Different bulbs in pots and general ideas-amateur here

[Ekkwhine]

Hi. I've just moved into a house with a front and back garden, a first for me! I have a small front gargen which was previously used as a drive so we're planning to gravel it. There's a thin border along the edge of the path that I've cleared Of weeds. I planned to plant a few bits in the border and have a planter either side of the front door. I'd ideally like something in there all year round. Would I be able to plant one of those miniature evergreen shrubs in the middle then plant bulbs that appear at different times of the year? I was thinking of snowdrops, narcissi, pop some bedding plants in there at the start of summer, autumn tulips etc. would this work? Or does anyone have any better suggestions?

I find it easier to rotate smaller pots when it comes to bulbs tbh. So you could have a biggish planter with a shrub in it surrounded by smaller pots with seasonal bulbs in. When they've finished flowering I swap them for something else (and normally plant the finished bulbs in the flower beds where they're happier anyway). I find it easier to plant annuals around the plants in my "permanent pots" as you don't need to dig deep into the soil, you can sow the seed on the surface and they are easy to pull up at the end of summer. Last year was nasturtiums, this year California poppies and godetia.

I've layered bulbs before - tulips at the bottom, then daffs, then crocuses. It means flowers from about February to May. I might have got the order of tulips and daffs wrong - base it on the planting depth on the bulb packets.

If you feed and water them enough over the summer you might get a second years flowering ( I never managed this).

I wouldn't put bulbs in with a shrub and expect them to do very well, as the shrub's roots will take over the pot, although you might be ok in the first year. And I wouldn't do snowdrops, as they take years to clump up, so are better left undisturbed in the ground. You need vigorous bulbs for this, not shy ones.

I agree with Bolshy - keep bulbs in a second, not too small pot, they will do better. Iris reticulata are good as the top layer in a layered pot. I usually add some violas (more weather-proof than winter-flowering pansies) in a colour to compliment the bulb flowers so the pot isn't just bare compost all winter (bulbs will grow through). Buy fresh bulbs for the pots every year if you want a good display, the old ones can always go in the garden.