To begin to grow bulbs successfully it helps to have an understanding of how these forms of plant life work. An easy way to get a handle on the bulb is to think of it as a battery. You purchase a fat juicy flower bulb (your battery) and all the nutrients (energy) that are required for flowering the first spring are inside the bulb.

It's almost unheard of for a healthy bulb not to flower in it first season after planting, due to its stored energy, but once flowering is over, what is going to replace the nutrients in your bulb (recharge your battery)?

The best recharger for your bulb (battery) is to provide it with adequate light, the correct growing soil and an occasional fertilising by yourself, the gardener.

Well, bulbs are no different to our shrubs in that they have certain light requirements, depending on the bulb variety. For example, Alliums (flowering garlic) prefer front of border full sun, whereas crocus will thrive in either sun or the partial shade offered by trees.

So, before selecting your bulbs, assess the amount of light they will receive in their new home. Realise that even a few feet can make a huge difference in the levels of sunlight offered.

Correct growing soil
This is the most crucial element to growing bulbs successfully. Almost all bulbs require a loose, open, porous, well-drained soil. If your soil is sticky and retains water, you must alter it to allow the successful growing of bulbs, otherwise they will rot.