Winter BRIGHTS

A succession of winter-flowering bulbs will make your garden glow with colour during the darkest months of the year

- CHRIS MORLEY

New year cheer

Spring-flowering bulbs pop up from January onwards and are undeterred by harsh weather, with early bloomers like snowdrops and winter aconites pushing up through the snow. Planting now gives bulbs time to grow their roots while the soil is warm. The exceptions to the rule are tulips, which should be planted when it’s colder (October to November), to avoid soil-borne diseases. Once established, many bulbs will happily multiply, delivering a bigger, better display each year.

Early starters

Snowdrops usually emerge in the first weeks of the new year. At home in moist soil and partial shade, plant them densely – at least 25 to stand out – around the feet of deciduous trees and shrubs, or in raised beds and grass. Mix them with golden winter aconites (