The spring bulb pot:

Every year without fail the mother does a couple of big pots of spring bulbs.  Bulbs have a strict set of criteria to fit before selection:

1.  They have to be early flowerers- Im allowed to provide a supporting role in the selection process but have never managed to get anything flowering later than April through.

2.  Hardness- Apparently the key to a good bulb is giving it a firm squeeze and finding it hard… you’ve really got to get the bags down for a feel; she is like a squirrel with nuts that woman.

3.  Colour- To a certain extent.  Lets not go mad here; she doesn’t go in with Farrow and Ball paint chips, colour scheme planned out with mood boards.  So the colours look a little clashy! It’ll be fine.  I have yet to find that when spring rolls round we are presented with a disaster. 

The planting of this pot is an autumn tradition.  It has to be a sunny dry day- she is not an all weathers gardener!  The bulbs are popped in in order of required depth height in layers up the pot.  Now her motto here is more is more, don’t scrimp on the planting, stuff in as many as you can.  Topped off with a couple of Polyanthus. I despise Polyanthus.

Come spring there is an explosion of green, the Polyanthus die off (finally) and there is a succession of colour and variety.  Or there should be.  Timings have slightly gone awry this Spring.  The Polyanthus will not die

and all the bulbs have burst out at once, Tulips are elbowing themselves some space in the greenery, Anenomes have managed to push through to float around on top and theres Grape Hyacinths and crocus in the main mix.  Its a complete bun fight, a riot of colour and is by far the most interesting thing currently in the garden.  The mother has produced a winner again.