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Here are our top 10 favourite spring-flowering bulbs.

As autumn arrives, it's time to start thinking about spring flowers! Plant spring-flowering bulbs now, and you'll have a fantastic display of colour early next year. Here are our top 10 favourite spring-flowering bulbs.
<h2>Ten spring-flowering bulbs</h2>
<ol>
<li>
Daffodils (Narcissus) are one of the most popular and easy-to-grow spring bulbs, and there's an incredible variety of different flowers to suit all tastes. Depending on the type you choose, you can have flowers any time from late winter (Narcissus' January Gold') to late spring (Narcissus pseudonarcissus – the daffodil that inspired Wordsworth!) Daffodils do best in full sun and well-drained soil.
</li>
<li>
Tulips are a splash of vibrant colour in spring. Ranging from dwarf Tulip' Little Beauty' to statuesque Tulip' Queen of Night', there are tulips to suit all garden sizes, and they're great for pots too. Tulips are very easy to grow, preferring a sunny spot and well-drained soil.
</li>
<li>
Crocuses are one of the first signs of spring, cheering up cold grey days with their small goblet-shaped flowers in bright colours. They're ideal for pots and also look lovely naturalised on a lawn. Crocuses love the sun and well-drained soil.
</li>
<li>
Iris reticulata are the earliest irises to flower, blooming in late winter and early spring. Their elegant flowers look stunning, combined with early daffodils in pots. Look for Iris' Harmony, with its deep blue flowers, or rich purple Iris' Pauline'. Iris reticulata bulbs do best in well-drained soil in full sun.
</li>
<li>
Snake-head fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris) are suitable for damp soils and will grow happily in light shade. With their striking white or maroon nodding flowers and snakeskin marbling, these elegant spring bulbs look fantastic planted in large groups or on naturalised lawns.
</li>
<li>
Camassia is another good choice for damp soils. Planted in large groups, their tall spires of flowers look like blue mist in spring.
</li>
<li>
English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are woodland plants and grow well in dappled shade. Plant them in large swathes for a sea of blue flowers in mid-spring.
</li>
<li>
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) flower in late winter, a welcome sign that spring is on its way. These delicate white nodding flowers with green markings are happy growing under deciduous trees or shrubs where they will get sun in early spring before the leaves appear.
</li>
<li>
Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are loved for their beautiful fragrance and come in a wide range of gorgeous colours, like the bright pink flowers of Hyacinth' Jan Bos' or beautiful soft yellow Hyacinth 'City of Haarlem'. They look superb in pots near the house or planted along the edge of a path so you can appreciate the fragrance as you pass.
</li>
<li>
Winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) produce carpets of gold in late winter with their bright yellow buttercup flowers. They're ideal for planting around deciduous trees and shrubs to bring colour to a shady spot.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>
Get set for a fantastic spring display with our great range of spring-flowering bulbs. Visit our centre today to pick up a pack of your favourites and start planting your spring bulbs this&nbsp;autumn.

Spring-flowering bulbs you need to plant now

Here’s how to make your own autumn wreath, plus tips and ideas on decorating it.

Wreaths are a beautiful way to mark the change of the seasons, in spring and autumn as well as Christmas. Here’s how to make your own autumn wreath, plus tips and ideas on decorating it.
<h2>What you need to make an autumn wreath</h2>
The first thing you’ll need when making a wreath is a base. These are readily available in craft shops and online, but you can also make your own. You don’t have to stick to a round wreath base either – make your wreath square, heart-shaped or star-shaped if you prefer.
You’ll also need florists wire, ribbon, glue (a hot glue gun is very handy for all sorts of craft projects) and decorations of your choice, such as berries, leaves and pine cones.
<h2>3 ways to make a wreath base</h2>
<ol>
<li>A cardboard wreath base is very easy to make. Find some sturdy cardboard (great use for those online delivery boxes!) Draw two concentric circles (i.e. one smaller circle inside a bigger one) to form the base, then cut it out. Wrap it in ribbon, and it’s ready to decorate.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Shrubs like willow or dogwood have long whippy stems that make superb wreaths. Cut several long stems and twist them to form a strand, then bend this into a circle to create a wreath base.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Use wire to create a wreath base in whatever shape you prefer – a circle, a heart, a star or whatever takes your fancy. If you don’t have any wire in the DIY cupboard, why not unwind an old wire coat hanger and repurpose it?</li>
</ol>
<h2>Decorating your autumn wreath</h2>
When decorating your autumn wreath, start with the bigger items such as pinecones, using the florist’s wire to attach them securely to the wreath base. Next, fill in the gaps with foliage and berries, using glue or wire to attach them. You can buy sprays of artificial berries and autumn leaves, but it’s also fun to gather your own from your garden. Here are a few ideas for natural autumn wreath decorations:
<ul>
<li>
Pinecones are plentiful at this time of year. To clean them up ready for use, soak them for 30 minutes in a solution of 2 parts warm water to 1 part white vinegar, then let them air-dry for 2-3 days or bake them in an oven for approximately 1.5 hrs at 200°F (95°C), checking regularly to prevent them burning.
</li>
<li>
Conkers (horse chestnuts) look greatly threaded on wire or glued onto a wreath base.&nbsp; Soak them in vinegar or paint them with nail varnish before using them to make them last longer on your wreath.
</li>
<li>
Bright autumn leaves add the perfect seasonal touch to your wreath. Collect fallen leaves, place them between sheets of paper and press them under a couple of heavy books for a day or two, then spray them with hairspray to preserve them.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Get your home and garden ready for autumn with our great range of plants and homeware. Visit us today and see what’s in store!&nbsp;&nbsp;

