Ranunculus
Comments(23)
Photo: Pink and white Ranunculus
This afternoon I fell in love.
I was in Waitrose with my mother. Standing beside the flower stand. I don’t buy flowers for the cottage anymore but my mum often buys me flowers when we go shopping.
“Why, these are beautiful.”
She picked up some soft yet elegant flowers that we’d never seen before. We examined the label – Ranunculus. Such a clumsy name for an exquisite flower. Apparently it comes from the Latin and means little frog. As both the amphibian and plant enjoy a little damp.
I’ve spent the evening getting acquainted with Ranunculus. The corms can be planted in the autumn for spring flowering and in the spring for summer flowering. They prefer a sunny spot but not too dry. Perfect.
However I couldn’t find a strain with the different pinks of my posy. I can buy white or pink or some rather expensive pink and white tinged with purple. There is a brightly coloured mixed strain available too. These are much cheaper and Dobies sells these ranunculus bulbs.
So instead of an Easter egg this year, I’m investing in pink and white Ranunculus. A real boudoir flower that will add a lot of charm to the main herbaceous border. I’m hoping that the pink and white flowers will cross fertilise. If I raised their seed in the cold frame over winter I might eventually have flowers that range from white to pink.
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I love these too. So are the spring and summer flowers from the same corms then, just planted at different times of the year?
I adore these flowers, they are so beautiful.
“Boudoir” is the perfect word to describe these. There’s a touch of the old English garden about them too. I hope you are successful with the range of delicate pinks.
These so remind me of my mother who had realms of Ranunculus planted in a special border in Australia. I’ve hesitated in planting them in Luxembourg as I fear they would not survive the frosts nor the malicious moles who devour my tulips!
They used to sell the plants in pots in the Spring in Holland, all colours, v. cheap…used to get carried away and cram as many as possible into my window boxes, but never managed to get the little corms to re-grow the following year. They are the most beautiful things,seeing your photo I’m so tempted to try them again, seed catalogue is beckoning…
I love them too they’re very beautiful and doesn’t the cottage look fresh and bright in the background too.
they sound, and look, much nicer than an easter egg! good choice!
Hi Pamela
Yes they are the same corms – just planted in the Autumn for Spring flowers and in the Spring for Summer flowers.
Hi Jules
They are wonderful flowers. I can’t believe that I have never noticed them before.
Hello Casalba
Thanks for dropping by.
I hope that I can cross the pink and white too!
Hi Scintilla
The corms need to be lifted in the winter if you have frosts. But the seeds can be gathered and the plantlets over wintered in a cold frame or greenhouse. Apparently this is the best way to guarantee plants for next year.
Hello Kate (uk)
Research tells me that seed planted in autumn is a better bet than harvesting the corms (see above).
Hello Amnda
Thanks for dropping by! These flowers are beautiful.
The cottage kitchen has just been decorated by me!
Hello Nadia
These corms are far, far better than an Easter egg!
I love these flowers and you don’t see them around very often. At my flower club the demonstrators never use them, which I always find baffling.
I love these flowers too. I discovered them years ago when treating myself to a post-divorce bouquet and they always fill me with renewed vigour and zest for the coming season when I see them in the spring. I live in Turkey now and was thrilled to find them on one of our local market stalls last spring. No sign of any this year yet…..
Hello Margaret
I had never clocked them before last Sunday. They are stunning and my eyes are drawn to them every time that I pass the vase.
Hi Debbie
I do hope that you will find them in the market soon.
I love the idea of a post divorce bouquet. Flowers are so healing if you’ve been unhappy.
These are beautiful. I am not sure if I have seen these before, but I have heard the name somewhere. Thank you for sharing the beautiful photo.
Hi Stacey
Yes they are beautiful! I’m sure that I’ve never seen them before. Hopefully they will be in our garden from now on.
I think these flowers are absolutely stunning. I had decided some time ago to have them in my own wedding bouquet (I am planning to grow the flowers myself). Do you think it would be possible to grow them in time for a September wedding?! Having read the other posts I think I may be a little ambitious. Would you be able to offer any alternatives?
Hello Sarah
Thanks for dropping by.
It might be worth consulting a ranunculus specialist. I don’t know whether it would be possible to get these to bloom in September as I have only just discovered them.
I can’t think of any alternative as beautiful.
I haven’t seen them in years, my mother used to grow them mixed in with anemones. Since it’s just coming into Autumn here now, I might buy a few corms of each & plant them in memory of her. Thank you for reminding me of them.
hi fiona, i bought some of these today…in bright yellow and cream, they are lovely!!
Have you seen Ranunculus Pink Picotee? It is pink or white or white flushed with pink. It might be just what you are looking for!
Hello Sarah B
Thank you so much for this tip. They’re beautiful.
I bought ranunculus corms for the first time from Waitrose. I’ve soaked them for 24 hours as directed but I don’t know whether i’ll be planting them upside down. Which is the correct way please?
Hi Maureen
Each corm has several banana type roots and these should be placed down.
I’m growing mine in 10″ pots this year as they are not frost hardy. I’ll lift the pots in the autumn and store them in the greenhouse.
Hi Fiona,
These are rather spectacular flowers, I shall look out for them to try, would love to have bluebells,and whitebells growing in my garden, another addition to my list.
Thanks for the great tip (boiling water), never heard of that to make cut flowers last longer, flowers evoke memories and bring beauty to dismal days, well worth investing in.
Well done you, your kitchen looks bright and cheerful, how on earth do you find the time and energy? I’m still in the process of making up ‘rich tomato sauce’ to freeze, your recipie of course.Thankyou for sharing with us.
Much love to all lv Odelle X
[...] so is spring! i have been planting my spring flowering bulbs, and some summer flowering ranunculus (look here) that mum got me in Amsterdam. bulb city, i would love to go [...]