SEASON OF CHANGE

The days are getting slightly warmer, which means spring is on its way!

- Adam Woodhams

With spring around the corner, it's a gorgeous and exciting time for gardening, as the blooms of spring bulbs reach for the sun and spring blossom trees show their first colour.

FLOWERING NOW

• It’s shift-change time for your spring bulbs. Jonquil blooms will be fading as DAFFODILS and FREESIAS burst into flower.

• SPRING BLOSSOM TREES will be coming into full bloom right about now, including ornamental flowering and fruiting varieties of peaches, cherries and plums.

• The climber, WHITE JASMINE (Jasminum polyanthum), is coming into flower. They are fabulous for screens and trellises, but do keep them in check as they can rapidly climb trees.

• ORANGE TRUMPET VINE (Pyrostegia venusta) will be totally covered in a cascade of vibrant orange blooms.

• Possibly the most graceful of the late winter flowering displays is from the MAGNOLIAS (Magnolia x soulangeana varieties). They are most often seen in white with touches of shell pink but varieties such as Vulcan are a spectacular deep reddish- purple or burgundy-red.

• Hardy and reliable CYMBIDIUM ORCHIDS will be flowering now. If you want to learn more, local orchid societies or garden clubs will have orchid display weekends.

WHAT TO PLANT