Bulb Planting

Late September and early October heralds the start of bulb planting season with gardeners countrywide frenziedly digging away, driven on by the thought of a wonderful spring show.

Bulbs such as crocus, narcissus and iris are real favourites, mainly because they bring the first colour of the new year to the garden and signal the beginning of the end of winter's dark days. Tulips, with their unbelievably extensive variation in colours, are best planted after the first frosts of the autumn, but for the other spring flowering bulbs - the time is now!

Not suprisingly, the garden monthlies are packed full of bulb planting techniques and information, but I've latched on to Sarah Raven's comments in the October edition of Gardeners' World. She thoroughly recommends a sturdy bulb planter, which is exactly what I dragged out of my own garden shed last weekend. Sarah's planning on planting tulips so she's having to wait till Jack Frost returns from his summer hols, but as I've got 200-odd narcissus bulbs to put into my lawn, I can start now!

For me, there's only one manufacturer of bulb planters to consider -Sneeboer. Hand forged in Holland, the bulb capital of the world, so if they don't know their bulbs and how to plant them, no-one does! As you can see from the image I've borrowed from Gardeners' World, you only need 3 things to start your journey to spring colour - a bulb planter, a tub trug (colour optional - it doesn't have to match your tights!) and your choice of bulbs.

Happy planting!