Bluebells: how to grow and care for the dazzling blue flowers

Carpeted in a shimmering sea of violet-blue, our ancient bluebell woods are the highlight of spring. The native bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) sends up slender, curved stalks that resemble a shepherd's crook, and, in April and May, these are hung with small thimbles that glow in incredible shades of lavender, amethyst, and sapphire and fill the air with a beautiful high-pitched scent.

Native to Atlantic Europe (including Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands), it is most common here, with the UK home to 50% of bluebells worldwide. Since they date back to at least 1600 AD, bluebells are an indicator of ancient woodland. They are mostly found in deciduous forest that is 400 years old or more, where the sunlight pours in between beeches, birches, and other broadleaved trees. But you can also find them in places that used to be wooded, such as the high flanks of Dartmoor, where the bluebells (which sometimes don't get going until June) bloom in great mantles of purple, forming a patchwork of colour across the otherwise sparse heathland.

In the past, bluebells were held in high esteem, being practical and believed to be magical. During the Neolithic era, bluebell gum (made from starchy material in the bulbs) was used to make arrows; this glue has also been employed to bind books, and the Elizabethans applied it to their ruffs to stiffen them. Bluebells are associated with good luck and fairies in folklore; it was said that they ring at dawn to call fairies indoors, and it was considered unlucky to trample a path across a forest floor of bluebells, since they are laden with spells and sleeping fairies.

Voted England's favourite wildflower, the bluebell still reigns in our hearts and imaginations. For this reason, there has been much concern over the spread of the Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica), which was first recorded here in 1963. A bit like the grey squirrel, this foreigner lacks the charm of the native species, but grows with gusto in a wide range of conditions and forms a hybrid (Hyacinthoides x massartiana) with our native bell putting our bluebell woods at risk. Research by the University of Toronto has given the reassurance that the native English bluebell is far more fertile than the Spanish bluebell (which may be a hybrid, rather than a species), and this gives great promise for the long-term resilience of our glorious blue woodlands.

Although the native bluebell is unsuitable for borders, since it spreads with such vigour, it is perfect for naturalising if you have a wild-look naturalistic garden with trees or a patch of woodland. Over time, the plants will spread, giving you the best sight and smell of spring, right on your doorstep.

How to spot the difference between the native bluebell and the two non-native forms:

Distinctive by its enchanting, graceful bonnet flowers, which bloom on one side of a slim, curved stalk, above slender leaves. The blooms have rolled back tips, cream pollen, lovely perfume, and incredible blue and purple colouring; very occasionally, they can be white or pink. In remote, old woodland, this is what you will see en masse between April and June.

This thug lacks the delicate beauty of the native plant, producing big, pallid ice-blue bells (and sometimes white or pink bells) that have no scent. They are more open than the native's bell-shaped flowers, have blue or green pollen, and bloom all around thick, upright stalks, above broad leaves. This bluebell, which is native to Spain and Portugal, is vigorous, hard to remove, and very common in gardens, flowering between March and May.

Found widely across Britain, particularly in areas between gardens and the countryside, such as road verges, this is a cross between our native bluebell and the Spanish bluebell. It can be hard to identify, as it varies in appearance, but it lacks the striking elegance of the native plant. One in six broadleaved woodlands contains it, and it is found most abundantly in woods that abut villages, towns, and cities.

Since the Spanish bluebell hybridises with the native bluebell and thus endangers the future of our beautiful blue woodlands, it's arguably best to destroy Spanish and hybrid bluebells if you find them in your garden. Being extremely tough, they resist weedkiller, so your attack must involve non-chemical means. The easiest approach is to mow over bluebells in your lawn and place old carpet or black polythene over bulbs in borders to starve them of sunlight and eventually kill them. However, that can take several years. The other option is to dig the bulbs out of the soil – they can be fairly deep, so use a sizeable spade or fork; don't try to yank the bulb out by its leaves, as you will probably only end up with a handful of leaves; dig deep enough to remove the bulb. When Spanish or hybrid bells are growing amongst other plants, wait until the other plants are dormant (autumn or winter, for most) and do it then.

Bluebells prefer a site in part shade, but they will grow in full sun, if the ground is retentive. As well as broadleaved woodland, they are found widely on hedgerow banks and in meadows. Neutral to acid soil is best and ought to be well-drained and rich in humus.

• Site: As above, bluebells particularly enjoy the dappled shade of trees and well-drained, retentive neutral to acid ground. Avoid areas with a lot of foot traffic. Don't plant them in or close to borders, as they will spread and dominate. If planting in a woodland or under garden trees, adding organic matter may not be necessary; otherwise, lay a mulch of organic compost or leafmould before planting. Bluebells can be grown in containers.
• What to buy: Buy them 'in the green' for planting in April, May, or June, and get them in the ground quickly after they arrive; alternatively, buy dry bulbs to plant in September or October. Many plants are stolen from the countryside, so ensure you buy from a reputable supplier.
• Growing from seed: You can grow bluebells from seed, but it takes about five years for the bulbs to fully form.
• Depth: Plant in the green bulbs at the same depth they were growing previously (where the stems turn from white to green); plant dry bulbs at a minimum of 10 centimetres (4 inches) deep and wide – ideally 15 centimetres (6 inches) deep and wide.
• Naturalistic: Don't plant them in regimented rows, to ensure a natural look.
• Water: If the ground is dry, water them in, after planting – especially bulbs in the green; if the summer is very hot and dry or if your bulbs have not been planted in retentive earth under trees, water regularly during the first summer.
• Mowing: Do not cut the leaves, if you have planted in grass, until they have died back.
• Planting partners: You could combine bluebells with ramsons (wild garlic) , wood anemones, and red campion.
• Patience: Your new bluebells – especially those planted in the green may not flower the year after planting, whilst they establish.
• Naturalising: Bluebells spread via seed, so they will naturalise themselves, without help. However, you could lift and divide them in August or September to speed up the process of them forming a carpet.

Having fairly deep-throated flowers, bluebells are mostly visited by butterflies (such as chequered skippers and brimstones), which have a long tongue-like proboscis, and long-tongued bumblebees (especially garden bumblebee queens). However, shorter-tongued bees can take the nectar by nibbling a hole in the base of the flower, which means they don't pollinate it.

True bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which means they cannot be stolen or damaged; removing bulbs from the wild could result in a hefty fine (up to £5,000 per bulb). Laws around the Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) altered after Brexit; it is – quite rightly – still listed as an invasive alien species in some areas, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, which means you could be prosecuted for planting it in the wild; however, it is not an offense to already have it on your land or in your garden.

When walking through bluebell woods in the wild, you are not supposed to pick the flowers; however, taking the flowers will not damage the plant – the worst thing to do is trample on bluebells, as this can damage or kill them.

People travel across the globe to enjoy our bluebell woods and gardens in spring. Here are a handful of the best:

• Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey
• Enys Gardens, Cornwall
• Hole Park, Kent
• Angmering Park Estate, West Sussex
• Holwell Lawn & Emsworthy Mire, Dartmoor
• Isabella Plantation, London

• Coed Cefn, Powys
• Blickling, Norfolk
• Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
• Green Castle Wood, Carmarthenshire
• Coughton Court, Warwickshire
• Plas yn Rhiw, Gwynedd

• Keil's Den, Fife
• Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire
• Ardmaddy Castle Gardens, Argyll
• Rannerdale Knotts, Lake District
• Hardcastle Crags, West Yorkshire
• Glen Finglas, Stirling