Plan for a Succession, Not a Single Moment

The most common mistake in spring borders is planting everything at once. You buy a bag of daffodils, tuck them in behind the roses, and for three glorious weeks in March the garden sings — then it goes quiet, and by May there is nothing left but fading leaves and a few straggly forget-me-nots.

The fix is simple: think in waves. Choose varieties that flower early, in the middle of the season and late, then plant them in overlapping drifts so one group picks up as the previous one fades. A good rule of thumb is to plant roughly one third early, one third mid-season and one third late. Get that balance right and your borders will carry colour from the first snowdrops in February right through to the alliums and late tulips of mid-May.

It also pays to plant in generous drifts rather than single bulbs. Groups of nine, fifteen or more of the same variety read as a proper statement from the kitchen window, whereas odd singles scattered about tend to look like accidents.

Early Risers: February and Early March

This is the group that does the emotional heavy lifting. When the garden is still grey and wet, a clump of snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) is worth more than a whole bed of June perennials. Plant them in damp shade under deciduous shrubs, and buy them 'in the green' in late winter if you can — they settle in far better than dry bulbs.

• Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) — cheerful buttercup-yellow cups on low ruffled foliage, happiest in dappled shade.
• Crocus tommasinianus — the best crocus for naturalising in grass, seeding about freely and shrugging off squirrels far better than the big Dutch types.
• Iris reticulata — jewel-like purple or blue flowers on 15cm stems, perfect for a sunny, sharp-drained spot at the front of a border or in a pot.
• Cyclamen coum — little shuttlecock blooms in pink or white that sit neatly above marbled leaves.
• Narcissus 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' — a proper daffodil that can open as early as January in a mild year, and takes wind and rain without collapsing.

Mid-Spring: March into April

This is the heart of the season, and daffodils do most of the work. For the middle of a border, look at the taller trumpet and large-cupped narcissi; for grass and wilder areas, choose poeticus and cyclamineus types such as 'Thalia' and 'Hawera', which are daintier and multiply well.

• Hyacinths — intensely perfumed and best planted close to a path or door where you will catch the scent. Indoors or in pots, they force beautifully.
• Fritillaria imperialis — the crown imperial, with its whorl of orange or yellow bells under a spiky topknot. Plant it on its side in a generous hole of grit to stop the bulb rotting.
• Anemone blanda — daisy-like flowers in blue, white and pink that spread happily through light soil and look wonderful beneath spring shrubs.
• Early tulips — the Kaufmanniana and Fosteriana groups flower weeks before the tall bedding types, giving you tulip colour from late March.

Late Spring: April into May

Late bulbs are what stop the garden tipping straight into summer. Tulips are the obvious choice, but extend the show with a few less familiar names. Camassia sends up spikes of starry blue on stems that ignore wind and wet, and Allium 'Purple Sensation' gives you those floating purple globes that look so good against fresh allium foliage — and again after the leaves have yellowed.

• Late tulips — Triumph and Darwin hybrids for height and substance, or 'Ballerina' and 'Queen of Night' for something more theatrical.
• Allium cristophii — huge, spidery heads that dry beautifully on the plant and last for weeks.
• Dutch iris — slender, elegant blooms in blue, white and yellow, ideal for cutting.
• Nectaroscordum siculum — nodding, bell-shaped flowers in cream, pink and green; a lovely, slightly eccentric choice for a sunny border.

Planting Depth and Timing That Actually Works

Most spring bulbs want planting in September and October, while the soil is still warm enough for roots to form. Tulips are the exception: plant them in November, as a spell of cold soil helps reduce the risk of tulip fire.

As a general rule, set bulbs at two to three times their own height in depth. A 5cm crocus goes about 10cm down; a big daffodil or tulip wants 15–20cm. Space them roughly twice their width apart, and water the ground thoroughly afterwards if the autumn is dry.

Drainage matters more than richness. Add a handful of grit or horticultural sand to the base of each planting hole, and never let bulbs sit in a waterlogged hollow. In heavy clay, planting on a slight ridge or in raised beds makes a real difference. If squirrels are a nuisance, lay a sheet of chicken wire over the soil and lift it once shoots appear.

Pots are worth a mention too. Layer them like a lasagne: tall late tulips at the bottom, daffodils in the middle, crocus and iris near the surface. One container then delivers three months of flowers from a single planting session.

Aftercare for Next Year's Show

What you do in the six weeks after flowering decides next spring's display. Deadhead as blooms fade, unless you want seed, but leave the foliage in place until it has yellowed completely — usually about six weeks. That greenery is feeding the bulb. Never tie it into knots or cut it back early, however untidy it looks.

Feed with a high-potash liquid fertiliser, such as a tomato feed, every fortnight while the leaves are still green. This is especially worthwhile for daffodils in grass and anything growing in a container.

Tulips are the one group where many gardeners lift and bin them after flowering, particularly on heavy soil where they rarely repeat well. If yours perform reliably, leave them. Snowdrops and aconites prefer being divided 'in the green' just after flowering, while narcissi and crocus can be lifted and split every few years once clumps become congested and flowering thins out.

Get the rhythm right — something opening, something in its prime, something waiting in the wings — and spring stops being a fleeting fortnight and becomes a proper season.