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c. Vikki Rimmer<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cWe plant a huge selection for our Tulip Festival. You\u2019ll find formal displays at the castle entrance, around the castle walls, through the Italian garden and then more natural planting through the longer grass (which is where we plant the bulbs from the previous year\u2019s displays).<\/p>\n
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c. Vikki Rimmer<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
We love to bring different cultivars, everything from the Darwins to the parrot types \u2013 it\u2019s a really good mix. New ones to us this year include \u2018Ice Cream\u2019 and \u2018Ice Cream Banana\u2019, which really does look like a cone of ice cream with the pink at the bottom and then a creamy colour yellow in the middle. Anything a bit unusual that gets the visitor to stop in their tracks and question \u2018Ah, what\u2019s that?\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the colour you can get from a tulip. Daffodils<\/a> are glorious, don\u2019t get me wrong, but with tulips you get near enough every colour under the rainbow. It\u2019s a bit of a show \u2013 and at this time in the garden everything is looking fresh and lovely. The weeds haven\u2019t quite got going and I just want to put my finger on the pause button. It\u2019s perfect,\u201d enthuses Neil.<\/p>\n
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c. Hever Castle<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nWhy squirrels love tulip bulbs<\/h3>\n
Tulip bulbs, quite simply, are tasty to squirrels \u2013 as are crocus. When the ground is frozen hard in a cold winter, the problem with being eaten by pests isn\u2019t so prevalent but as the grounds softens and bulbs start into growth, their smell is more evident and problems can escalate.<\/p>\n
Other bulbs such as narcissi<\/a>, alliums<\/a>, snowdrops<\/a> and hyacinth<\/a> have less appeal due to their unpleasant smell or taste.<\/p>\n
Neil says: \u201cWe\u2019ve been struggling with squirrels for years and come spring time, there\u2019s always been gaps in our displays. There\u2019s been lots of anecdotal chat from visitors and the team about how to deter squirrels, so we decided to run a trial to see what deterrents there are that might keep the squirrels away from our tulips.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith our huge displays you can\u2019t put wire over them so it really about the scent<\/strong> \u2013 if you can disguise the smell of the tulip, that\u2019s the thing that will hopefully get the squirrels looking elsewhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019ve set up a trial with the help of some of the students studying here for their RHS certificate.<\/a> And we\u2019ll be seeing if there is indeed anything that helps. From now on, as the bulbs come into growth, we\u2019ll be checking daily to see what damage there\u2019s been and we\u2019re looking forward to sharing the results.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neil concludes \u201cIt\u2019s such a shame if people give up growing tulips \u2013 the displays are just so cheerful and the range of colours mean you can be as creative as you like. This is just a small trial to pick up on some of the anecdotal ideas you hear about. If any of them do work then that\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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c. Leo Beiber<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nStopping squirrels eating tulips<\/h3>\n
The test looks at ways to disguise the smell of the tulip bulbs. Some of the ideas are familiar but do they actually work? Here\u2019s what the team at Hever is trying.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Apple cider vinegar \u2013 dip the bulb in a jar of cider vinegar and plant as normal.\n\u2022 Chilli powder and chilli flakes \u2013 a sprinkle in the planting hole and on the surface. But with anything put on the surface you need to consider that it might get washed away in the rain, or, as Neil adds, with chilli flakes they can end up sprouting if the conditions are right for the seeds that are in the packet of flakes.\n\u2022 Peppermint oil \u2013 a few drops on the surface.\n\u2022 Black pepper or garlic powder \u2013 sprinkled in and around the planting area.<\/p>\n
Other ideas to disguise the smell of tulips<\/strong><\/p>\n
Grating bars of soap into the planting hole.\nGrated pungent-smelling moth balls.<\/p>\n
The trial set up<\/strong><\/p>\n
The trial has planted 50 bulbs for each method and will be checking the area visually each day to see what damage has been done.\nBulbs that haven\u2019t been treated in any way have also been grown.<\/p>\n
The trial results<\/strong><\/p>\n
Look out for the results of the trial later in spring. We\u2019ll give an update here.<\/p>\n
Visit Hever\u2019s Tulip Festival from 17-23 April to see the displays for yourself. Twice daily tours will run at 11:30am and 2pm throughout the festival.<\/em> Hevercastle.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n
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