In the hierarchy of tasks for the autumn garden, the job of planting spring-flowering bulbs is surely near the top. The reward for all that hard work and effort is the thrill of watching these resilient plants push their snouts through winter-chilled soil to fill the spring garden with scent and beauty. Added to that, we humans aren’t the only ones to celebrate their colourful blooms, many of which are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for early-emerging pollinating insects.
On the other hand, there is the almost inevitable downside, which is that many spring-flowering bulbs bought by gardeners at this time of year are traditionally used for colourful seasonal container displays destined to be discarded on the compost heap just as soon as they’ve finished flowering. That their beauty comes at a considerable cost – both financial and environmental – is something that many gardeners are increasingly finding hard to bear.
Instead, they’re plumping for the more sustainable, affordable option, which is perennial speci
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