Too chilly to plant now?

Hello there, I know there have been posts about how warm it is at the mo but I have unexpectedly been left with a load of space in my garden and I want to start filling it. So according to my research now is the time to plant hellebores, snowdrops, lily of the valley, possibly bulbs (though too late?) and bare root roses (?) (any more suggestions also welcome!) but even though I am in the south (London) it does feel like the temperature has dipped in the last week or so. Do the more experienced among you think the ground will be too cold to plant these now? Would it be a waste of money buying? Is there anything I can plant that will make it to spring? Please advise! Thank you in advance. 

as long as the ground is not frozen and workable all pot grown plants shrubs, fruit bushes, trees available in your local garden centre can be planted now, bare root plants have to be planted during the cooler months as the soil is warm stil and the roots have a chance to establish themselves before next spring. Consider though what you want form this area, do you want to fill it with perennials or could it be filled with a mix of annuals also. how about growing some of your own food here mixed in with the shrubs, standard fruit bushes can make good focal points and allow planting beneath them also.

Hello CuriousGardener,

Just a quick message about snowdrops - the common way to plant these is 'in the green'. This is usually done after flowering, when the bulbs still have their leaves - before the leaves have died down. Keep an eye out early next year for snowdrops in flower and you'll then know to search in nurseries or online for snowdrops 'in the green' to plant. They'll look lovely in years to come beneath your new bare root roses.

Emma.

gardenersworld.com team

Hi curious gardener,just had a delivery of foxtail lilies 2weeks ago,i put them out last week when conditions were milder and ground workable.I got them from yorkshire so they should be hardy.I ordered them at chelsea so looked forward to them all summer.I cant wait for them to come up later in 2012.

Mike.

all depends where you live 

it has been mild of late though

Nothing to say.. I'm just listening.

I have planted lots of lillies, doesnt fill bare earth though.

I was prepared this year, done wallflowers and bellis daisy from seed, so nice lot of green there, planted lots of pansy's,sweet william, primula's ,christmas roses, lilly of the valley, trailing pansy's and ivy in hanging baskets, hebe's just planted. 

I have lots of delphiniums waiting to go in, but was a bit frightened that the weather may turn so keeping them for the spring.

I think you could still put tulips in, maybe a bit late for daffs, some places are still selling snowdrops 'in the green'.

Maybe, next year, you can start perenials off early for an autumn planting.

I think its best to only grow wallflowers once in the same place though.

You could still plant daffodils and tulips, you will find some good bargains in the garden centers. Most daffodils flower in mid March tulips in mid April, if planted now that is still sufficient time to have a reasonably good display. Whatever happens the bulbs will not be lost.

I've just planted some tulips, bought cheap as they were trying to clear them out.  If they come up late who cares?  Mild here in Sheffield with seedlings of gosegrass etc starting to come through.  What a contrast to last winter!