It’s officially bulb season in the garden, the time to bury little bulbs of hope with the promise of blooms in the Springtime and it’s one of my favourite jobs. Tulips, Narcissus, Alliums, Crocus, Irises, Snowdrops, Lilies and even Garlic can be planted out now. Unfortunately this year I won’t be planting any new bulbs into my garden and I can’t help but feel a little sad, it’s a job I do every year and it’s become a sort of tradition for me. However, I didn’t want this important season to pass by without sharing a few of my tips, techniques and my favourite Spring bulbs with you all!
Everyone has a favourite flower and for me it has to be tulips. I first grew these blooms back in 2015 but the love grows deeper then that. When my Nan got married in Scotland the only bouquet she could get her hands on were seasonal tulips, so every time I pick a homegrown stem from my allotment I instantly think of my Nan.
There are a few varieties that have my heart and the first has to be La Belle Epoque, this stunning vintage shade of pink with it’s double blooms will always have a place on my allotment. Spring Green and Purple Crystal are also firm favourites too and over the past year’s I’ve added new varieties to try out. I’m always drawn to the more vintage tones and love to create a display which compliments each other.
Narcissus are a new addition to the allotment and one I was a little skeptical about. You see I looked at Daffodils at being a little old fashioned and out dated, I wasn’t a huge fan of the standard yellow varieties you see everywhere and I never really wanted them on my allotment. Only when I was looking through a catalogue did I come across the wide range of daffodils that were available, I ordered some, planted them and fell completely in love when they bloomed! I adore the double blooms, the white and pinks, the multi headed and the smaller varieties. The ones you don’t see everywhere and can’t quite believe that they are in fact daffodils! Last year I grew a variety called ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ and ‘Yellow Cheerfulness’ and so far they have to be my favourites, plus I rather love the names too.
When it comes to planting Spring bulbs they are rather simple little things. As a general rule of thumb bulbs need to be planted atleast two or three times deep as the bulb is tall… so I plant tulips around 6 inches deep and Narcissus 4 inches deep with 4 inches between each bulb. They can be planted straight into the ground or into containers but the most important thing to remember is drainage. Bulbs need good drainage to survive therefore you can add grit or sand to the soil and make sure containers have sufficient drainage holes in the bottom (these can be drilled in easily enough if needed.) Personally I prefer planting my bulbs into containers so I can keep on eye on them and the drainage that they get, plus it means I don’t keep digging them up by accident every year!
Lately we’ve been busy stocking up the website with lots of vintage products including containers just in time for this busy bulb planting season. From large galvanised bath tubs to small enamel pots and stunning copper pans… There’s a container for every occasion and every sized bulbs. All they require is planting up and they’ll provide you with beautiful displays for years to come!
https://www.lavenderandleeks.co.uk/product-category/garden/pots-and-planters/