As you look out at your sun-crisped grass, you're probably not thinking up grand visions of a colourful spring garden. And getting stuck in with digging is not how you want to spend a hot August day.
But there are things you should be doing now to lay the foundations for your garden to be glorious next year. The main one? Planning out the bulbs you're going to plant in September.
The best bulbs to plant in September
First off, why is now the right time to be thinking about bulbs?
‘Spring gardens are made in September,’ says Mirela Bajic, senior garden designer at House Designer. ‘It’s the month that decides what your spring looks like. Most people don’t think about bulbs until October, and that’s already late for some of them.'
With delivery sometimes taking a while (especially for popular plants), it’s well worth getting bulb orders in early. So, if you want a delightful garden in the spring, you’ll need to be planting bulbs in September. And if you want to be planting bulbs in September, you’ll need to start thinking about planting bulbs now. Which bulbs, you may ask? Let’s get into it.
Daffodils
If Natalie Derosa, the garden designer at Crown Pavilions, had to choose just a couple of bulbs to plant in September, daffodils would be top of her list... and everyone else we spoke to agreed. ‘September always feels like the start of bulb season for me,’ Natalie tells Good Housekeeping. ‘It might not feel like spring is anywhere near, but this is when you’re laying the foundations for all that lovely colour next year. Daffodils seem to settle in really well while there’s still a bit of warmth left in the soil.’
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‘The best time to plant daffodil bulbs is from September through November, while the soil still holds some warmth but before it becomes too wet in winter,’ agrees David Denyer, florist and gardening expert at eflorist. ‘This allows the bulbs to put down strong roots, which is what leads to healthy growth and spring flowers.’
Alliums
Alliums were another popular choice among gardeners we quizzed. Mirela shares: ‘The bulbs I always plant in September are alliums. I love them because they do so much of the work in a border – that strong architectural shape – and the bees adore them. They come back reliably year after year and even when the flower is over the seed heads still look good. Hard to beat for the effort they take.’
Grape hyacinths (Muscari)
‘Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are known for their tiny, bell-shaped flowers that resemble a cluster of grapes, and are excellent for filling gaps with vibrant blue colour and will happily naturalise over time,’ advises David. ‘September is the perfect time to plant these bulbs – around six to eight weeks before the first frost.’
Hyacinths
Gabby LaRussa, founder and lead floral designer at Flower Gypsies, says: 'September is the golden window for spring bulbs. Hyacinths absolutely need to go in the ground in September or early October. They require a cold stratification period to bloom properly in spring.'
Fritillaries
‘I’ll be planting plenty of snake’s head fritillaries,’ Natalie says. ‘They’re one of those flowers that quietly steal the show. They’re delicate, beautifully patterned and I love seeing them popping up through long grass in spring.’
David seconds this: ‘Fritillaries – particularly the crown imperial variety – are one of my personal favourite bulbs to plant during September. They add something a little different to spring displays thanks to their striking orange and yellow flowers, and they prefer to be planted early in the season so they can establish before winter arrives, so I’d recommend getting to work on planting at the very start of September.’
The best bulbs that won’t mind if you forget to plant them until November
Okay, so... even the best-laid plans can go awry. Which bulbs are sufficiently forgiving for us to delay planting until October? Or November?
Daffodils make a strong showing on this list, too – but if you plant them later, bear in mind that they will flower later, too. Stephanie Hafferty, an award-winning gardener and writer, tells us: ‘I’ve found that daffodils are remarkably robust and are fine planted in late October or even November, weather permitting. They just flower a bit later.’
Tulips are another great shout for the procrastinators among us. ‘If life gets busy, tulips are actually best delayed until October or even November, as you want the soil temperature to drop enough to reduce the risk of Tulip Fire (a fungal disease that thrives in warmer, wet soil),’ notes Christopher O’Donoghue, director at Gardens Revived. Natalie shares that she ‘nearly always’ leaves her tulips until late October or early November, and ‘they never seem to mind’.
‘Many alliums are happy to wait, too, so if September comes and goes before you’ve had chance to plant, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it,’ she adds. ‘Gardening has a funny way of reminding us that timing doesn’t always have to be perfect.’
How to make sure your September planting plans aren’t a complete flop
Tough love time. It’s all well and good reading this article and putting in an order for all the daffodils and alliums your heart desires, but this alone will not a glorious garden make. You’ll need to actually plant those bulbs. And care for them well. Not to get too deep, but you’ll also need to know yourself well. If you’re a procrastinator likely to only get around to planting bits in November, plan accordingly. If you’re an over-buyer, give yourself some strict limits.
Christopher is very aware of his own foibles and has found ways to overcome them. ‘I sometimes get eyes bigger than my planting stomach when I order bulbs, so don’t follow in my footsteps,’ he advises. ‘Be realistic about how much kneeling, digging, and pot-filling you actually have time for. It is always so much better to successfully plant 30 bulbs than to let 100 rot in a paper bag in the shed (and on that note, it’s always better to plant bulbs even if you’re late than try and keep them for another year!).
‘Try to order your September/early October bulbs now, and put a reminder in your calendar for mid-October for any late-season tulips. And try to stick to the same rule I have for my family – if buying in garden centres on a whim, limit yourself to one or two bags per visit so you can plant them that weekend.’
How to help your bulbs thrive
If you’re going to all the effort of choosing the best bulbs and remembering to plant them in time, you’ll want to give your plants the best chance of success. Here’s how.
Choose the right spot
‘Choose a sunny or lightly shaded spot with soil that drains well,’ recommends David. ‘If your soil is heavy clay, add grit or plant your bulbs in raised beds and pots to prevent rot. In sandy soil, mix in some compost to help the ground hold on to moisture.’
Dig deep
The golden rule is to plant bulbs at a depth of around three times their size – and with the pointy side facing up.
Drainage is key
‘The biggest thing is drainage,’ shares Natalie. ‘Most bulbs would much rather be a little dry than sitting in cold, wet soil over winter.’
‘Well-drained soil is the number one when it comes to bulbs, as they will quickly rot if they get too waterlogged over the winter,’ adds Christopher. ‘If you have heavy clay, dig in plenty of horticultural grit or sharp sand at the bottom of the planting hole – and don’t forget to mulch!’
Start in a pot if needed
You may well find that the soil in September isn't diggable – don't panic! All the gardeners we spoke to saw no issue with planting bulbs in a pot to get things going. 'Choose free-draining soil or pots of multi-purpose compost,' Stephanie advises.
Try the ‘lasagne method’
Both David and Christopher are fans of the ‘lasagne’ approach to planting. ‘You plant large tulips at the bottom, hyacinths or daffodils in the middle, and crocuses or grape hyacinths near the top,’ Christopher explains. ‘As one display fades over spring, the next layer pops up to take its place. If you’re sticking to beds over pots, try not to stick to uniform rows (boring! Keep it natural!) and plant in drifts so it feels more natural.’
Plant in clusters
‘I always plant in generous groups because it looks much more natural than planting bulbs one at a time,’ says Natalie.
David agrees: ‘Rather than planting your bulbs in straight rows, plant them in clusters to create a more natural flower display, aiming for odd-numbered groups of three, five, or seven for a more balanced effect in your garden.’
Don’t stress
Gardening is supposed to be enjoyable, remember? ‘Don’t overthink it,’ says Natalie. ‘Bulbs are some of the easiest plants to grow and they reward you year after year for very little effort.’ In short, it’s difficult to go wrong. Have fun and see what happens. If it’s a total washout, you always have next year.
