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Nerines - the ultimate source of low maintenance colour in Autumn & Winter.

The secret of their success.

These wonderful bulbs have been deservedly popular with generation after generation of gardeners. When I first came into the industry I could not understand their timeless appeal. After all, most bulbs & perennials enjoy a popularity cycle which peaks & troughs over a period of 3 - 10 years. However, Nerines were still enjoying the high & steady level of popularity that they had been experiencing for many, many decades. Most gardeners who have learned the “tricks of the trade“ from their mothers or grandmothers have probably been told about the beauty of these bulbs. I guess I wasn`t listening on the day my mother gave me that lesson (or perhaps I thought I knew better at the time) It wasn`t until I grew some of these bulbs in my own garden that I fully understood the secret of their appeal.....
The secret of the appeal of Nerines is simple: They`re very low maintenance (plant & forget!), very colourful, exceptionally elegant and, most importantly I believe, they flower in Autumn & Winter. Nerines are a wonderful for creating colour accents in Autumn & Winter. These bulbs, when planted densely or allowed to naturalise into thick clumps, provide a splash of bold & brilliant colour against the dreary colours of the dull seasons & its when you see this `phenomenon` that you fully appreciate these wonderful bulbs.

Be even smarter & plant for a succession of flowers...

Another, lesser appreciated but very important benefit of Nerines is that the different varieties flower at different times . This means that if you plant a range of varieties, you will enjoy splashes of Nerine colour from February until Winter every year. See the list below for individual varieties descriptions & flowering times.

The “Guernsey Lily“

Nerines are also known as the “Guernsey Lily“ (more so in Europe than in Australia) because, once upon a time some bulbs were washed ashore Guernsey in the English Channel from a passing ship & the bulbs established themselves upon the shores. The bulbs created such a beautiful & memorable display that these bulbs became known as the “Guernsey Lily“.

Varieties & flowering time:

Bowdenii:A softer, clear pink. Excellent colour for the Autumn garden. (Flowers April)
Gold `Nerine` (Which is actually a very closely related Lycoris): Bold blooms of golden, sunshine yellow. This variety is excellent for growing in warmer climates. In cool/cold climates, this variety likes a nice warm & sunny spot. Flowers Feb-March.
Fothergill Major: Brilliant tangerine with a golden sheen to each petal as if dusted with gold. Flowers Autumn (Feb-March)
Fothergill Minor: Brilliant florescent orange-red blooms that appear in March-April.
Note: In very cold climates (eg: Tasmania) plant the bulbs in a warm spot.. This is a new dwarf variety to only approximately 20cm- 25cm tall.
Salmonia: Salmon pink blooms. The many frilly petals (up to 30) make beautifully shaped umbels. Flowers April.
White: (Alba) Their Winter blooms appear whiter-than-white against the dull colours of Autumn. Flowers Autumn. (May)
Winter Cheer: The strong pink of these flowers which appear in in Winter do indeed add `Winter cheer` to the garden. Flowers June

Buying Nerine bulbs.

Nerine bulbs are available in both the Tesselaar mail order catalogues in “Spring“ (ie: until Oct 31) & pre-Summer catalogue (Nov until Jan 7th.)

Easy care.

Nerines are easy to grow. See our growing guides for more information.

Last Reviewed: 18/02/2004 9:33:42 AM

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