THERE can be no better illustration of the beauty of small things than the profusion of flowering bulbs which decorate our Island at the moment.

Queen of the crop is the snowdrop. It will spread by seed and it is cross pollination which produces new varieties.

I discovered a lovely clump in woodland which established that way, but a better method of propagation is by division and planting ‘in the green’ when flowering is finished but while the green foliage remains.

Snowdrop bulbs bought in autumn usually disappoint so now is the time to plant and naturalise them in grass on well-drained, moisture-retentive soil or in beds in the shade of trees or hedges or at the base of shrubs.

Snowdrops have an increasingly fanatical following. Every now and then a fortunate freak of nature occurs whether by accident or by patient design. A radically different variety pops up — and the galanthophiles pounce.

They collect the varieties and pay increasingly inflated amounts to get their hands on something that little bit different even though the full beauty of the flower can only be appreciated by holding it aloft.

Records have consistently tumbled since 2012, when what seemed a ludicrous £750 was paid for a single bulb. Someone recently shelled out £1,390, plus £4 postage, on eBay for galanthus plicatus Golden Fleece, which had taken its creator ten years to perfect.

It has the advantage of lime-green stripes on its outer petals meaning it can be appreciated from above.

Snowdrop facts

Position: partial shade.

Soil: humus-rich, moisture-retentive.

Rate of growth: fast-growing.

Flowering period: January, February early March.

Hardiness: fully.

  • You may have noticed some spring bulbs have not flowered this year — not a problem with the beautiful swathes of miniature daffs I spotted at Medham.

It’s worth marking any blind bulbs and when you dig them up after the foliage has browned you will probably find the problem is caused by too-shallow planting.

They benefit from being planted deeply —up to three times the size of the bulb.

Time to get those apples planted

I’ve just planted four apple trees in land I have cleared in my little orchard.

Deacon’s, at Godshill, has a half-price offer on apples — which will continue if conditions remain right for digging and re-planting.

A universal pollinator in the form of a decorative crab apple, half-standard IW Pippin, IW Russet (see picture, right) and a Howgate Wonder cooker are now proudly in place.

Worth ringing Deacon’s and placing an order, rather than just dropping in.           

Top tips

  • March is a good time to sow sweet peas, either under glass or directly where they are to grow outside.
  • You can prune lavatera quite hard. Cut the old wood back and the new growth will flourish and carry this year’s flowers.
  • Before planting in this busy month it is worth spending time to improve the soil. It’s a good idea to enrich with organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, compost or chicken manure pellets. But, if your soil is heavy avoid compacting it if it is sodden.
  • If you have a greenhouse, you can start potatoes off in containers in the greenhouse and move them out once all risk of frost has passed. Frost will damage the new potato shoots. The time growing in the greenhouse will give them a head start.
  • March is an ideal time to germinate herbs, such as basil, dill, parsley, chives and coriander.