How to make an autumn wreath

Here are our top 7 garden care tips for autumn.

Taking care of your garden in autumn really sets it up for the year to come. As well as tidying up beds for winter, it’s an ideal time to feed the soil and add new plants for spring. Here are our top 7 garden care tips for autumn.
<h2>7 garden care tips for autumn</h2>
<ol>
<li>
Cut back herbaceous perennials as they start to die back, cutting faded flower stems down to ground level. Cut the foliage to ground level too, or just above any new growth. When tidying, leave a few perennials with hollow flower stems standing to provide homes for overwintering insects and spiders.
</li>
<li>
Don’t put raked-up leaves on the compost heap or throw them away. Create a leaf pile or put the leaves into black bags with a couple of holes pierced in them, leaving them to break down. It takes a couple of years, but you’ll end up with fabulous leaf mould, one of the best soil conditioners there is.
</li>
<li>
If your garden is short on autumn colour, plant some! Dahlias, sedums, asters and penstemons all flower in autumn. Deciduous shrub Caryopteris (Bluebeard) has fantastic blue flowers that bees love, as does Ceratostigma willmottianum (Chinese plumbago).&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Find a space in your garden for a tree with fabulous autumn foliage. Japanese maples and flowering cherries both look spectacular in autumn, and if you don’t have room for a big tree, you can plant one in a pot. Flowering cherry Prunus ‘Kojo no mai’ or dwarf Japanese maple ‘Wilson’s Pink Dwarf’ will give you gorgeous autumn colour planted in a large container on a patio.
</li>
<li>
Autumn is the time to plant spring bulbs, especially daffodils, crocuses and irises. Wait until November to plant tulips, as they are less likely to succumb to viruses if planted when the weather is colder.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Plant new perennials in autumn so they can get settled while the soil is still at war. It’s also a good time to lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials like hostas, daylilies and hardy geraniums. Dig up clumps and divide them with the sharp blade of a spade, or use two garden forks back to back to lever clumps apart. Replant the divided clumps and water them in.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Mulching is one of the best things you can do for your garden in autumn. Spread a thick (5cm/ 2in) layer of organic matter like well-rotted farmyard manure or garden compost over the soil and leave the worms and other organisms to work into the ground, improving soil structure and nutrient levels. Annual mulching helps soil retain moisture in dry periods and drain better in wet weather – a win-win situation. If you don’t have enough mulch to do the whole garden, focus on specific areas. It’s better to do a good, thick layer in a small space than a thinner layer over the entire garden.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>
Whether you’re raking leaves, spreading mulch or planting for autumn colour, you’ll find everything you need in our centre. Visit us today!

7 top autumn garden care tips

It’s time to get your autumn gardening flocks on and get some new plants in the garden for the coming seasons.&nbsp;

