A real super-plant for the spring and summer seasons, Anemones are wonderfully reliable and easy to grow, rewarding minimum effort with a colourful and long-lasting display of cheery blooms. Classic Anemone varieties like ‘De Caen’, ‘St Brigid’ and Anemone blanda are unfussy characters, they’ll grow well in most gardens with free-draining soil. They can be dotted around in borders, grown in borders or even through grass. Often, they return for a repeat show in future seasons.

Anemones bred for use as cut flowers, such as the ‘Mistral’ and ‘Fullstar’ series, produce larger blooms with longer stems. They are typically cultivated in warmer climates and are slightly less resilient than the standard types. They can usually handle light frosts but don’t always survive prolonged freezing conditions in winter. These ‘cutflower’ types are best in year one and don’t tend to naturalise or return each year, but they can often produce multiple blooms in a season. As they are bred in warmer climates, they need some protection from cold and wet winter and spring weather. For best results, you can plant them in pots and keep them in a cool greenhouse or cold frame over winter if planting in autumn.

Italian and Israeli Anemones look impressive in the garden and come in a wide range of colours, they also make the most magnificent cut flowers. Unlike the older Anemone varieties, they are best in year one and don’t tend to naturalise or return each year. As they are bred in countries with warmer climates, they need a little protection from cold and wet winter and spring weather. For best results, it’s best to plant them in trays or pots in a cool greenhouse or cold frame during the cold months and transfer them outside in the spring when the weather is milder.

You can plant Anemones in autumn or spring – we supply freshly-harvested stock for each planting season. It is important to plant them in the same season that they are supplied while they are still fresh, corms will lose their freshness and viability if stored for a number of months after they are supplied to you. Anemones planted in autumn will flower in spring. When planted in spring, they flower during summer/autumn.

Anemone corms are hard, wrinkled and dry when they’re supplied. They should be soaked in water for 6-12 hours prior to planting, you should see them plump up in this time.

Anemones do best in a sheltered sunny or partially shaded position in rich, well-drained soil or multi-purpose compost. They grow from small brown knobbly corms which can be planted in clusters in pots or borders to create natural-looking groups.

Anemone planting instructions

Anemones are easy to grow and provide a lovely, bright display in most outside spaces, but they especially love growing in a sheltered sunny or partially shaded position in rich, well-drained soil or multi-purpose compost. They grow from small brown knobbly corms which can be planted in clusters in pots or borders to create natural-looking groups. If you are planting in spring, you can stagger your plantings and enjoy a fresh display of blooms which last right into summer.

Anemone planting instructions

• Plant direct into outdoor pots and borders during spring or autumn, depending on the season the bulbs are supplied to you. Anemone bulbs will lose their freshness and viability if stored for several months and must always be planted in the same season as supplied.
• In areas with cold winters (where temperatures regularly fall below -5C), if planting in autumn it is best to start them off in individual 9cm pots and grow them in a sunny, sheltered location. They should be moved indoors into cool, bright and frost-free conditions during cold snaps. They should not be grown in warm, indoor conditions.
• Soak the corms in plain water for 3-12 hours prior to planting.
• Plant straight away after soaking. The bulbs should be spaced at around 10cm apart from each other if planting in groups. Plant the bulbs 2-3cm deep.
• Some Anemone bulbs have a pointed end which should be facing downwards, or they can be planted on their side. Anemone bulbs which are an irregular, flattish shape can be planted on their side/edge.
• Ensure the soil is kept lightly moist (but not soggy) after planting. Anemones should be watered whenever the soil begins to look dry.