The key plant in this arrangement is a pale-blue grape hyacinth collected in Cyprus by Jenny Robinson, who acted as Cedric Morris’s plant executor, distributing plants from Benton End after his death in 1982. The powder blue of the neatly shaped grape hyacinths contrasts with the basking peachy orange of the tulip. Among these two flowers I aimed to create a layered richness, which gave space for more subtle, recessive colours, such as the plum of the fritillary.
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How to achieve the look
Container and composition
This fired-clay, footed bowl was given to me by a friend, and lends itself to being used in the wood-panelled entrance hall at Benton End. Its patina of lichens and surface chips tell stories of use and age, as do the names and dates carved into the panelling.
In an attempt to evoke an eastern Mediterranean hillside, I’ve planted up the bowl with a variety of small bulbs. The tulips are clustered in asymmetrical groups, allowing space through the centre for the mahogany Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon’, which acts as a colour foil and aims to connect with all the other colours. My one indulgent diversion from the theme is the old-fashioned, double primrose,
which sits off centre on the lip of the bowl.
Cultivation and care
All the bulbs were planted in October. Using a grittier than normal loam-based potting soil, I planted three to five bulbs together in individual 9cm plant pots.
This is in order to get the density of abundance within a shallow bowl. They were then placed in a cold frame to keep the worst of the rain off them, but watered when necessary. Shortly before flowering, as buds were forming deep in the leaf rosettes, I made the arrangement within the bowl, incorporating the primrose and euphorbia, topping with horticultural grit to prevent soil splashing up when watering.
I returned this once again to the coldframe (a sheltered sunny spot would do) until it was near flowering and ready for display.
Plants
1 Muscari ‘Jenny Robinson’ Also sold as M. ‘Baby’s Breath’, this soft-blue grape hyacinth, named for the one-time National Collection holder of Muscari. 20cm x 10cm. AGM. RHS H5.
2 Anemone coronaria ‘Hollandia’ Bold red poppy anemones, which feel ubiquitous and wilder than the purple cultivars. 25cm x 25cm.
3 Tulipa praestans ‘Shogun’ An extraordinary tulip with flowers of a clear peachy orange, taking on rusty tones as they fade. 30cm x 40cm. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b.
4 Primula ‘Sue Jervis’ One of the prettiest double primroses I’ve grown, with murky pink flowers. 10cm x 20cm. USDA 4a-9b.
5 Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon’ Hardy perennial with mahogany foliage and dainty, lime-green flowers. 30cm x 30cm. RHS H6.
6 Fritillaria uva-vulpis Delicate, pewter-purple bells with a contrasting yellow lip. Requires a free-draining soil. 25cm x 5cm. RHS H5.