These garden plants to plant in September will keep your garden interesting and colourful throughout the year. Even though the summer is coming to an end, and the garden is taking a turn into autumn, there is plenty to be still doing in the garden. From the last of the summer clear-up to autumn preparations, it’s time to get your autumn gardening flocks on and get some new plants in the garden for the coming seasons.&nbsp;
<h2>Evergreen trees and shrubs to plant in September</h2>
September is an excellent time for planting out evergreens. The trees and shrubs that hold their leaves all year and provide colour and interest, even in the coldest season, will have time to establish their roots&nbsp;before the heat of summer.
<ul>
<li>Euonymus and Camellia are great examples of evergreen shrubs to plant out now.</li>
<li>Bay, Olive and evergreen Magnolia are excellent trees to get into the ground now.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Plant cut flower seeds&nbsp;in September</h2>
Not only can you plant out trees, shrubs and perennials, but you can also still sow seeds. If you would like an abundance of colour, great for pollinators and cutting - sowing in autumn is a great way to get them started easily. Sow seeds for a colourful patch such as:
<ul>
<li>wildflowers,</li>
<li>cornflower,</li>
<li>poppies.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Salad seeds to plant in September</h2>
There are many different types of salads that can be sown and will grow in the colder months. Not only can you be harvesting them to enjoy as part of a meal, but they will also keep colour and interest in your garden. Sow seeds such as:
<ul>
<li>Pak Choi,</li>
<li>Mizuna,</li>
<li>Spinach,</li>
<li>Giant Red Mustard.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h2>Plant spring bulbs in September</h2>
Daffodils, Hyacinths and Crocus bulbs are some of the most well known spring flowers. If you want to enjoy their colourful abundance, you need to get them in the ground in autumn. Please visit our garden centre for a wide range of spring-flowering bulbs. It is exciting to plant bulbs and wait for them to pop up through the soil next spring. You can plant tulips all the way up to mid-December, so if you have enough to do in the autumn garden, leave those until later and get planting the rest from now. Here are some of our favourite spring bulbs (that need to be planted in autumn):
<ul>
<li>Daffodils</li>
<li>Hyacinths</li>
<li>Crocus</li>
<li>Allium</li>
<li>Tulips</li>
<li>Muscari</li>
<li>Ranunculus</li>
<li>Iris</li>
<li>Snowdrops</li>
<li>Winter aconite</li>
<li>Glory of the snow</li>
</ul>
<h2>Plant perennials&nbsp;in September</h2>
Perennials planted now will have enough time to settle and establish before spring and summer next year. It is possible to plant perennials that are now established in pots already for some autumn colour, such as Hylotelephium spectabile (Sedum) or plant bare-root plants out now, which will soon appear as the weather warms up next year in spring. Bare roots won’t look like much, but they grow strong and will establish easily. Think of:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Peonies</li>
<li>Chrysanthemums</li>
<li>Zinnias</li>
<li>Phlox</li>
<li>Coreopsis</li>
<li>Salvia</li>
</ul>
Add some new plants to your garden this September with a selection from our range in store. Visit us in %locations% and use autumn for planting so that you can enjoy a splash of colour next spring.

Garden plants to plant in September

On the Blog

Harvesting vegetables from your garden is hugely satisfying, and you&#39;ll revolutionise your tastebuds:&nbsp;food picked just minutes before it&#39;s on your plate has a colour, flavour and crunchiness that have to be&nbsp;experienced to be believed.

We have everything in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre to turn your garden into a haven of productivity: here&#39;s a selection&nbsp;to get you started.

Seeds: most veg are grown from seeds, from tomatoes to carrots and lettuces. Take your pick from the huge&nbsp;range in our garden centre; we&#39;ve also got ready-spaced seed tapes and delicious heritage vegetables for&nbsp;you to try.

Sets and seed potatoes: from early spring we stock seed potatoes, plus onions, shallots and garlic from&nbsp;sets &ndash; easy-to-handle baby bulbs to plant straight into the ground.

Plug plants: for the ultimate in convenience we also stock plug plants -baby veg plants ready to go straight&nbsp;into containers or out into the garden.

Perennial vegetables: great value for money, these include some real delicacies: in our garden centre you&#39;ll&nbsp;find asparagus crowns, able to crop for 20 years, and stately globe artichokes looking as good as they taste.

Please ask the staff in our garden centre in %locations%for more information and advice about growing vegetables.

*please be advised a variety of our products are seasonal. And can only be found at certain points of the year.

Vegetables

Growing your own food is one of life's great pleasures, and like most good things, it's worth doing well. A great way of measuring your progress is to pit yourself against the old-timers - producers of football-sized onions and metre-long carrots.
It takes courage to exhibit your produce,

Growing for show

Stock up on spring bulbs for a brilliantly colourful display next spring. You'll find a huge range now on sale in the garden centre, from daffodils and crocuses to grape hyacinths, windflowers (Anemone blanda) and beautiful chequered snakeshead fritillaries. Hold back on planting tulips for now, though, as early planting risks disease.

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