Bulbs: How-to

Bulbs are perfect for naturalising in lawns, especially small size lily plants such as zephyranthes and foliage lilies such as hymenocalis spp. variegated. However one has to be careful to indicated the spots of planting when the gardener decides to trim the lawn.

The best medium to use when planting bulbs in a container is a loam-based compost with some added grit, as this will allow the bulbs to grow in the container for a longer time than multi-purpose compost.

Any type of container can be used as long as it has adequate drainage. Improved drainage can be achieved by placing pieces of broken pant pot over the holes in the container. A layer of gravel can be used in the base of the pot for bulbs needing extra drainage. When planting in pots you can usually get away with planting less deeply than in open ground, and the bulbs can be packed more closely together. In deep pots, you can plant the bulbs in several layers. This prolongs the display as the deeper bulbs flower later. To keep out bulb-eating pests such as mice and squirrels, cover the pots with wire netting until the shoots emerge. It is not usually necessary to feed until flowering has finished, when you can use liquid feed to build up the bulbs.

Lotus lovelies

In this issue's art and craft section, we have decided to show you how to create an unusual floral arrangement out of water plants. We got our friends at Garden Fairies to demonstrate how easy it is....

First of all, you need a relatively deep decorative bowl to support your arrangement. You will also need a pair of scissors, 6-12 stalks of budding lotus flowers (depending on the size of your bowl and arrangement), a large florist sponge, some Pistia stratiotes, twigs and other water plant foliage to embellish your composition.

You begin by immersing the sponge into your chosen bowl and sticking the twigs and foliage into the sponge. The petals of the lotus buds are peeled open and folded to depict a blooming lotus flower. This element of the arrangement gives the flowers an unusual texture, simulating lotus flowers made out of paper. Once all the flowers have been opened and folded, arrange them into the sponge according to different heights to give a sense of variety. Finally, cover the sponge by placing the Pistia stratiotes over it.