Is there a matting that will let bulbs grow through?

After looking at lots of pictures of bulb flowers I'd love to have loads in my front garden. At the moment there is a large stone circle with gravel around the outside to make up the 'square' shape of the garden. The gravel is sat on weed proof matting and I guess bulbs would have no chance of getting through that (is that right?) but the matting is very useful for stopping the soil mixing with the gravel so is there a type of matting that will keep the soil and gravel seperate but allow bulbs (and later seed planted flowers) to grow through...

As I type this I'm thinking how do I plant the things I'd have to lift the matting up everytime I planted something... maybe it would be better if I used wood chip/bark type stuff but it could do with a bit of color to brighten thinks up (can I get a light color?) this of course would mean lifting up the gravel and matting very soon to plant the bulbs but I guess i could plant some winter pansies but then I guess it's cost to buy that many pansies.... what are you thoughts, the more I think about it the more I want to do something involving flowers/color with the front garden...

 

I don`t like the black fabric membrane for just this reason. If a bulb can get through-trust me a dandelion can, so no there isn`t such a thing.

Personal advice? Remove the membrane. But everyone has their own opinions.

You`re right to be very strict with cost. Patience ( and I know you said it isn`t your strong point LOL) will save you thousands. Learning Propagation is an absolute unavoidable necessity, if you still want to be able to pay the mortgage and have a nice garden.

 

So perhaps I should put bulbs in the back garden and divide them next year to either put more in the back garden, or some in the front?

I was thinking of a membrane that plants and weeds can grow through but would stop the gravel mixing with the soil....

 

Instead of liftting the matting, you could cut holes in it and plant through those. Just cut a cross and fold under the corners.

 

Maybe a fine netting? Obviously finer than the grade of gravel you have, but that will be expensive-and perhaps ultimately fruitless.


BUlbs propagate by seed. The seeds develop via the flower, are dispersed then spend a year growing, the foliage they produce feeds what is becoming the bulb, Then the bulb is transplanted to the desired position. I have simplified it, of course, you can collect the seeds yourself and sow those-that will take two years before you see flowers ( again not all, some take longer).


Bulbs will naturalise-that is, they will produce seeds which they drop which then develop into plants which produce foliage to feed and develop develop bulbs-and so on and so forth.

 

Bluebells are a good example of what Claire has just described.