October is the perfect time to get out into the garden and plant spring-flowering bulbs, as Helen Nyul, Group Head of Biodiversity, at Barratt Developments, explains:
Daffodils, hyacinths and tulips should all be planted in autumn. Over winter, they begin to sprout, ready to bloom in bright colours come spring.
Spring flowers aren’t just important for improving your garden’s aesthetic, they also provide essential pollen and nectar for newly emerging insects and those waking from winter hibernation, such as bees and butterflies.
You can often buy packets of bulbs relatively cheaply, so this is a really affordable way to plan for a bright and beautiful garden in the spring.
Daffodils, hyacinths and tulips should all be planted in autumn. Over winter, they begin to sprout, ready to bloom in bright colours come spring.
Spring flowers aren’t just important for improving your garden’s aesthetic, they also provide essential pollen and nectar for newly emerging insects and those waking from winter hibernation, such as bees and butterflies.
You can often buy packets of bulbs relatively cheaply, so this is a really affordable way to plan for a bright and beautiful garden in the spring.
Autumn bulb planting involves just three easy steps:
1. Choose a spot
Bulbs are very versatile and take well to growing in the ground as well as in a pot. You can even plant them straight into the grass to grow a beautiful bulb lawn.
The spot you choose should be sunny and protected from being trodden on, so avoid planting them too close to garden paths.
Read our guide on planting for each aspect.
You’ll want to plant the bulbs in groups of around 7 for display. Planting in odd numbers works best. If you really want your garden to bloom, you can plant 50-100 bulbs or more to give the effect of having a sea of flowers.
2. Plant
Using a trowel, drill or bulb auger (a specialist spiral tool) make holes in the soil around 2-3 times the depth of the bulb. Plant the bulb at the bottom of the hole with the tip pointed upwards. Then, gently fill the soil back in.
You’ll want to space your bulbs by a couple of inches to ensure they each have enough room to grow. Make sure to give them some water after planting.
Here are some of the most beautiful spring-flowering bulbs you can plant between September and November:
- Tulips
- Daffodils
- Hyacinths
- Crocus
- Bluebells
- Alliums
- Iris reticulata
- Winter aconites
- Snowdrops
3. Wait
Your bulbs will begin to sprout and grow through the rest of autumn and winter. You should expect to start seeing your bulbs blooming between February and April.
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