Tree
• Herbaceous Perennial
• Rhododendron
• Rose
• Wild Flower
  
   
• Plants for Cut Flowers in
  January
  February
  March
  April
  May
  June
  July
  August
  September
  October
  November
  December

• Climber 3 sector Vertical Plant System with flowers in
  Jan,
  Feb,
  Mar,
  Apr,
  May 1, 2
  Jun,
  Jul,
  Aug,
  Sep,
  Oct,
  Nov,
  Dec
   

• Indoor Bulbs for
  December
  January
  February
• Indoor Bulbs for
  March
  April
  May
• Indoor
  Bulbs for
  June
  July
  August
• Indoor Bulbs for
  September
  October
  November
• Plant Bloom
  Dec-Jan
  Feb-Mar
• Plant Bloom
  Apr-May
  Jun-Aug
• Plant Bloom
  Sep-Oct
  Nov-Dec

THE 2 EUREKA EFFECT PAGES FOR UNDERSTANDING SOIL AND HOW PLANTS INTERACT WITH IT OUT OF 15,000:-

• THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 2 QUARTZ GRAIN SIBLINGS, and
• HOW ROOTS OF PLANTS ARE IN CONTROL IN THE SOIL
• before continuing in this website.

Explanation of Structure of this Website with User Guidelines Page for those photo galleries with Photos (of either ones I have taken myself or others which have been loaned only for use on this website from external sources)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Choose 1 of these different Plant selection Methods:-

1. Choose a plant from 1 of 53 flower colours in the Colour Wheel Gallery.

2. Choose a plant from 1 of 12 flower colours in each month of the year from 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index Gallery.

3. Choose a plant from 1 of 6 flower colours per month for each type of plant:-
Aquatic
Bedding
Bulb
Climber
Conifer
Deciduous Shrub
Deciduous Tree
Evergreen Perennial
Evergreen Shrub
Evergreen Tree
Hedging
Herbaceous Perennial
Herb
Odds and Sods
Rhododendron
Rose
Soft Fruit
Top Fruit
Wild Flower

4. Choose a plant from its Flower Shape:-
Shape, Form
Index
Flower Shape

5. Choose a plant from its foliage:-
Bamboo
Conifer
Fern
Grass
Vegetable

6. There are 6 Plant Selection Levels including Bee Pollinated Plants for Hay Fever Sufferers in
Plants Topic.

or

7. When I do not have my own or ones from mail-order nursery photos , then from March 2016, if you want to start from the uppermost design levels through to your choice of cultivated and wildflower plants to change your Plant Selection Process then use the following galleries:-

• Create and input all plants known by Amateur Gardening inserted into their Sanders' Encyclopaedia from their edition published in 1960 (originally published by them in 1895) into these
  • Stage 1 - Garden Style Index Gallery,
    then
  • Stage 2 - Infill Plants Index Gallery being the only gallery from these 7 with photos (from Wikimedia Commons) ,
    then
  • Stage 3 - All Plants Index Gallery with each plant species in its own Plant Type Page followed by choice from Stage 4a, 4b, 4c and/or 4d REMEMBERING THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE SELECTION FROM THE CHOICES MADE IN STAGES 1 AND 2
  • Stage 4a - 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index Gallery,
  • Stage 4b - 12 Foliage Colours per Month Index Gallery with
  • Stage 4c - Cultivation, Position, Use Index Gallery and
  • Stage 4d - Shape, Form Index Gallery
  • Unfortunately, if you want to have 100's of choices on selection of plants from 1000's of 1200 pixels wide by up to 16,300 pixels in length webpages, which you can jump to from almost any of the pages in these 7 galleries above, you have to put up with those links to those choices being on
    • the left topic menu table,
    • the header of the middle data table and on
    • the page/index menu table on the right of every page of those galleries.

