Garden notebook: Now is the time for bulbs in your garden

The promise of a colourful spring garden begins now – buy your spring-flowering bulbs in March to ensure that you get the best quality and variety but wait until April, when soil temperatures drop, before planting them.

Bulbs come in many shapes and sizes, but make sure the ones you choose are firm and unblemished.

Other than daffodils and hyacinths, highlighted here, brilliant bulbs to add to your spring collection include Allium ‘Winter Fairy’, Babiana varieties, and of course – all the tulips you can get your green fingers on!