For a happy planting session you need ground that is dampish, so that the holes you dig don’t crumble into dust as you dig. And you need a fairly narrow trowel with a comfortable handle. Although daffodils are best put in the ground in September, there is still time to plant a wide range of other bulbs. Leave tulip planting until November.
The great thing about bulbs is that they leap up, do their thing and then pack themselves away underground. They don’t bore on, long after they have any reason to catch your attention. There are plenty enough plants like that. Bulbs, like Roses, are very beautiful to see transition in the light. They have been with summer-flowering annuals such as cornflowers or larkspur.
Instinctively we think of the showiest subjects to use in beds and borders: hyacinths, tulips, crown imperials, iris, gladioli, and especially lilies. These nine between them will furnish a border for at least seven months from March until September.
On heavy soils, dig a hole for each planting bulb, sit up the bulb and put more dirt and pressure on top of it.
They are very partial to tulip and lily bulbs. As well as suppressing weeds, the mulch will provide food for the bulb.
