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I'm a sucker for summer-flowering bulbs, and at this time of year I always get carried away. March is an expensive month — I'm often tempted to order far too many summer bulbs from both mail-order companies and the internet.I use the term 'bulb

'. A pack of two plump, healthy lily bulbs — it's important to check if they're firm and healthy — cost £1.99. I reasoned that three packs wouldn't break the bank, and would be sufficient for me to create the lily feature I was dreaming of.Each lily

of glory.But they are stunning. Three bold outer petals unfurl with three smaller ones between, exposing the long central stigma and stamen, with flowers reaching about 10-15cm across. Colours are primary and vibrant, with stunning speckling near the centre

stunning.For more inspiration there’s a great feature called ‘Get set for Summer Bulbs’ by Toby Buckland in the February issue of Gardeners’ World magazine, including advice on planting gladioli to provide 100 days of flowers.

So many of my favourite plants come from South Africa, a place that certainly feeds my appetite for bulbs. Moving on from the summer delights of agapanthus, gladioli, eucomis, galtonia, crocosmia and a host of others, I enter autumn with pots

It pays not to be too neat and tidy in the garden or you'll miss out on so many unexpected delights. Agapanthus look stunning in full flower through summer, but if I'd been too hasty with the secateurs and trimmed away the flower spikes as soon

into growth next summer they should flower again for me next autumn.

every day. All they need is some extra warmth to encourage them to burst into flower.Until that finally happens, I’m putting some of the empty summer patio pots to good use by packing them with primulas.And what a choice there is. Of course

.It's far more relaxing, and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. What exclusive new varieties will I discover for patio pots, what will tempt my appetite in the kitchen garden, and which plants will steal the show next summer?Well, I'll just