I like reading and that is shown by the index in my Library, where I provide lists of books to take you between designing, maintaining or building a garden and the hierarchy of books on plants taking you from

• the coffee-table book where different blue primrose cultivars occur in the prose on pages 17, 90 and 202,
• to ones where there is a table of primrose cultivars with blue flowers on a single page,
• to what plants to associate with those blue primroses and
• companion plants for them.

Functional combinations in the border from the International Flower Bulb Centre in Holland:-

"Here is a list of the perennials shown by research to be the best plants to accompany various flower bulbs. The flower bulbs were tested over a period of years in several perennial borders that had been established for at least three years.

In combination with hyacinths:

• Alchemilla plants or seeds with book and Plant Crib
• Campanula lactiflora seeds
• Campanula poscharskyana
• Geranium (diverse soorten en cultivars zoals psilostemon, sanguineum) plants or seeds
• Hosta plants or seeds
• Nepeta faassenii plants or seeds
• Ophiopogon plants or seeds
• Salvia nemorosa plants or seeds
• Solidago plants or seeds (not to be confused with Solidago Riders)
• Teucrium plants or seeds

In combination with tulips:

• Anemone hybrids
• Agastache perennial herbs
• Aster hybrid seeds or plants (could make the train to see them using one from Aster Hobbies - Gauge One Live Steam models!)
• Astrantia plants or seeds
• Centranthus plants or seeds
• Dicentra plants or seeds
• Geranium (many cultivars such as versicolor, macrorrhizum, psilostemon, ‘Philippe Vapelle’) plants or seeds
• Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’
• Helleborus plants or seeds
• Hemerocallis plants or seeds with British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society
• Heuchera plants or seeds
• Kalimeris plants or seeds
• Lavandula - as seeds for shrubs, as hedges
• Monarda plants or seeds
• Origanum hybrid plants or seeds
• Sidalcea hybrid plants or seeds
• Stachys grandiflora ‘Superba’
• Thalictrum plant or seed
• Veronica longifolia plant or seed
• Veronicastrum plants or seeds

In combination with narcissi:

• Alchemilla plants or seeds with book and Plant Crib
• Astilbe plants or seeds
• Brunnera plants or seeds
• Carex plants or seeds
• Chelone plants or seeds
• Darmera plants or seeds
• Epimedium plants or seeds
• Geranium (many species and cultivars such as magnificum, endressii, macrorrhizum) plants or seeds
• Gillenia plants or seeds
• Hemerocallis plants or seeds with British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society
• Hosta plants or seeds
• Kirengeshoma palmata
• Lamium plants or seeds
• Ligularia dentata
• Lysimachia punctata
• Lysimachia clethroides
• Omphalodes plants or seeds
• Pulmonaria plants or seeds
• Tellima plants or seeds
• Waldsteinia plants or seeds

For narcissi, the choice was difficult to make. The list contains only some of the perennials that are very suitable for combining with narcissi. In other words, narcissi can easily compete with perennials.

In combination with specialty bulbs:

• Aquilegia plants or seeds with DVD on 'A Guide to Aquilegias: sowing growing and breeding'
• Astilbe plants or seeds
• Bergenia plants or seeds
• Campanula ‘Birch Hybrid’ plants or seeds
• Campanula portenschlagiana plants or seeds
• Geranium (diverse soorten en cultivars zoals sanguineum, wlassovianum) plants or seeds
• Hemerocallis plants or seeds with British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society
• Heuchera plants or seeds
• Lamium orvala plants or seeds
• Waldsteinia plants or seeds".

Before reaching for the pesticides, here are a few alternative natural, non-toxic methods of slug control:  

• Watering Schedule - Far and away the best course of action against slugs in your garden is a simple adjustment in the watering schedule. Slugs are most active at night and are most efficient in damp conditions. Avoid watering your garden in the evening if you have a slug problem. Water in the morning - the surface soil will be dry by evening. Studies show this can reduce slug damage by 80%.

