Seeing as it’s now autumn, a number of bulbs can be planted in the garden. Here’s a few of them: 

Tulip  

A fabulous early spring colour. There’s some historical stuff with the Dutch making heaps of money out of often virus-ridden “varieties” (early 1600-s AD) selling them for Fl 3000.00 per bulb (while the average yearly wage of a skilled craftsman was around Fl 300.00) – the bulb bubble burst in 1637 AD. These days they are a bit cheaper and more reliable. 

They grow well in South Island with very cool winters – up north they need winter chilling (taking out of the soil and put in fridge for 8 weeks). In mild climates it pays to plant later in the year, in May or June. 

But in South Island, planting the bulbs can start in a few weeks; order them now! 

Great bulb outlets:

• Bulbs direct 
• Garden Post 
• NZBulbs 
• Fiesta Bulbs 
• Hadstock Farm in Springston  

Work the soil to 20 cm deep in sunny to semi-shade positions(bulbs prefer well-drained soils). Plant 15 cm spaced and 15 cm deep – in warmer climates, plant them a bit deeper (20 cm deep).  

A bit of mulch over the planting site will keep weeds down. Bulb fertiliser is recommended and after flowering, some blood and bone will feed the green leaves.  

Do NOT cut those green leaves after flowering: they gather sunlight (photosynthesis) for re-stocking the food reserves inside the bulbs underground.  

Narcissus Daffodils  

Prep the soil to 40 cm or so – daffodils’ roots go way down!  

Plant them 10 cm deep and spaced to 10 cm apart. Well-drained soils work best – perhaps under deciduous trees. Hagley Park is a great example. Planting them in full sun is okay too. Mass planting works well, and the bulbs will come up year after year. 

They are not as fussy as tulips in terms of cool winter soils. Apart from the far north, the whole of New Zealand is daffodil country. Bulbs will multiply. 

Crocus: the lovely smelling spring flowers 

Plant the corms in autumn a couple of centimetres deep and closely-spaced for best effect – they are best lifted after the foliage dies down. 

Of course, Saffron is a crocus, but it flowers in Autumn (March). 

Leucojum, also known as snowflake  

It has a special place in my heart: we used to have a rare and endangered native species in the wetlands where I used to roam as a nature nerd in the Netherlands.  

Many different varieties now – flowering in early spring, planting in early April. 

Bulbs in containers  

Most of these bulbs do well in containers. Picture a terracotta pot with these plants massed together – you can shift them inside when they flower to enjoy, or put them on the patio so you see them through the ranch-slider. 

LISTEN ABOVE