START PLOTTING FOR SPRING
Now is the time to plant bulbs for a vibrant show next year
October is the month for spring planting — especially after such a desiccating summer. Drought remained until last weekend in my part of the world. but at last we’ve had enough steady rain to provide ideal planting conditions.
Garden centres and nurseries still have plenty for sale, often at reduced prices. online suppliers are also offering reductions, especially on bulbs and spring plants. but stocks will soon run out, so we need to hurry. Among other suppliers you’ll find interesting choices at bulbs.co.uk and jparkers.co.uk.
Autumn planting will test your faith. bulbs won’t show before spring and most bedding plants will be uninteresting until March at the earliest.
that’s why violas and pansies are so handy. they flower through autumn and winter, often finishing with a fab spring finale. to keep them going, pinch off flowers as they die.
Primroses and polyanthus produce winter flowers — though their big season is March to May. ‘crescendo’ has strong colours from blue or red to orange, yellow and white.
For a more classy effect, wild primroses and related species are enchanting. Prices are higher but worth every penny. Find them at specialists such as summerdalegardenplants.co.uk.
CONTAINED JOY
IF you use containers for summer plants, you’re geared up for a beautiful spring show. you can also slip bulbs and spring plants into mixed borders for a fillip of early colour.
on a grander scale, formal summer bedding begs to be replaced with carpets of wallflowers, tulips, polyanthus or whatever you fancy. bulbs are the mainstay, but blending those with other plants gives a richer show.
In containers, planting tulips or narcissi in two or three layers will triple flower numbers. you can also put bulbs in deeply, leaving space for companion plants such as forget-me-nots or violas at the container top.
For succession, include early and late bulbs. early crocuses, muscari or scillas could precede late-blooming tulips. you can also plant up pots, troughs or sinks with miniature bulbs such as Iris reticulata or fancy snowdrops for winter colour.
bulky flowers such as hyacinths may look better on their own, especially if grown in pots. you might also find that hyacinths look prettier in single colours or pairs. Dark blue is lovely with white or pink.
A FLORAL SURPRISE
THOUGH fine on their own, bulbs are often prettier with companion plants. traditional wallflowers and forget-me-nots go with tulips or narcissus, and can be planted now.
to me, forget-me-nots have to be blue — though there are pink or white ones if you prefer. When planted in the ground they often self-sow.
Polyanthus is a wonderful bedder. but in moist or heavy soils, the drumstick primula, P. denticulata, is a beautiful alternative. the flower clusters can be lavender-mauve, pink or white.
Spring daisies, Bellis perennis, are old-fashioned favourites. their tousled heads look charming along border edges. It’s fun to experiment, too. you could bed cowslips with bronze tulips. or more informally, create a meadow-like drift of wild cuckoo flowers, dotted with dark purple snakes-head fritillaries. that might impress even the most exacting plantsperson.