As spring stirs and much of the garden still lies dormant and dull, it is the baby bulbs that take centre stage, injecting splashes of jewel-like colour into beds or borders, containers and lawns. ‘On their own, they may be rather small and insignificant, but planted in bold groups, they make an impact far exceeding their individual size,’ notes Christine Skelmersdale, author of A Gardener’s Guide to Bulbs.
Among their number are dwarf daffodils, white or pink cyclamen, silvered crocuses, species tulips, purple windflowers and a surprising variety of blue-flowered beauties – reticulata irises, grape hyacinths and various members of the scilla family ranging in colour from cobalt and sapphire hues through to ice or midnight blue.
All these bulbs spend much of their year
