Colour made easy

“Spring bulbs are part of the floral narrative that we try to stretch through our borders from January to November”

September always seems to me too early to be planting for next spring. Not because it involves planning ahead – all gardening is set in the future – but because it seems like bad magic to be invoking the spirits of March and April as summer settles its weary bones around the fading fires of September. Spring viewed from September seems like another country. It is a bit like Christmas decorations in October or Easter eggs for sale in February.

But it is good gardening and good sense. Time to get over these seasonal foibles. At the very least, now is the time to check out the catalogues and pictures online of all the possibilities available while garden centres across the land are well stocked with a wide selection, whereas if you leave it till