The beginning of November saw the planting of pots with, crocus, iris, narcissus and species rock tulips.
Two large pots either side of the banana bench were planted with Tulip ‘Abu Hassan’, Siberian Wallflowers and Forget-me-Nots.

When the rain finally eased I managed to complete planting my remaining tulip bulbs.
Those of you who regularly follow my blog will know that I rotate dahlias with tulips in the raised beds edging the patio. Last year I used three bulb saucers for the tulips as an experiment to see if it was any easier, when it came to lifting them in the spring.
I was suitably impressed to use them for all the tulips in these beds this year. I purchased extra ones to have four 30cm ones for each bed. One hundred flaming spring green tulip bulbs were shared out between the eight saucers, four pots of Camassia leichtlinii ‘Blue Heaven’ saved from last year, Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ planted around the edge with Wallflower ‘Vulcan’, grow from seed planted in July, in between the bulbs. Forget-me-Not’s will be added in the spring from self-sown ones from around the garden.
Hopefully they will all be putting on a show for our opening on the 2nd and 3rd of May, in aid of the village church, when we will have a plant stall to raise funds for St Richards Hospice, based in Worcester.

Here’s looking forward to Spring.
Blast it! I’ve missed the planting dates again. I’ll just have to enjoy your spring bulbs Brian.
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Still time to plant tulips Anne, you may even still find some at discount price in your local garden/Christmas centre.
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You are way ahead of me in preparation for the spring. My bulbs will be left to do their best or worst but I greatly admire your motivation as I so love the bulbs in springtime. I think it must make a great difference to you that you will share them with so many people during your open days, as well as with the blog. Amelia
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Opening the garden is a great motivator Amelia, it is enjoyable sharing the garden along with raising money for worthwhile charities.
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Those neat pots look full of promise.
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I’ve planted tete a tete narcissi in pots sunk into the ground as I want to grow annuals in the same bed in summer and so I hope I can lift the narcissi without disturbing them too much.
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A good job done, Brian! Reading your post makes me regret having disposed of the bulb saucers I got free with something else – they look as if they make planting much easier…
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That’s life Cathy, you either give or throw something away and then discover a use for it. That is why Men have sheds!
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It may be I still have them somewhere of course – but in fact all my tulips these days are planted in pots, so would I actually use them after all?!
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You and your garden visitors will certainly be in for a treat come spring Brian with all that colour. I have to confess that I’ve never come across bulb saucers. Will have to investigate forthwith 😄
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Thank you Anna, I purchased mine from a well known online company.
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I don’t get it. Those green basket like structures are saucers? I can see why that would be helpful. However, do they hold water below? I know in the big picture, that would not be a problem, but it would mean that almost all of the roots must disperse outside of the saucers. There would be no point in extending downward into saturated soil or a puddle of water.
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Hi Tony, the saucers have slits in them which the tulips root through into the garden soil, no different to being planted in the garden. It just makes it easier to lift them from the garden without leaving any bulbs behind which may be a different colour/type in the next years planting scheme.
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So they are more like baskets than saucers that are designed to hold water.
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Yes TONY for some reason they are called saucers, baskets is a much more appropriate name.
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