LUCY BELLAMY BIO
Lucy Bellamy spent five years as editor of Gardens Illustrated magazine, during which she grew its print and digital readership to over 50,000—its highest level ever. In 2018, she won the British Society of Magazine Editors Editor of the Year award and has written three books. Her most recent book A Year in Bloom is an illustrated insider’s guide to the best flowering bulbs for beautiful garden plantings throughout the year. She showcases a wide-ranging selection of more than 150 bulbs, each presented with informative text, expert planting advice, and striking photography by Jason Ingram.
She has also authored Brilliant and Wild (winner of the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year, 2018) and Grow 5: Simple seasonal ideas for small outdoor spaces with just five plants.
Lucy was the founding editor of Modern Gardens magazine and writes about gardening for national publications such as The Guardian and The Sunday Times. She lives in Bristol with her partner, multi-award-winning garden photographer Jason Ingram. You can learn more about Lucy and A Year in Bloom from her Instagram page and her Substack Garden and House.
SHOW NOTES
Lucy's finding the passion for gardening after buying a house with a small, shady garden as a primary school teaching.
The influence of her stepfather, a former parks department worker, who guided her in the technical aspects of gardening.
Pursuing more formal training with the RHS Certificate, Chelsea Physic Garden, and Kew Gardens.
The importance of hands-on experience in the garden, particularly propagating woody shrubs and observing plant growth, as a key part of Lucy’s gardening education.
Lucy’s career shift into writing, starting with a feature for the newspaper, leading to a career in garden journalism.
The influence of the book Royal Horticultural Society Propagating Plants by Alan Toogood
Launching Modern Gardens, a magazine for UK gardeners
Becoming the editor for Gardens Illustrated, where she contributed to the magazine’s growth of increasing readership by 50,000.
Taking your garden over the top by knowing microclimate and soil and take those factors into consideration and spending time in the space to actually get to know it.
The role of microclimates in garden design and how successful gardens are often a response to their environment.
The role of Anna Pavord and Margery Fish in encouraging the use of bulbs
Lucy’s book A Year in Bloom, which highlights the best bulbs for gardeners today, with insights from 50 top gardeners and designers.
The rise in popularity of perennial bulbs and their sustainability benefits, with emphasis on species tulips and Narcissus varieties that are more reliable year after year.
The importance of selecting bulbs with simpler flowers to enhance biodiversity and support pollinators.
Classification of bulbs into true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, and more.
Why grit is added to planting holes, including improving drainage and helping bulbs remain healthy in dormant stages and as a marker for where small bulbs are dormant
The challenge of growing bulbs in different climates, including how East Texas gardeners can grow bulbs like Muscari neglectum and Narcissus tazetta.
How book contributors fell into two groups—the landscape architects and designers who prefer familiar, well established, and low cost bulbs and plantspeople and head gardeners who focused on bulb nuances.
The appeal of Muscari neglectum (grape hyacinth), a hardy bulb that thrives even in abandoned yards or gravel driveways, proving its resilience and Muscari ‘Valerie Finnis’, chosen for its unique shade of blue.
Enjoying Narcissus tazetta (tazetta daffodil) and Narcissus papyraceus (paperwhite) for the wonderful fragrance and small flowers
The beauty of Galanthus, particularly Galanthus elwesii 'Mrs. Macnamara' (giant snowdrop) known for their early bloom and Galanthus nivalis (common snowdrop) for its massed charm in the late winter garden.
The discussion of why snowdrops are so captivating, with their small, nuanced appearance and their status as one of the first signs of spring.
Narcissus pseudonarcissus (lent lily), chosen for its simplicity and perennial nature, as one of the most popular bulbs featured in the book.
The most popular bulb from book contributors was Tulipa sylvestris (woodland tulip), which is reliable and sustainable in various climates and can naturalize beautifully over time.
How different bulbs like Tulipa ‘Lady Jane’ are chosen for their their value in naturalistic planting designs and graceful dieback.
The joy of Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflakes), which blooms early in East Texas and offers both beauty and structure.
The role of bulbs like Ipheion uniflorum (starflower) as a low-maintenance ground cover, particularly when planted alongside late-emerging perennials for a dynamic, seasonally shifting garden.
The benefits of using bulbs like Crocus tommasinianus (early crocus) as ground covers under late-emerging perennials to create early-season color and fill gaps.
The appeal of Allium (Nectaroscordum) siculum (honey garlic), featured for its unique flower shape and appeal to pollinators, as well as its status as a perennial in UK gardens.
How bulbs like Gladiolus communis var. byzantinus (Byzantine gladiolus) can thrive in gardens, offering vibrant pink flowers and growing in narrow slots between plants
The challenge and appeal of bulbs like Fritillaria persica (Persian lily), known for its beautiful dark flowers, and how to grow it successfully despite its tricky nature.
Why using bulbs like Scilla peruviana (Portuguese squill), which has brilliant blue flowers, could be a great option for gardeners in warmer climates like East Texas, despite it being tricky in the UK.
How to select bulbs that suit the late-season garden, such as Tulbaghia violacea (society garlic), which can provide long-lasting blooms and support pollinators.
The focus on corms like Liatris spicata (dense blazing star) in the book, which offer reliable growth and color, and the surprising way bulbs like this can blur the line between bulbs and perennials.
The benefits of adding grit to planting holes for bulbs like Colchicum (autumn crocus), ensuring good drainage and preventing rotting during dormancy.
The story behind bulbs like Narcissus cordobensis (Cordoba daffodil), a delicate flower that repeats its blooms and offers a pleasant fragrance, making it a favorite for Lucy.
The unique appeal of the bulbs selected for A Year in Bloom, and how Lucy’s journey of cataloging and researching them led to a deeper appreciation of their role in gardens.
The impact of professional garden photography, with tips on how photographers like Jason Ingram view plants at the eye level and work with light to capture the essence of gardens.
How Lucy’s experience and observations in her own garden, growing bulbs, propagating plants, and experimenting with different gardening techniques, has shaped her approach to writing and teaching about horticulture.
A discussion on how we need to recognize the creativity and careers of gardeners more.
The lesson in A Year in Bloom about creating dynamic, year-round garden interest by using bulbs as a tool for filling gaps and complementing the growth cycles of other plants.
Propagating more gardeners by encouraging creative skills and professionalism and being patient and not forcing people into it
You can learn more about Lucy and A Year in Bloom from her Instagram page and her Substack Garden and House.
KEEP GROWING
