Spring bulbs

I always forget how early spring bulbs start to appear in the garden. In fact, it can be surprisingly early now. With subtle changes in climate happening all around us, one of the indicators that our world is getting warmer is the daffodils blooming in December.

But snowdrops are a staple of January and February, wherever you are in the UK. Emerging silently and often unnoticed from beneath a crisp layer of snow, or amongst a thick layer of old leaves under hedges, they are a little glimmer of hope in the chilly darkness that brighter days really are ahead.

I always mean to plant more every year, and never quite get round to it. I guess I'm too busy with other planting in spring, which is the best time for planting snowdrops, and concentrate more on bulbs in the autumn.

While the small clumps that bloom in our gardens are hugely important in lifting the spirits, snowdrops are, of course, at their most impressive when seen en masse. So it's great that Visit Scotland organises a Snowdrop Festival every February, highlighting the best Scottish gardens to see spectacular displays. http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/events/scottish-snowdrop-festival

Snowdrops aren't the only bulbs coming up at this time of the year, however. Winter aconite is something else that I keep meaning to plant, as I rather like the sound of rich, yellow flowers in February. But what I did manage to put in a couple of years ago is some crocuses, and they're already coming up.

Crocuses are quite complicated little things, with lots of varieties available, including ones that flower in autumn. I put some of those in last autumn, so fingers crossed for October!

Different types of spring crocuses flower right through into April, and can be an important source of nectar for early bees and other pollinating insects (not a lot of them about now!)

But I was suprised to see the first ones coming up so early this year through the remains of the snow. I'd selected an early type, called a 'species crocus', because I'd originally planned for these to be in pots, and I wanted to have a nice sequence right through the spring. The leftovers went in all over the place: in beds, in the lawn, and it's some of these that are now coming up. It's really rather wonderful to see, and it certainly provides hope that spring won't be far away. Must remember to plant more...