Old bulbs out, new bulbs in

Ruth plants autumn color and tends to faded spring bulbs

- Ruth

ONE of the most common questions we get at this time of year is: “What do I do with spring bulbs when they die down?” Should you leave them where they are, lift them, cut the leaves or leave them to wither in an unattractive manner that makes the garden look scruffy for a few weeks?

For a form of gardening that’s supposedly easy and versatile, bulbs can come with a lot of side issues!

On these pages, I’ll try to dispel some of the confusion around spring bulbs. I’ll also suggest which autumn-flowering varieties you can plant now to take your garden’s colour through to the first frosts of autumn.