Although spring is still a long way off, when gardening you always have to think and plan ahead. With the short autumn days upon us, now's a great time to plant a pot that will provide colour and interest on a patio next spring – and two perfect, classic planting companions are tulips and wallflowers.
Tulips are unmatchable for bringing bold colour to the garden in spring and are pleasingly variable in height and colour. Traditionally the bulbs are planted from late October through until December when the soil is cooling down, so now's the ideal time to plant.
Likewise, wallflowers raised from seed earlier in the summer are planted out into their flowering position during October and early November to give them time to establish their roots before winter, so again it’s the perfect time to get them in.
When planting in a container, choose a large, frost-proof pot and add some multi-purpose compost to the base. Ideally the tulip bulbs want to be at least 15cm (6in) deep in the pots, to allow room for the wallflower roots.
Once you’ve spaced your bulbs, add more compost and plant the wallflowers above. Don’t worry about the position of the tulips as they'll grow up and around the wallflowers in spring to provide a colourful display.
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