GARDENING

Plant spring bulbs now for a glorious display of colour next year says gardening writer Julia Heaton

After the depths of winter there’s no better sign that the garden is beginning to stir into life than the sight of the first snowdrops or daffodils raising their heads above ground in a rallying cry of colour.

Spring flowering bulbs can be so uplifting. They look good in informal and formal borders and are great gap-fillers until the rest of the garden comes into flower. They also look lovely in lawns and are excellent value for money when planted in containers.

If you want a slice of this action then now is the time to set the wheels in motion for a stunning display next year. You can plant them all the way through to November, as long as it’s before the risk of frost, so that they can become acclimatised and start sending out roots. Tulips are an exception and can be planted right up until Christmas as they need cold temperatures to reduce the risk of disease and help them root. Don’t forget that there are lots of hardy summer flowering bulbs like lilies and alliums that can be planted in October too.

Make sure you plant with the pointed tip facing up. Plant in drifts, groups or individually, depending on the effect you want to achieve. It could be that you’d like to add some height to the border or create a focal point with a large group. As long as the soil isn’t waterlogged bulbs will grow in most soil types. Break up the earth so there are no clods but if you have heavy soil you can improve drainage by digging in some horticultural grit before planting. After that the main thing to get right is the planting depth.

As a general rule plant at a depth of up to two to three times their height and two to three bulb widths apart. The pointed tip should always be facing upwards and the flat root end down. But if you really can’t be sure you can always plant them on their sides – the stem and roots will grow in the right directions. A trowel is all you need for this but there are specialist bulb planters available with depth gauges. Gently fill in the hole and firm down with your hands. Then mark up a plant label and place it in the centre of the area planted – it’ll act as a reminder of what’s in there and not to get too close when digging nearby.

Crocus do well in lawns.

Bulbs like narcissi, crocus, snowdrops, grape hyacinth, winter aconite and cammassia are great for bringing colour to a lawn that you’re not fussy about mowing. This is important because the grass can’t be cut from when the first bulb leaves appear until the flowers have gone and the foliage has died back. Wait until you’ve done your final cut of the season before planting. Then start by making sure the soil is moist and weed free. For a natural drift formation simply throw a handful of bulbs in the air and plant them where they fall. Using a sharp-edged trowel dig out a plug of turf that’s three times the depth of the bulb you’re planting. Then add some good compost or grit if the soil is heavy.

After planting break up some of the earth belonging to the plug and place it back on top of the bulb. Replace the remainder of the turf plug and gently firm it in so that it’s level with the rest of the lawn. Alternatively, for the smallest bulbs, try cutting into the turf, peeling it back, forking over the surface and adding some grit before planting as before. A bulb planter, which will lift out an individual plug, can also be used for larger single bulbs. Left in position your bulbs will naturalise, propagating across the lawn to bring even bigger displays. Try this method in a wildflower area to add some different interest in the spring.

To get the most out of pot displays go for the layering technique that’s become known as lasagne planting. Just by planting layers of bulbs that flower at different times you can get a fantastic display that will last for months.

Choose a pot that’s deep enough to accommodate bulbs that need the deepest planting depth and line the bottom with crocks for drainage. Then add a layer of bulb compost or multi-purpose with added grit for drainage. Plant the largest and latest flowering bulbs

first at the correct depth then add another layer of compost followed by an earlier flowering group of smaller bulbs. For a third, top layer, add more compost followed by the smallest and earliest flowering bulbs. Finish with a layer of compost, stand the container on pot feet for drainage and water it well. For a three-layered treat go for something like daffodils on the bottom layer, hyacinths on the middle and crocus on the top.

Bulbs can also be placed closer together than if they were growing in the soil and don’t worry about them being directly on top of one another – the shoots of those at the bottom will just bend around the smaller ones.

Hall, Park and Gardens Tips for better displaysSnowdrops establish better when planted in leaf or ‘in the green’ in early spring. Winter aconites and lily of the valley benefit from this too.

- When buying go for the largest bulb you can find in that variety. Smaller ones are more likely not to flower in the first year or produce weaker blooms. Check for mould and discard any that feel soft.

- Insulate pots against freezing winter weather by wrapping with bubble wrap.

- Protect newly planted bulbs from squirrels by laying chicken wire over the top and covering with a layer of soil or compost.

- Crocus: Grows from a corm in full sun or partial shade. Plant in natural flowing groups for maximum effect; - Snakes head fritillary: Nodding bell-shaped mauve flowers are happy in full sun or partial shade;

- Daffodil: Plant in sun or light shade. Dwarf daffodils do well in lawns, pots and even rockeries;

- Bluebells: Best grown in partial or dappled shade around trees or under shrubs;

- Chinodoxa: Also known as ‘Glory of the Snow’, these star-shaped flowers do good in well-drained soil in full sun. Try planting under deciduous trees;

Plan ahead for next summer by planting these in September and October:

- Lilies: Ideal for containers and borders in full sun or partial shade;

- Allium: Flowers best in a sheltered but sunny site in welldrained soil;

- Crocosmia: Plant from corms in sun or partial shade. Good on most soil types but ideally moisture retentive in summer;

- Bearded Iris: Grow in full sun in well-drained soil.

Join us for this beautiful exhibition of Evelyn De Morgan’s paintings looking beyond crisis towards brighter days ahead