Nerines are fantastically colourful flowers that would not look out of place in a children's book. Their bright pink and white blooms are incredibly eye-catching in any garden.
When we think of Nerines here we are more than likely thinking of the 'bowdenii' species which is the one that best puts up with our changeable weather. They are also known as the Bowden Lily, this is because they were first introduced to Europe by Athelstan Cornish-Bowden from Southern Africa.
They are part of the Amaryllidaceae family which also includes plants such as agapanthus, snowdrops, and daffodils, onions and garlic. The one thing they mostly have in common is they are all bulbs.
They work incredibly well in pots and borders due to their height and the fact that they are fairly tolerant of low nutrition soil. The main thing that they do require is excellent drainage and a sheltered spot.
April is the perfect time of year here in Ireland to get your hands on some bulbs and plant them. When buying the bulbs be sure to quality check them as they can be predisposed to mould. Get rid of any that have a soft feeling to them or feel a lot lighter than the others.
Where to put them.
If you are planning to put them in a border you need to find a sheltered spot that catches the sun. Nerines simply won't flower if they are planted in the shade, so sun is a must.
They can get quite tall (45cm) so try not to put them right on the front edge of a bed. Do not plant them where they will have other plants blocking their light.
If you are planting in a pot be sure to place it in a sheltered spot away from any cold breezes.
Soil.
The soil does not have to be incredibly rich for Nerines, in fact they prefer a very gritty compost mix. To make this up for a pot you can simply mix in a handful of grit or sand with a normal compost. Make sure to put plenty of gravel or stones into the bottom of your pot for adequate drainage.
If placed in a border bed just make sure you are not placing them where water gathers. Other than that you can just put them directly in.
When planting the bulbs you want to plant them about 10cm away from other plants. If you are using a pot it will have to be at least 10cm wide. They do like growing in clumps, so when planting a few together you can place them quite closely with a gap of about 1-3cm to the next bulb.
They like to be planted quite shallowly, only cover them enough so that their tips are still poking out through, around 3/4 up the bulb.
Once planted it is simply a case of letting them get on with it. They need very little care. The main thing to remember is not to over water. Water around once a week or so, or more (if in a pot) if it has become obviously dry.
Freshly planted Nerine bulbs can take a season to settle and flower, so as long as you have met the above requirements it is nothing to worry about if you don't see anything this year.
Happy planting!
