A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article for our garden club newsletter, suggesting members order any special tulip bulbs they wanted to plant for next spring’s flowering. I’ve often been caught out by wanting certain flowers in my garden way after the time I should have been sowing seeds or planting bulbs.
Sometimes, it isn’t until I see the wildly expensive pots of such plants in garden centres at flowering time that I’m jolted into making plans to do better next year. I usually forget about those intentions until the same time the following year and, yet again, promise to do better.
So, it comes as a useful prompt when mail order catalogues start arriving in my mailbox. I love their glossy photos of flowers in perfect condition, promising that a similar display of colour could also be in my garden. I get mesmerised by the choices – what colour tulips should I choose this year, do I need more ruffled double daffodils, and is it time to set up a bed of bearded iris? So many delightful decisions.
I received the Van Diemen Quality Bulbs brochure in January and dithered for so long about what to buy that the bulb collection I wanted is now sold out. If only I had taken my own advice… 😊