My idea is to start the dark blue flower spikes of 'Orion', and both the white and the deep violet form of
Camassia caerula behind.
Camassia cusickii and Camasia leichtlinii are also great to provide lofty interest in a border, reaching up to 2'6";
Camassia leichtlinii has a semi double creamy white cultivar, 'Semiplena'.
They are
camassias from America and Canada, which, despite being hardy, very easy to grow and beautiful, are seldom planted here.
"It flowers for a lot longer than other
camassias, likes heavy soil and virtually nothing kills it," he enthuses.
Det Insp Mark Salt, who is leading Operation
Camassia, told The Birmingham Post: 'Inquiries are continuing into allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children at homes in the West Midlands area.
It is believed Operation
Camassia, which was set up at Aldridge police station in January 2000 to look initially into Tennal, is now one of the biggest child abuse inquiries in the country.
What a treasure trove - scores of tulip varieties, some old, some new, alongside a brand new
camassia, ' Transported into the heart 'of the jungle, you could almost hear the parakeets 'Maybelle', with deeper blue flowers than usual, a more compact habit and a later flowering season, vied for attention with exquisite summer-flowering bulbs.
I discovered a whole tray of pots of
camassia from last year, 20 in all, and though it stood outside all winter, they are doing well.
CAMASSIA 'Electra' with its huge lilac blue flowers blooms in late April.
This week's online offer is for 25
Camassia esculenta for just pounds 2.45 - that's half price.
Good specimens for naturalising in grass include crocus, narcissi, muscari,
camassia, erythronium, snowdrops, scilla and ornithogalum.
Chris Ireland-Jones, owner of specialist Avon Bulbs (www.avonbulbs.co.uk, tel 01460 242 177), says that if he could only plant one bulb type this autumn it would be the
Camassia 'Electra', with its huge lilac blue flowers blooming in late April.