• Seaweed - If you have access to seaweed, it's well worth the effort to gather. Seaweed is not only a good soil amendment for the garden, it's a natural repellent for slugs. Mulch with seaweed around the base of plants or perimeter of bed. Pile it on 3" to 4" thick - when it dries it will shrink to just an inch or so deep. Seaweed is salty and slugs avoid salt. Push the seaweed away from plant stems so it's not in direct contact. During hot weather, seaweed will dry and become very rough which also deters the slugs.

• Copper - Small strips of copper can be placed around flower pots or raised beds as obstructions for slugs to crawl over. Cut 2" strips of thin copper and wrap around the lower part of flower pots, like a ribbon. Or set the strips in the soil on edge, making a "fence" for the slugs to climb. Check to make sure no vegetation hangs over the copper which might provide a 'bridge' for the slugs. Copper barriers also work well around wood barrels used as planters.
A non-toxic copper-based metallic mesh Slug Shield is available which can be wrapped around the stem of plants and acts as a barrier to slugs. When slugs come in contact with the mesh they receive an electric-like shock. The mesh also serves as a physical barrier. These slug shields are reusable, long-lasting and weather-proof.

• Diatomaceous Earth - Diatomaceous earth (Also known as "Insect Dust") is the sharp, jagged skeletal remains of microscopic creatures. It lacerates soft-bodied pests, causing them to dehydrate. A powdery granular material, it can be sprinkled around garden beds or individual plants, and can be mixed with water to make a foliar spray.
Diatomaceous earth is less effective when wet, so use during dry weather. Wear protective gear when applying, as it can irritate eyes and lungs. Be sure to buy natural or agricultural grade diatomaceous earth, not pool grade which has smoother edges and is far less effective. Click for more information or to purchase Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth.

• Electronic "slug fence" - An electronic slug fence is a non-toxic, safe method for keeping slugs out of garden or flower beds. The Slugs Away fence is a 24-foot long, 5" ribbon-like barrier that runs off a 9 volt battery. When a slug or snail comes in contact with the fence, it receives a mild static sensation that is undetectable to animals and humans. This does not kill the slug, it cause it to look elsewhere for forage. The battery will power the fence for about 8 months before needing to be replaced. Extension kits are availabe for increased coverage. The electronic fence will repel slugs and snails, but is harmless to people and pets.

• Lava Rock - Like diatomaceous earth, the abrasive surface of lava rock will be avoided by slugs. Lava rock can be used as a barrier around plantings, but should be left mostly above soil level, otherwise dirt or vegetation soon forms a bridge for slugs to cross.

• Salt - If all else fails, go out at night with the salt shaker and a flashlight. Look at the plants which have been getting the most damage and inspect the leaves, including the undersides. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the slug and it will kill it quickly. Not particularly pleasant, but use as a last resort. (Note: some sources caution the use of salt, as it adds a toxic element to the soil. This has not been our experience, especially as very little salt is used.)

• Beer - Slugs are attracted to beer. Set a small amount of beer in a shallow wide jar buried in the soil up to its neck. Slugs will crawl in and drown. Take the jar lid and prop it up with a small stick so rain won't dilute the beer. Leave space for slugs to enter the trap.

• Overturned Flowerpots, Grapefruit Halves, Board on Ground - Overturned flowerpots, with a stone placed under the rim to tilt it up a bit, will attract slugs. Leave overnight, and you'll find the slugs inside in the morning. Grapefruit halves work the same way, with the added advantage of the scent of the fruit as bait.
Another trap method, perhaps the simplest of all, is to set a wide board on the ground by the affected area. Slugs will hide under the board by day. Simply flip the board over during the day to reveal the culprits. Black plastic sheeting also works the same way.

• Garlic-based slug repellents
Laboratory tests at the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (UK) revealed that a highly refined garlic product (ECOguard produced by ECOspray Ltd, a British company that makes organic pesticides) was an effective slug killer. Look for garlic-based slug deterrents which will be emerging under various brand names, as well as ECOguard.

