Bulbs have different requirement depending on what they are. If you tell us what you have, we can offer suggestions. Most are happy with 'bright' conditions, and moist, but not waterlogged soil, but some need a sunny sit - tulips for example. Forget the sand and grit thing - if you have clay soil, the best way to improve it is organic matter - manure, leaf mould, compost. Sand and grit will do nothing unless you use tons of it, and if you use the wrong type of sand, you'll make things worse. Constantly jiggling about with bits of this and that isn't the best approach. Create one bed somewhere. Improve the soil. Then plant according to the aspect, and conditions. By conditions, I mean - take into account the other factors, ie fences, buildings, other surrounding planting [the tree for example] If you don't have suitable plants, don't plant them. Check the conditions needed for the plants you already have, and start with a bed to suit some of them. Some plants are less fussy, so you can experiment later. I think you've started the wrong way round by getting lots of plants first, and we're all guilty of buying a plant that we don't always have a site for, so don't worry about that
The 'amount of sun' thing applies across the board. Info generally states the optimum conditions a plant will thrive in, but many are also quite adaptable. Just don't plant a sun lover in full shade, or vice versa
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Constantly jiggling about with bits of this and that isn't the best approach. Create one bed somewhere. Improve the soil. Then plant according to the aspect, and conditions.
I don't quite get it. I started out by no-dig. So I literally laid cardboard on top of the old weedy soil and put a thick layer of compost on top before started planting stuff in the compost.
I did follow what the plants require with the best of what I have to offer within the garden. There are probably about 4-5 plants that I'm sure it's a bit tricky to accommodate (some that I bought in the beginning of the gardening journey and some that I bought from the garden centre without looking up their requirements carefully). But otherwise, most of the plants are not fussy ones. Most of them are bought online after I've read quite a bit about each plant.
Somewhere someone mentioned maybe the plants were too young and therefore the scorching by summer sun. It's entirely possible.
Did you mean I should have finished with one area before moving onto other area? Or I gave an impression that I've been planting without much of a plan...?
So another practical question about the positions. Last night, I've finally mapped out where the plants roughly shall grow eventually. I'm going out to take some precise measurement shortly to finish the map.
However, for those young plants I've bought in my October batch, shall I plant them to where they eventually should be in summer next year, or shall I plant them to where the sunlight "at the moment" suits their need and move them again to the final spot in spring after they manage through the winter? Their "eventual spots" wouldn't give enough sunlight in winter.
The amount of sunlight over winter isn't critical, as the plants will be dormant. As long as they get the right amount of light during the growing season.
Sun loving bulbs like tulips that are actively growing in late winter/early spring will need sun though, ideally.
In terms of young plants, I would consider keeping them in pots in a sheltered spot until next spring, purely because it's easier to keep track of them and protect from slugs etc. If I was to plant them out I would put them in their intended positions though rather than worrying about the amount of sun over winter.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
The amount of sunlight over winter isn't critical, as the plants will be dormant. As long as they get the right amount of light during the growing season.
Sun loving bulbs like tulips that are actively growing in late winter/early spring will need sun though, ideally.
In terms of young plants, I would consider keeping them in pots in a sheltered spot until next spring, purely because it's easier to keep track of them and protect from slugs etc. If I was to plant them out I would put them in their intended positions though rather than worrying about the amount of sun over winter.
I finished my 2xA3 paper long mapping of the garden and the plants. Wouldn't be perfect, as it's my first! Would expect some would have to move in spring again. But i'm doing my best to get them what they need.
Will plant the bulbs a bit later in the month when the squirrels settle down a bit...
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Forget the sand and grit thing - if you have clay soil, the best way to improve it is organic matter - manure, leaf mould, compost. Sand and grit will do nothing unless you use tons of it, and if you use the wrong type of sand, you'll make things worse. Constantly jiggling about with bits of this and that isn't the best approach. Create one bed somewhere. Improve the soil. Then plant according to the aspect, and conditions. By conditions, I mean - take into account the other factors, ie fences, buildings, other surrounding planting [the tree for example]
If you don't have suitable plants, don't plant them. Check the conditions needed for the plants you already have, and start with a bed to suit some of them. Some plants are less fussy, so you can experiment later. I think you've started the wrong way round by getting lots of plants first, and we're all guilty of buying a plant that we don't always have a site for, so don't worry about that
The 'amount of sun' thing applies across the board. Info generally states the optimum conditions a plant will thrive in, but many are also quite adaptable. Just don't plant a sun lover in full shade, or vice versa
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
These are what I've got for the bulbs.
I don't quite get it. I started out by no-dig. So I literally laid cardboard on top of the old weedy soil and put a thick layer of compost on top before started planting stuff in the compost.
I did follow what the plants require with the best of what I have to offer within the garden. There are probably about 4-5 plants that I'm sure it's a bit tricky to accommodate (some that I bought in the beginning of the gardening journey and some that I bought from the garden centre without looking up their requirements carefully). But otherwise, most of the plants are not fussy ones. Most of them are bought online after I've read quite a bit about each plant.
Somewhere someone mentioned maybe the plants were too young and therefore the scorching by summer sun. It's entirely possible.
Did you mean I should have finished with one area before moving onto other area? Or I gave an impression that I've been planting without much of a plan...?
However, for those young plants I've bought in my October batch, shall I plant them to where they eventually should be in summer next year, or shall I plant them to where the sunlight "at the moment" suits their need and move them again to the final spot in spring after they manage through the winter? Their "eventual spots" wouldn't give enough sunlight in winter.
Sun loving bulbs like tulips that are actively growing in late winter/early spring will need sun though, ideally.
In terms of young plants, I would consider keeping them in pots in a sheltered spot until next spring, purely because it's easier to keep track of them and protect from slugs etc. If I was to plant them out I would put them in their intended positions though rather than worrying about the amount of sun over winter.
I finished my 2xA3 paper long mapping of the garden and the plants. Wouldn't be perfect, as it's my first! Would expect some would have to move in spring again. But i'm doing my best to get them what they need.
Will plant the bulbs a bit later in the month when the squirrels settle down a bit...
Thanks to you all!