Time to prepare for bulb-planting season

Bulbs are generally associated with springtime but collectively, in one form or another, they can cover all four seasons with colour.

- BY TOM PATTINSON

So why do I flag them up in the dry heat of summer when it's clearly not the time for planting?

Because August sees the appearance of bulbs at the local garden centre, therefore it's a good time to at least start planning their inclusion in garden and container displays for spring and beyond.

We use the word 'bulb' generally to describe any plant that emerges from a fleshy or swollen storage organ. This can be a tuber as in dahlia or alstroemeria, a corm (gladioli and crocus), or rhizome (agapanthus and convallaria).

The difference between these forms and a true bulb is clear.