The Promise of Spring

After a brief hiatus at the end of September, when the prospect of autumn cast gloom into my soul, it’s All Go once again. Recent heavy rainfall, having softened the rock-hard clay soil, bulb planting is underway, albeit a little late this year.

My enthusiasm for spring bulbs seems to have encouraged all my clients to go out and buy, buy, buy! Alliums are the front runners for the early summer border, preceded by multiheaded narcissi. Bluebells, crocus and winter aconites for naturalising in lawns. Iris reticulata, tulips and hyacinths for container bulb lasagnes. And after a morning of planting all these Hopes for the Future, I just had to stop off at Sunshine Garden Centre on my way home to satiate my bulb envy.

Trouble is, the summer container displays won’t die! The begonias are still radiant, although I have managed to purloin one or two pots of past-their-best impatiens. I recon this weekend is Curtains for the rest. Although it seems criminal to discard plants that are still in flower, in my defence, I will be overwintering the begonia tubers for planting next summer.

I’m not really a tulip person. I find that, by the time they are getting into their stride, I’m already thinking about my summer planting schemes. I’d rather concentrate my efforts into planting early flowering bulbs, that bloom from February to April.

Swapping over the container displays is a sure sign of the turn of the year. High summer exuberance ebbs away, as order is restored from chaos.  But underneath those well-ordered, gravel topped pots lies a rainbow of spring promise, waiting until we are at our lowest ebb, to bring colour back into our lives.

I’ve come to realise that with container displays, it’s Go Big or Go Home! So, however many bulbs you initially buy, double it and you won’t be sorry.

Love, Caroline