It’s Bulb Time!

Now is the time to start planning for early season colour in your garden with Spring bulbs.

The garden centres are full of bulbs at the moment.  If you don’t fancy venturing out, there are lots of online bulb retailers who will deliver bulbs directly to your door.

This week I’ve discovered that planting bulbs can be a fun half-term activity too, as we set about planting 150 tulip bulbs in the garden.  I bought one of those bulb-planting tools – I never really saw the point before, but they actually do make the job quicker and the kids loved having a go too!

There are bulbs available to suit every taste and every type of garden.  You might want just a few specimens for some pots by the door; perhaps you want to add colour beneath deciduous shrubs; or maybe you’d like some bulbs to naturalise in your lawn.

If you’re looking for something to cover the ground in and around existing shrubs you can’t beat Snowdrops (Galanthus) for that first sign of Spring.  Why not also try blue-flowering Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) or the sunny yellow tuberous Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)?

For sunny borders Daffodils are always great value.  If you have well-drained soil you could try Alliums – available in a range of shades from white through to dark purple.  If the soil is damp, the delicate nodding heads of Snake’s Head Fritillary (Fritillaria Meleagris) can look very attractive.

Tulips are my favourite – hence the half-term planting project!

With so much choice available it can be a bit daunting knowing what to pick.  Using a restricted colour palette of pinks and purples, or yellows and whites will look quite stylish.  If you prefer a crazy eye-catching mix of bright colours that’s ok too in my book.  When all is said and done, the whole point of Spring bulbs is to add a touch of cheer at the dullest time of year.

Choose what you like – if they lift the spirits, they’re working just fine!