Bluebells

I am inundated with English bluebells. All I can do is keep pulling the leaves and blooms off to stop them seeding and to weaken them.

Your missing something here Pompa . Leave them be and like the national trust charge a fee. Or send them to me I'm trying to replace Spanish with English and have been told that as we are within five k of a bluebell wood we are corrupting the natives.

If I could dig them up and sell them, I would, the bulbs are too deep to dig up in the boarders, without disturbing other plants.

The trouble is, as long as you leave the bulbs in the ground they will multiply and grow. That is my problem, although with the Spanish variety. I wish they were the English ones, I don't think I'd be that bothered then. Oh I don't know though, there are quite a lot.

What is the difference; how to tell them apart?

English are pretty delicate and deep blue. Spanish are thick stemmed and paler. Also pink and white( in my garden)

I am not an expert but my rule of thumb is:
Spanish bluebells are very erect with bells all around the stem
English bluebells have single bells in lines and the stems gently bend over.

Have a look at this article

www.bbowt.org.uk/blog/bbowtblog/2016/04/18/how-tell-difference-between-native-bluebell-and-spanish-bluebell

I planted old hyacinth bulbs that had flowered indoors, in the garden, and over the years these have turned into "Spanish bluebells". Guess that is why there are pink and white ones around too.

I'm glad I'm not the only one thing to get rid of Spanish bluebells. I feel a bit guilty digging then up but I don't want them to spoil the local English ones.

English Bluebells have narrower leaves. Also, they are a protected species.