• Coffee grounds; new caffeine-based slug/snail poisons - Coffee grounds scattered on top of the soil will deter slugs. The horticultural side effects of using strong grounds such as espresso on the garden, however, are less certain. When using coffee grounds, moderation is advised.
A study in June 2002 reported in the journal Nature found that slugs and snails are killed when sprayed with a caffeine solution, and that spraying plants with this solution prevents slugs from eating them. The percentage of caffeine required in a spray (1 - 2%) is greater than what is found in a cup of coffee (.05 - 07%), so homemade sprays are not as effective. Look for new commercial sprays which are caffeine-based.

If you want to read some light relief material about plants visit Plants are the Strangest People.

The following details come from Cactus Art:-

"A flower is the the complex sexual reproductive structure of Angiosperms, typically consisting of an axis bearing perianth parts, androecium (male) and gynoecium (female).    

Bisexual flower show four distinctive parts arranged in rings inside each other which are technically modified leaves: Sepal, petal, stamen & pistil. This flower is referred to as complete (with all four parts) and perfect (with "male" stamens and "female" pistil). The ovary ripens into a fruit and the ovules inside develop into seeds.

Incomplete flowers are lacking one or more of the four main parts. Imperfect (unisexual) flowers contain a pistil or stamens, but not both. The colourful parts of a flower and its scent attract pollinators and guide them to the nectary, usually at the base of the flower tube.

Androecium (male Parts or stamens)
It is made up of the filament and anther, it is the pollen producing part of the plant.
Anther This is the part of the stamen that produces and contains pollen. 
Filament This is the fine hair-like stalk that the anther sits on top of.
Pollen This is the dust-like male reproductive cell of flowering plants.

Gynoecium (female Parts or carpels or pistil)
 It is made up of the stigma, style, and ovary. Each pistil is constructed of one to many rolled leaflike structures.
Stigma
This is the part of the pistil  which receives the pollen grains and on which they germinate. 
Style
This is the long stalk that the stigma sits on top of ovary. 
Ovary
The part of the plant that contains the ovules. 
Ovule
The part of the ovary that becomes the seeds. 

Petal 
The colorful, often bright part of the flower (corolla). 
Sepal 
The parts that look like little green leaves that cover the outside of a flower bud (calix). 
(Undifferentiated "Perianth segment" that are not clearly differentiated into sepals and petals, take the names of tepals.)"

The following details come from Nectary Genomics:-

"NECTAR. Many flowering plants attract potential pollinators by offering a reward of floral nectar. The primary solutes found in most nectars are varying ratios of sucrose, glucose and fructose, which can range from as little a 8% (w/w) in some species to as high as 80% in others. This abundance of simple sugars has resulted in the general perception that nectar consists of little more than sugar-water; however, numerous studies indicate that it is actually a complex mixture of components. Additional compounds found in a variety of nectars include other sugars, all 20 standard amino acids, phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, vitamins, organic acids, oils, free fatty acids, metal ions and proteins.

NECTARIES. An organ known as the floral nectary is responsible for producing the complex mixture of compounds found in nectar. Nectaries can occur in different areas of flowers, and often take on diverse forms in different species, even to the point of being used for taxonomic purposes. Nectaries undergo remarkable morphological and metabolic changes during the course of floral development. For example, it is known that pre-secretory nectaries in a number of species accumulate large amounts of starch, which is followed by a rapid degradation of amyloplast granules just prior to anthesis and nectar secretion. These sugars presumably serve as a source of nectar carbohydrate.

WHY STUDY NECTAR? Nearly one-third of all worldwide crops are dependent on animals to achieve efficient pollination. In addition, U.S. pollinator-dependent crops have been estimated to have an annual value of up to $15 billion. Many crop species are largely self-incompatible (not self-fertile) and almost entirely on animal pollinators to achieve full fecundity; poor pollinator visitation has been reported to reduce yields of certain species by up to 50%."