How to Grow Anemones

There are four main types of ‘bulbous’ anemones: St Brigid, the French, the Fulgens, and the Dutch. The De Caen differs from the St Brigid in that the latter are semi-double as a rule and not quite so robust. The St Brigids are the favourite for garden work. Anemones are a very good cut flower and do quite well in a border in the sheltered parts of the garden. The apennina, blanda and nemorosa types are often grown in the rock garden or planted in the wild garden.

The Anemones do best in medium soil and they love plenty of fine organic matter. It always pays to fork in finely divided leaf mould or sedge peat at a bucketful per square metre. Anemones do not object to light shade and if early blooms are required give them a warm sheltered spot. Work the ground thoroughly before planting and see that it is clean and free from perennial weeds. Dig in organic manure as advised for hyacinths, and give a similar dressing of organic fertilizers.

Plant in October or early November for flowering in March or early April or plant in February or March for flowering from the end of August onwards. It is possible in the south at any rate to have them flowering in December and January if the anemone rows are covered with cloches. The Rock Garden and Wild Garden types are usually planted in October, though in cold parts of the north it is worth while delaying planting till the spring. Don’t plant deeper than 50 mm (2 in) in the case of the larger conns, and only 25 mm (1 in) with the smaller ones. The soil should not be dry at the time of planting. It is usual to arrange the rows 350 mm (14 in) apart for the taller types and 300 mm (12 in) apart for the shorter ones.

Cut flower growers often plant 225 mm (9 in) apart between the rows and 50 mm (2 in) apart between the corms. See that the corms are properly bedded into the ground and in the north it is worth putting bracken or pea sticks over the top in winter and early spring to break the wind and frost. Cloches are even better.

It is possible to raise St Brigid anemones by sowing seed in July for flowering the following spring or by sowing in February under cloches for flowering in late autumn.

Rananculus

The Turban Ranunculus look something like pom-pom dahlias when growing. The Persians, another type, are very susceptible to weather damage. They all like a soil rich in peaty humus and they prefer a warm south border. Plant the tubers with their claws downwards 50 mm (2 in) deep and 150 mm (6 in) apart. Plant in the autumn, and the flowers will be out in May. Delay planting till March in the north and blooming will take place from June onwards.