FLARE& f lame Linnels Farm
in association with
Welcome to our 2024 Bulb Catalogue.
A long, long time ago the UK used to experience something called ‘SEASONS’.
This year, Up North, we had winter that started last July and finally ended the following June with a week of hot weather. This has now been followed by spring this July - sunshine and showers, with the emphasis on showers. We’re starting to think the Jet Stream is so named since it makes you want to jet away to warmer climes...
Unexpected survivors who have flourished this year are the local deer, who decided the 2000 bulbs planted by the roadside were there solely as a little breakfast buffet! All stems, bar 50, snapped off at 5cm. We’re changing the saying to ‘don’t have all your plants in one border’. Once again the alliums stole the show so we’ve added even more varieties, plus a few other hardy goodies that we know will shine through any British weather.
New Additions and Introductions
Narcissi: We are introducing 2 new varieties: Beautiful Eyes (p.11) and Doll Baby (p.11) and inviting back another old favourite Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus (p.10) – one of the late pheasant’s eye narcissi flowering in May
Tulips: We tried not to get too excited this year but failed miserably when we saw the list of tulips we were offered. Finally, we got hold of Hamilton (p.26) - Sabina has been chasing him for years. Karen wanted to invite an old favourite back to the party Artist (p.27), since China Town (p.27) was so well-received last year and we both requested Helmar’s (p.18) classy presence. Slawa (p.27) and Spitsbergen (p20) add some drama to the borders and, now that elections are all over, we’ll surely need a dash of that next year. Synaeda Amor (p.19) and Sweet Rosy (p.23) are two of Sabina’s stalwarts, notable for their long-flowering period.
Alliums, Irises & Gladioli: There’s a new kid on the block: Allium Miami (p.4) and we’re loving our new Twilight combination (p.33) that will bring light to any shady corner.
We’ve popped 3 perennials into the mix - Iris hollandica ‘Red Embers’ (p.40) & ‘Carmen’ (p.41) can be planted and left to their own devices to multiply over years to come. Gladiolus byzantinus (Back Cover) is a hardy gladioli and looked stunning in people’s garden when Sabina spotted it on her way to Chelsea, flowering at the same time as the alliums.
As ever there’s always lots of joy and laughter putting together the catalogue - whatever is happening worldwide, simply chatting about tulips will always bring a smile to our faces. We hope it does the same for you.
Karen & Sabina
Alliums are a great investment, reliably flowering each year and a magnet for bees.
NEW
Allium ‘Miami’
Sumptuous dark purple heads on tall stems. These new alliums have a real WOW factor.
80 cm May - June
10 @ £7
30 @ £18
Allium ‘Globemaster’
One of our all time favourites.
Large mauve balls which can reach up to 20 cm across. Will happily multiply, year upon year.
80 - 100 cm
May - June
3 @ £21
6 @ £35
Allium nigrum
naturalise in grass for a wildflower look
May - June
60 cm
10 @ £7
Allium
‘Purple Sensation’ classic purple
May - June
90 cm
15 @ £10
Allium cristophii
large heads of star-shaped lilac flowers brilliant as a dried flower June 60 cm
10 @ £7
Allium
‘Gladiator’ silvery mauve
May - June
120 cm
3 @ £10
Allium sphaerocephalon claret drumsticks perfect dotted through borders
June - July
50 - 90 cm
30 @ £4.50
Allium
‘Mount Everest’ pure white
May - June 90 cm
5 @ £10
Allium siculum (syn. Nectaroscordum) bees adore these
May - June 120 cm
10 @ £6.50
Tall Allium Collection
Alliums to grace any border, these statuesque bulbs will flower from May until end of June, eliciting compliments by all who see them. Perfect underplanted with ornamental grasses or simply dotted within a border. And best of all the bees love them!
... Buy this collection for a long lasting display.
Allium siculum (syn. Nectaroscordum)
Allium ‘Purple Sensation’
Tall Allium Collection
Allium siculum x 20 Purple Sensation x 15 Gladiator x 5
40 bulbs £25
Allium ‘Gladiator’
Narcissi
Since we started importing bulbs we’ve planted all the unsold narcissi in an area we call ‘The Narcissi Walk’. They form a winding lane of white and cream and from April to May not a week goes by without large bunches of scented narcissi gracing the house. And the best part? Every year they’ll return and produce more and more flowers.
When we trial new additions to add to our stable of narcissi we look for scent, flower form and garden worthiness.
Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus
April - May
35 cm
10 @ £ 8
‘Doll Baby’
‘Sir Winston Churchill’ loose clusters with a spicy scent Mid April
cm 10 @ £7
‘Beautiful Eyes’
‘All White Narcissi’ Gift Collection
‘All White Narcissi’ Collection:
N. Thalia
N. Tresamble
N. Stainless
25 bulbs @ £22 or
60 bulbs @ £45
‘Stainless’ NEW
perfectly proportioned pure white with green throat
March - April
45 cm
10 @ £8
‘Thalia’
The orchid daffodil - delicate will naturalise in grass
March - April
30 cm
10 @ £7.50
‘Tresamble’ multi-headed heirloom variety (1930)
April 30 cm
10 @ £6
‘Polar Hunter’
Very early flowering - each stem produces up to 4 green flowers which fade to white with a hint of green. Long-lasting. Beautifully scented.
