New charity bulb collection at Dobbies Antrim aims to brighten gardens & support Alzheimer’s Research UK

Ian Clark from Taylor’s Bulbs is pictured with Catherine Crawford, Relationship Fundraiser at Alzheimer’s Research UK. (©Stewart Attwood)

Dobbies Garden Centres has unveiled a limited-edition bulb collection at its Antrim store, aiming to raise £10,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK during World Alzheimer’s Month.

The Sensory Garden 15 Bulbs Collection, developed in collaboration with Taylor’s Bulbs, is priced at £15 and includes colourful and fragrant varieties such as Allium Purple Rain, Narcissus Bridal Crown, Tulip Blushing Apeldoorn and Tulip Purple Rain.

The collection is designed to create a vibrant sensory garden, engaging sight, touch and smell.

For every pack sold in Antrim, £5 will be donated to Alzheimer’s Research UK, helping to fund life-changing dementia research.

Dobbies has already raised nearly £30,000 for the charity since March 2025 through a range of initiatives, including in-store donations, fundraising walks and event ticket sales.

Dobbies Garden Centres has launched a new bulb collection that aims to raise £10,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK. (©Stewart Attwood)

Paul Glazier, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

“If nothing changes, one in two of us will be directly affected by dementia – either by caring for someone with the condition, developing it ourselves, or both. At Alzheimer’s Research UK, we’re committed to finding a cure for dementia and Dobbies is helping us achieve this by raising vital funds for research.

“This beautiful bulb collection is doing just that, with money from each pack being donated to our cause. Gardening is also a great way to show our brain some love and potentially reduce our risk of developing dementia.

“Being active in the garden, learning new skills, connecting with others and planting these bulbs are great ways to show our brain some love while supporting life-changing dementia research.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Dobbies’ Antrim store for standing with us and we want to say thank you to everyone who buys a pack. We hope the bulbs bring colour and joy to gardens.”

Dobbies is working closely with Alzheimer’s Research UK to highlight the positive impact gardening can have on brain health, supporting the charity’s Think Brain Health campaign.

Dobbies’ Senior Plant Buyer, Claire Bishop, is pictured with Ian Clark from Taylor’s Bulbs and Catherine Crawford, Relationship Fundraiser at Alzheimer’s Research UK. (©Dobbies)

Claire Bishop, Dobbies’ Senior Plant Buyer, offered practical tips for planting the bulbs:

“Autumn is a great time to plant spring flowering bulbs that can be found in this limited-edition collection. Temperatures have cooled down, but the soil hasn’t started to freeze, which gives gardeners a nice window to allow the bulbs to root before winter arrives.

“Choose a location in your garden, whether it’s a bed, border or container, that has well-draining soil and plenty sunshine. Consider the size of each bulb when spacing out your display, aiming for at least 5–8 inches between each one to allow for full growth.

“Make sure the ground is ready for planting, adding compost to help improve the soil health, and dig a hole that is at least two times as deep as the bulb’s height in the areas you want to plant them. Place the bulb with the smaller point facing upwards and cover it with soil, gently pushing down to make sure the bulb is secure.

“Water bulbs as soon as they are planted, especially if the soil feels dry. If you’re working with a pot or container and are looking to make an impact with colour, you can plant a bulb lasagne for a beautiful display that keeps on giving. For beds and borders, we recommend planting bulbs in groupings for a natural look, instead of in long straight rows.”

The Sensory Garden 15 Bulbs Collection is available now at Dobbies Antrim and online, with proceeds helping to fund up to 278 hours of scientists’ lab time in dementia research.