The budget garden in March

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There has been a lot of change in the budget garden of late. Now that the tree surgeons have completed the work on the apple tree (a magnificent and prolific Bramley), I have time to finish work on the borders.

A few happy snapshots taken during my teabreak. Yes, this may be a budget garden but if I time my visit right, then Mr Budget Garden will be present and will offer tea and biscuits.... :)

Top Tulips

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I was asked here a while back about my favourite tulip. Since perusing tulip catalogues is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine or should I say a much loved research task, this is a difficult question for me. There are simply so many that I like, I will share my current favourites with you.

Bulbs

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Yes, summer is barely here and my thoughts are turning to Spring next year. A bit like in the fashion world ....

I tend to order my bulbs in August for an early September delivery. Bulb planting for anything but tulips then takes place throughout September and should be complete by early October. Tulip bulbs are stored cool and dry until much later in the year, early to mid November in my case.

Tending many gardens (and often ordering bulbs for friends) I keep a list to organise what varieties I will be ordering, what quantities are needed and who is to get how many. With all bulbs delivered in one batch, storing the tulip bulbs has become a bit of a challenge, so the plan for this year is to buy the tulips later, preferably when they go on sale.

For now my wishlist is for Anemone blanda, daffodils, erythronium and some species tulips.

I will be trialling a white flowered variety of erythronium and have chosen three varieties of daffodils to give colour (and cut flowers) from late February to May.

My personal favourite has to be Narcissi 'Manly' described as "with double cream-yellow flowers of waterlily form"

Narcissi Manly (photo credit: Rose Cottage Plants)



Another favourite spring flowering bulb is the species tulip Tulipa turkestanica. On very slender stems grow several nodding flowerheads which open wide on a sunny day.

Tulipa turkestanica (photo credit: Rose Cottage Plants)