Flower Bulbs

Any soil is in fact suitable for flower bulbs unless it is extremely wet. Bulbs don't like to get their feet wet, so good water drainage is a prerequisite. Bulbs will also have difficulty with arid, sandy soil because of the lack of nutrients, but that problem can be solved by adding extra compost. Heavy clay soil, on the other hand, is often too rich: the soil particles adhere to each other, which makes it difficult for the bulb's delicate roots to absorb moisture and nutrients. This too can be solved by adding compost in combination with fine sand in order to break up the lumps of clay.

First of all, we would like to clear up a widespread misunderstanding: Bulbs are not Tubers!
A bulb is in fact a complete plant, lying all curled up, waiting to unfold. If you cut a bulb in half, an onion for instance, all the tunics and eyes are visible inside the bulb. These are the future stalks, leaves and flowers.

Dahlias are a wonderful asset to any garden. There are dahlias to suit all tastes as they come in so many different sorts, sizes and colours. Dahlias flower in great profusion from the summer to the first frost. Here are some useful tips for planting and caring for dahlias so that you can make the most of them.

Every garden has a spot that is ideal for allowing plants and bulbs to naturalize. Choose varieties that naturalize readily and give them a position where they can spread freely, and nature will take care of the rest. Here are some tips and extra information relating to naturalizing plants and bulbs.