Choosing Spring flowering bulbs for next year

If you live somewhere else in the world, you may have to refer to local garden centres and ask your friends what to plant.

These are some of the bulbs I already have and may plant more of.

1. Anemone
2. Iris
3. Tulips
4. Hyacinth
5. Daffodils
6. Snowdrops
7. Dwarf Narcissi
8. Muscari

Before you run off to the garden centre and choose your bulbs, take a moment to review your garden tools.

You will need some or all of the following.

A dibber to make holes for your bulbs - for tiny bulbs you can use the end of a garden cane or a marker pen

A trowel and a hand-fork.

Some twigs or markers - so you know where you have planted.

String. If you are planting a big area with different varieties, you can mark out sections with sticks and string first

A notebook - do some planning, and then record what you did and the date

A kneeler - you are going to be on your knees if planting direct in soil

Gloves - the last time I put on my garden gloves, I found they had been nibbled by mice and had holes in the fingers so I had to buy some more

Pots or containers - look over your old pots, do you need some more? Are there containers that you could recycle as bulb planters?

Compost - if you are planting in containers - make sure you buy the correct type

You don't have to be in the garden for this, you could do it instead of reading another book before bedtime.

With your favourite gardening book or catalogue at your side to remind you of colours and plant sizes, draw some diagrams of the garden areas you are going to work on. Note which parts are shady, sunny, dry, boggy etc. Choose bulbs to suit the different areas if you haven't already. Plan areas of different colours and heights.

Choose your weather. You want a dry day, not necessarily sunny and not just after heavy rain which will be unpleasant to work with and some types of bulbs may rot.

If it is raining, you could do some potting indoors or in a greenhouse or conservatory if you have one. You could perhaps plant up some traditional scented hyacinths to give away as gifts, or a large container that you can move outside later with crocuses, snowdrops and dwarf narcissi - very pretty by a doorstep.

If you are planting direct into the garden, you could take an old sheet or blanket out to the garden and transfer your paper plan to it. Use pebbles or something as area dividers then put your bulbs in their packs into the areas. If you want an area to be 'random' empty and mix a selection of bulbs into the area.

At last you are ready to put your bulbs into the earth. Make suitable size holes and make sure you plant the bulbs the right way up! Refer to the packaging or your garden book to ensure you plant at the correct depth.

You can also dig small holes with trowel and or fork and group bulbs together.

If you are planting in a grassed area, you can use your trowel to cut around and lift small areas of turf, plant your bulbs then replace.

You can use little markers, even twigs, to remind yourself where you planted what.
make notes, even take some photos.

In very dry conditions, you might want to give your bulbs a light watering.

Autumn is a very good time to buy new water butts and check existing connections with downpipes are not cracked or damaged. Save and store water during the winter rains and you won't have to worry about hosepipe restrictions next summer. Make sure your water containers are covered.

Congratulate yourself on your efforts, have a cup of coffee or tea and imagine how beautiful your garden/patio or balcony will look next year.