POTS OF PLEASURE

Grow your bulbs in pots if you don’t have much garden space. The added advantage is you can move them around to follow the sun, or bring them indoors for a couple of days at a time. Pots Terracotta is best because its porous nature allows excess moisture to escape. Ensure they have good drainage holes. If you can, avoid dark plastic or metal containers as they can get too hot for the bulbs. Or move to a shady spot during the hottest part of the day. Growing medium Use good-quality potting mix that is free draining so the bulbs don’t rot from too much moisture. Aspect Keep your bulbs cool by putting pots in the shade until they start to grow, then bring them into the sun.

TIPS

Put the flat side of tulip bulbs against the pot side. The first leaves emerge from the flat side and they will drape over the edge, softening the pot. Layer your bulbs by putting taller ones in the pot first, adding more potting mix, then planting shorter flowering bulbs. Cover with more mix. If you have a big enough pot, add even more layers.

7 Put zing in your spring

Get an electric buzz of colour by matching the scorching ‘Orange Princess’ tulip with the bold liƒle pansy (Viola tricolour). It’s a surefire way to glam up your buckets!

8 red was never so hot!

Plant a vibrant bed of ‘Scarlet’ tulips and no passersby will miss their splendour. They flower late and long in the season on tall, strong stems and do well in warm climates.

9 Orange is the new gold

Theme your colours by planting burnt gold and deep burgundy tulips and scaƒerings of rich orange spring wallflowers – they should never be leŒ alone on the shelf again!

The simple but silky petals of tulips evoke a feeling of serenity and calm

A lolly jar of freesias – its new collective name!