Want Garden Winter Colour? Plant now.

Posted on October 28, 2016 in Gardening

In the heart of a cold, grey, rainy winter flowers can brighten up even the most dull days. If you start now, you can guarantee some garden winter colour. Here’s how to do it the pro way.

Plant winter bedding

Once plants have stopped flowering, remove them from beds, borders, hanging baskets and containers. Now you have space, prepare to plant up winter bedding.

First, fork over the beds, working in some compost or well-rotted manure. Then, add a little fertiliser (following the instructions on the container). Finally, add the winter bedding into the gaps you’ve just created.

TOP TIP: We love the striking colour of winter-flowering pansies – especially the bicoloured varieties. It’s an easy way to bring some colour to a grey late winter.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs

Now’s also the time to get planting your spring-flowering bulbs, like hyacinths, tulips and bluebells, for maximum impact come March.

When selecting bulbs:

• pay attention to their size – the larger the bulb, the larger and taller the flowers
• look for firm, hard flesh with a dry skin
• if the bulb is beginning to sprout, check that the young shoots are white or green.

TOP TIP: Make sure the plants are kept well-watered while they find their feet.

We also recommend adding mulch (bark chippings) to the surface of beds and borders to help new plants survive over winter. It’s great for supressing weeds, retaining moisture during dry spells, insulating against cold temperatures and protecting any root systems or crowns that may be vulnerable.