A Gardener’s Miscellany
This week it’s:
Summer and autumn nerines
Belting bulbs with showy, long-lasting blooms
WHETHER you call them ‘ne-reens’, ‘neryne-ees’ or any other permutation of syllables, the flowers of these bulbous plants light up late summer and autumn gardens. But they are not always hardy in the UK; many require winter protection, so are best grown in pots. I’ve only had real success with the hardiest, Nerine bowdenii, but I’m determined to persist with the less common and more tender types, so next year I’m going to try some – again! I’ll keep you posted. Let’s look at some of the stories surrounding nerines.
These plants are named after Nerine, the mythological water nymph of Ancient Greece. It’s ironic, however, as the plant itself is
