Spring flowers in WINTER

Brighten your interiors this winter by forcing your favourite spring bulbs to flower indoors

-  MADISON MOULTON

For many people, winter can be a dreary and dark time of year. The phrase ‘the winter blues’ exists for a reason, even in sunny South Africa where our winters are somewhat mild compared to other countries.

For gardeners, this gloomy feeling is compounded by the lack of flowers and greenery in our backyards. Our favourite perennials have died back, the grass is looking lacklustre, and there are few garden projects that bring the same joy of the warmer months. Luckily, there is one project that can bring the blooms back into your life, even if temperatures have dipped outdoors – forcing bulbs.

For avid gardeners, forcing bulbs indoors is a way to extend the gardening season and enjoy the beauty of spring flowers, even when it’s too cold to garden outside. By replicating the same conditions your chosen bulb is accustomed to before and during flowering, you can enjoy your favourite spring flowers throughout winter. Here's how to get it right.

CHOOSE YOUR BULBS