Switched on for spring

Best bulbs for a colour blast

PLANT bulbs now and your garden will be full of colourful surprises in spring.

They are so easy – simply dig a hole, pop them in and wait for the fun.

Use dwarf varieties in window boxes and containers. Inject a splash of colour in rock gardens too, or beneath bare branches in shrub borders.

The most impact comes from crocus varieties, grape hyacinths, early miniature daffodils and dinky tulips such as Red Riding Hood, which have tomato-red flowers that are scarlet on the inside with a black base.

When planting up flowerbeds, go wild. Plant in drifts for a display that looks natural and vibrant. Aim for groups of at least six or, better still, 25 to 50 to make an impressive show.

Add grit to improve drainage – bulbs hate getting wet bottoms. Dig a hole for each one or a larger patch twice as deep as the bulb is tall.

Ensure bulbs are the right way up with the pointed ends on top. Cover with crumbly soil then mark where you have planted so you do not forget.

Refuel

To create a floral lawn, simply throw bulbs up in the air and plant them exactly where they land with the flattest side down, in the grass.

The aim is to make it look as though they have decided to grow there by themselves. Wait until June before you mow as bulb leaves need to be left intact for as long as possible to allow them to refuel, for next year.

For sophisticated style on the patio, plant grape hyacinths, Muscari botryoides, with white windflowers, Anemone blanda, in white-washed terracotta pots. Fill other containers with lilac-blue varieties like Blue Shades and dwarf daffodils such as the sweetly scented variety Pipit.

In the garden, plant muscari in a cool spot, 10cm deep. And plant plenty as you will not be able to resist cutting them for the vase.

Primroses and dwarf daffs grab your attention planted through a carpet of snow-white Anemone blanda.

For a vibrant combo in patio pots, try bright yellow daffodils and blue and white grape hyacinths, with pansies in contrasting colours such as yellow and red. Or for a sophisticated look, stick to white and green.