It will not come as a shock to learn that over a third of the country consider daffodils to be their favourite spring flower. Indeed, the emergence of a bright array of their distinctive trumpets is seen by most to mark the beginning of spring. However it may come as more of a surprise that, to be the messengers bringing an end to the winter season, they need planting in the autumn.
The months of September and October are the best time for planting daffodils and ‘Plant for Life' offer these simple instructions to ensure you get the best of out them in the early spring.
* Make sure you choose the bulbs that are best suited to your soil type and plant them in an area with good drainage and plenty of sunlight.
* Dig a hole three times the size of the bulb.
* Place the bulb into the hole with the thin end pointing towards the sky.
* Cover them up with soil and compost, then water. Be sure to keep dead-heading so as to encourage further growth.
Be adventurous! After the winter you want your garden to look as colourful and vibrant as possible. There are so many different varieties of shapes and colours that you can afford to be creative.
-
'I see my dream dying': How the best roads in Scotland are causing local people the biggest headaches10 years after it was established, the North Coast 500 continues to divide opinion. More tourism means more money, but for those who live along the route, their peaceful lives have been turned upside down. Matthew MacConnell investigates.
-
Bramham Park: A Palladian premonitionBramham Park is one of the most original and idiosyncratic houses of early 18th-century Yorkshire. Richard Hewlings examines its history and origins, and offers a fresh analysis of its architecture. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
