flower bulbs

Bulbs are the ultimate in wait and see. Plant them now, in many ways you can forget about them, and then what a fantastic surprise when they all come up and flower in the spring. It’s still summer as far as I’m concerned, as firstly I’m still playing cricket and...

It may not appeal to everyone, but a 5 mile walk around parts of the Longleat estate is my idea of heaven. To see the trees in a wonderful setting, the bluebells in the woods and having a pub at about halfway makes for a perfect walk. This means that...

Easter seems to be more and more about chocolate now, but given my surname (Cadbury) that’s probably inevitable in my case! Alongside the chocolate fest, for we happy band of gardeners it’s all about getting out into the garden, sharpening the secateurs and planning ahead. My wife and I have...

February had snow and a heatwave, March with warm and cold spells, April has begun with lovely blue sky sunny days but also frosts at night. As I’ve written before, weather is a preoccupation, if not an obsession, as planting, covering, putting seedlings out and so on is so important...

I used to have a serious problem with yellow. As a colour for clothes, for home decor and – most of all – in the garden. Even daffodils were banned. Somehow it seemed too cheery, too bright and, by association, just a little bit tacky and common. I was a sunshine snob. It’s...

Whether you’re thinking of a hedge, wallflowers, fruit trees, climbers, roses, lavender or ornamental garden trees, now is the time to get out there and plant to your hearts’ content. I’ve recently planted broad leafed lime trees to act as a screen to cover up the background of a town...

There are two obsessions that gardening induces; firstly the weather and most importantly your own garden taking over your thoughts and dreams. The weather Is it too cold, is the ground frozen or even warming up? Is it too wet, or too dry? Is it the right time to plant...

There’s no escaping it, January is hardly fun packed. After the jollity and cosy indulgences of December, it hits us full on with its chill, dark days and its unreasonable demands to live life more mindfully, more healthily, less lazily. But it’s a brand new year, and – believe it...

Personally I love daffodils and narcissi, and as William Wordsworth waxed lyrical on the beauty of them, whilst in a pensive moment and enjoying the tranquility of them dancing in the breeze, here is his poem: I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all...

Many tulips in our range flower at different times; the really tough tulips like the dwarf Kaufmanniana and Greigii, see pink Heart's Delight and red and white striped Pinocchio, will break through the frosts of March to reveal charming open flowers. Most of the standard Dutch style tulips bloom in April...