30 cm March 10 @ £11
‘Delft Collection’
Assorted scented narcissi x 20 Pale blue muscari x 25 £25
Tulips Individual Varieties
Early Tulips
flowering late March - mid April
‘Exotic Emperor’ (see
opposite)
‘Exotic Emperor’ double fosteriana
Early Tulips
‘Jaap Groot’ variegated leaves
prices for 10 Bulbs
Early-Mid Season Tulips
Lovely soft lilac pink combines beautifully with ‘Ronaldo’.
Long flowering from April onwards 45 cm 10 @ £6.50
‘Spitsbergen’
like snow covered peaks provides drama in the border
April - May 50 cm 10 @ £6.50
Mid-Season Tulips: flowering April-May
Late Tulips: May flowering
New & Favourites
‘Apricot Foxx’
A butterscotch chameleon - its colour changes towards amber according to the warmth of the day.
April - May
45 cm
10 @ £6.50
‘Groenland’
We love the mixture of pink overlaid with green. Late flowering with long stems, good for cutting.
May
50 cm
10 @ £7
Tulip ‘Charming Lady’
One of Sabina’s must-haves for cutting. Peony flowers in palest apricot shades; sometimes multi-headed. Classically romantic.
April - May
40 - 50 cm
10 @ £7.50
Show Stoppers 10 Bulbs
Show Stoppers 10 Bulbs
Light & Shade Collection
3 varieties 25 bulbs £25
FLARE & f lame Gift Collections
Perfect to send to a loved one or as a thank you.
All of our bulb collections are beautifully presented in gift bags, complete with planting instructions & gift label.
25 bulbs in each collection - £25
Avriel Avriel
Persiana Persiana
Light & Shade
Pink & Peachy
Pink & Peachy
Allium nigrum (p.6)
Allium ‘Mount Everest’ (p.7)
Twilight Collection
The Victorians planted white plants along carriageways to show the way before electric lights and if you’ve ever wandered in the garden at dusk you’ll see how much they glow in the twilight. Camassia ‘Alba’ shine like an ornate candelabra, whilst the globes of white alliums Mount Everest and nigrum appear like floating lights in dark corners.
Twilight Collection
Allium nigrum x 5
Allium ‘Mount Everest’ x 5
Camassia ‘Alba’ x 10 £25
Camassia leichtlinii ‘Alba’ (p.42)
5 for £6 5 for £7 5 for £7
5 for £6
‘Snow Crystal’ ‘Splendid Cornelia’
Hyacinths (unforced bulbs)
Hyacinths flower reliably each year in the garden and are the perfect start to spring; they like a lot of water, can be grown in pots indoors and make a fantastic cut flower. Large pots planted with hyacinths and early flowering tulips make a stunning display.
All the Hyacinths 12 bulbs : 3 of each variety - £15
Little Beauties
NEW Scilla litardierei
April
25 cm
10 @ £6
30 @ £15
Planting these small bulbs will repay you for years to come since they naturalise in the garden (divide and spread slowly to form drifts).
Ipheion uniflorum
‘Tessa’
perfect for pots
Feb - May
20 cm
20 @ £7
Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’ naturalises in dappled shade
March - April
10 - 15 cm
20 @ £6
Ipheion uniflorum
‘Wisley Blue’ fragrant star flower
Jan - March
20 cm
20 @ £6
Anemone coronaria ‘Sylphide’ dazzling pink a great cut flower
Feb - March
30 cm
20 @ £7
Crocus vernus
‘King of the Striped’
10 cm
Feb - March
25 @ £7.50
50 @ £12
Iris reticulata
‘J. S. Dijt’ nectar rich
February - March 15 cm
20 @ £7.50
40 @ £13
Fritillaria meleagris
Snake’s head fritillary naturalises in grass
April 30 cm
20 @ £7
50 @ £15
Iris reticulata
‘Harmony’ colours dazzle
February - March 15 cm
20 @ £7.50
40 @ £13
Crocus chrysanthus ‘Snow Bunting’ early bee food
Feb - March 15 cm
25 @ £7.50
50 @ £12
NEW Iris hollandica
‘Red Embers’
40 - 50 cm April - May
10 @ £6.50
25 @ £14
NEW Dutch Irises
Well known as long lasting cut flowers. With the introduction of new colours they are an exciting addition to the spring garden.
‘Red Embers’
NEW Iris hollandica
April - May 60 cm
10 bulbs £6.50
25 bulbs £14
Camassia leichtlinii
‘Alba’
90 cm
May - June
5 @ £7
10 @ £13
Camassia caerulea (leich. Blue)
80 cm April - May
5 @ £8
10 @ £14
Camassia, one of the few bulbs that tolerates damp soil and flowers for longer in dappled shade. A great naturaliser, performs brilliantly in pots, with an added bonus - a long lasting cut flower!
Camassia
Photos © Sabina Rüber