Buried treasures

Buy next year's spring bulbs as early as you can so you have the pick of the bunch when it comes to variety and colour.

Some bulbs, such as certain daffodils, chionodoxa, snowdrop, winter aconite, crocus and Anemone blanda, appreciate being planted in September.

Early planting in pots of a decent compost is the best way to encourage these bulbs to develop a huge root system before the onset of winter. This ensures the plant can take up plenty of energy next spring so the bulb and its offsets produce flowers for many years to come.

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When planting in pots or in soil borders try to get the spacing right, allowing at least the width of a bulb between

each one.

Cover the bulbs to the recommended depth and enrich the surface with a slow-release fertiliser which will provide nutrients while the soil is warm enough and plants are growing, yet will stop completely during cold weather so nutrients are not wasted.

Best of all, a slow-release plant food will hold on to enough nutrients so that it is able to feed emerging bulbs in the spring when they need all the energy to form new flower buds for the subsequent

year's blooms.

For a winter display you can't rely on flowering plants to produce colour or interest throughout the year. So introduce evergreen plants and variegated leaf forms to mix with your chosen flowers.

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There are several useful herbs that are evergreen for most of the year, including thyme and sage. The common thyme is a hardy perennial with small yellowish leaves and small purple flowers, while the variegated sage has cream and green splashed leaves with new foliage carrying attractive pink edges.

Both herbs can be pinched out regularly to provide useful fresh flavourings to soups and casseroles.

The introduction of a silver leafed perennial, such as Cineraria maritima 'Silverdust', will supply attractive intricate leaves that will decorate a pot during all but the harshest winters.

Top off the pot with violas which will flower on and off throughout the year depending on temperature and sunshine.

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To break the sharp edges of the pot place a couple of variegated ivies or trailing Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue' so that the leaves trail over the pot.

For winter flowers, think about Universal pansies, polyanthus and Daisies (Bellis). Small bulbs such as crocus, anemone and dwarf narcissi such as 'Minnow' and 'Tete a Tete' can also be pushed below the surface of the compost to provide interesting flowers in spring.

YP MAG 14/8/10