GROWING BULBS IN POTS

Put them on tabletops, on decks – anywhere there’s sun!

Bulbs make stunning container plants, whether they’re used as accents in a large garden, or as the main display for a balcony or courtyard. Because pots are portable, you can also move them around if necessary to take best advantage of the sunlight. All shapes and sizes of container can be used, from shallow bulb bowls, which are popular for growing hyacinths, to large tubs or wine barrels, in which you can grow a massed display of one variety, or a mix of favourites. POT TIPS

• Ensure containers have clear drainage holes in the base.

• Use a specialised bulb planting mix (if available), or a good quality, free-draining po ing mix, with a li le slow-release fertiliser mixed through.

• Plant the bulbs at their recommended depths, but closer together than you would in the garden – about half their recommended spacings. This produces a lovely dense flower display.

• Keep the container in a cool sheltered position until the leaves start to emerge, then move into a sunny spot.

• Water periodically, so the mix stays moist, but not saturated. When the flower buds start to appear, apply doses of liquid fertiliser every two weeks.

• When they’re in bloom, po ed bulbs can be brought indoors to enjoy. Give them a well-lit, airy position or a sunny windowsill.

• At the end of the flowering season, a er the foliage has died back, empty out the pot and store the bulbs somewhere dark and dry for replanting next year. 18 herald a new season

The shape of daffodil flowers seem to trumpet the arrival of spring, announcing the start of something new!

19 leading the way

Crocus flowers bloom bright and early, bringing delightful colour a er a long winter. With their sweet fragrance, they lure hungry bees out of hives.

20 keep it snug

Bulbs can be planted in pots closer together than you would plant them in the garden, but you still need to plant them at the same depth. Follow the packet instructions.

21 mix and match

Gather your containers together and mix your spring bulbs – daffodils and grape hyacinths – with spring annuals such as violas and primulas.

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