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I love daffodils. To get the best from these wonderful flowers, I plant up a dozen plastic aquatic baskets with spring bulbs in autumn, choosing varieties that flower at different times. When spring arrives, I pop one basket after another

While the large flower shows are pretty mind-blowing, it's the local flower shows that get me excited about growing plants and vegetables. Many towns and villages have horticultural societies or gardening clubs, which hold at least one flower show a

called Panicum 'Rehbraun', planted with Cosmos 'Dazzler' and the fabulous Tithonia rotundifolia (pictured, top) that are bushy and wonderful, but I completely forgot to plant anything for spring: no tulips, no alliums, no nothing. As a result I had

stop to our normal November gardening routine. I would usually be spending jolly weekends doing a bit of light tidying, collecting the last of the autumn leaves and planting the last of the tulip bulbs. Instead we have been shoveling snow out

poppies appears early in the year, forming neat rosettes. It is overtaken by spring performers such as tulips, anchusa and sweet rocket.But suddenly, without warning, the poppy thrusts up fat buds, wreathed in hairy cases until, one morning, the first case

by planting bulbs. Try daffodils and crocus (tulips don’t grow well in grass) and don’t mow for six weeks after flowering, as this gives the leaves time to return nutrients to the bulb.Plant bulbs in your lawnBare patches can develop where a lawn is regularly

Group) 'Beauty of Livermere' (pictured, above). This variety is similar to the wild P. orientale var. bracteatum, a plant of sun-baked Turkish slopes. Foliage appears early in the year, making neat rosettes. It is overtaken by spring plnts

Captivating containersContainers offer the gardener great versatility, and are a fantastic way to experiment with planting and design.Container planting recipesGardening with containers is something I've always enjoyed. They provide some of the most

flowering times:10 best varietiesIf planted in a sheltered, south-facing spot, 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' will be in flower by Christmas. While most daffodils in bloom at this time of year are usually small, this variety has large, windmill-style flowers

and tulips reappear.Grow bluebells from seedCarol's tips for buying bulbsOnly buy bulbs from a reputable bulb merchant, garden centre or nursery, to ensure they haven't been taken from the wild. When buying from bulb catalogues, place your order early. Plan