Best of the Bulbs: Our Top 10

We know all you keen gardeners are already prepared and considering what bulbs to plant ahead of the winter months! In anticipation we’ve put together our very own top 10 chart of the most popular bulbs we have in at Armitage’s. 

Numero uno! Tete à Tete Daffodil – this is our most popular dwarf daffodil, it blooms in a deep golden yellow and up to 3 to a stem.  Growing to about 15cm in height, it is great for borders or little corners of the garden that need brightening up. 

2 Red Riding Hood Tulip – Tulips are not originally from Holland but mountainous regions in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and other place in Central Asia.  The Red Riding Hood is black at the base and brilliant scarlet inside. 

3 Cream Beauty Crocus – The crocus is a very popular variety of bulb.  The Cream Beauty is a very compact spring variety that flowers in bunches of pale “fresh churned butter” colour petals and orange stigma. 

4 Peach Blossom Tulip – As with all Tulips, these will do best in loose, well drained soil.  This is a double flowering variety that will look great from early April onwards. 

5 February Gold Daffodil – Tried and tested and present in nearly all of our gardens, this will always be top of five.  This variety grows to about 30cm high with outer petals that sweep back from the darker trumpets and will flower in February and March.   

6 Snowdrops – Everybody loves a snowdrop. These favourites of the garden and wood do best in their natural shady environment and flower from January to late March depending on the variety you choose.  Very subtle differences distinguish a spectrum of different variants that only a true enthusiast can spot! 

7 Negrita Tulip – Great for cutting and taking into the house, this snub nosed variety will last well in a vase.  Flowers from mid April. 

8 Striped crocus - Produces several upright, cuplike, purple and white striped (bi-color) flowers on stems rising above, grass-like leaves. This is very easy to grow and blooms just after snowdrops. 

9 Alliums – An easy to look after flower that is quite at home in poor quality ground so you can put them in rocky free draining soil to see them at their best.  Some varieties can grow huge globe heads of up to 30cm! 

10 Hyacinths for Xmas! – Forced Hyacinths are really popular and give the house some lovely colour during the winter.  We do the hard work for you so you can take them home to enjoy straight away! Highly fragrant and dense flowers make them a real favourite and once they have finished flowering you can put the bulbs in the garden and look forward to them flowering again.