Dear Readers, now that the trees have been ‘pruned’ and the clocks have gone back, it’s past time to think about getting some bulbs into the ground. Now that I have someone to help me with the hard work I’ve been planning to sort out some more woodland bulbs – the area that they’re in has gotten rather overgrown of late, but it used to be lovely in the spring. I was a little disappointed with the selection at the garden centre, but then I am later than usual, so I’ve only got myself (or at least my ankle) to blame. I’ve also ordered some ‘bog-standard’ grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) and some snakeshead fritillaries (Fritillaria melagris), which, with their chequerboard pattern and nodding flowers are amongst my very favourites.

At the garden centre there was a bit of a push on something called ‘bulb booster’ – has anybody used it? I can see the point if you’re planting up tubs, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it in the garden. Thoughts, anyone? I might buy some if anyone thinks that it’s helped their bulbs. I could even conduct an experiment 🙂 .

Incidentally, I couldn’t resist the big bag of crocuses, which were much cheaper than the price on the packet, but I can’t plant them at the back of the house – it’s not sunny enough and the squirrels will have a field day. But, they did seem to work in pots at the front of the house provided I planted them under a thick-ish layer of gravel. Let’s see how they do this year.

I am also planning to buy some bluebells and snowdrops ‘in the green’ next year, to see if I can finally get more than my single bluebell and single patch of snowdrops.

My one patch of snowdrops

I should have gotten some more Cyclamen coum corms, they seem to do rather well in the garden, but everyone is now sold out, so that will have to wait until next year. Sigh.

Cyclamen coum, aka sowbread

Anyhow, what’s happening in your gardens? Do you have plans for the spring, or are you happy with how things are currently? Or has life rather overtaken everything, much as it did for me in  the summer? It’s always interesting to see how everyone is doing, up and down the country.