What to grow: Autumn crocus bulbs

Get planting crocus bulbs now and you’ll have a carpet of colour come mid-September. These delicate purple petalled beauties with their vibrant orange stamen are guaranteed to bring some cheer as we look towards autumn. They flower from September through to November and although they have a relatively short shelf life, they certainly pack a fabulous colourful punch while they last. They are fast growing and work well in pots or can be planted directly into the ground.

How to grow:

These are one of the easiest, low maintenance, most rewarding plants to grow. To get started, choose whether you will be planting them in a pot or the ground. For the purposes of this, I’ll refer to pot planting (but all the same rules apply).

Choose your pot, it is important that you choose a pot big enough, as the bulbs will need to be planted at a depth of 10cm and should be spaced no less than 5cm apart.

Start by filling your pot with some grit – this will provide good drainage and help prevent the risk of bulbs rotting off. Then add in your peat free compost and decide on the formation you want to put your bulbs in – before planting them in, I always lay mine out on the top of the soil to make sure they’re evenly spaced. Bulbs must be planted with the pointed tip facing upwards towards the sky and must be planted to the right depth and spacing – see above. Once the bulbs have been planted, gently press down on the top of soil to ensure the bulbs will be making contact with the soil and then water well.

Bulbs like full sunlight, so find them a spot where they’ll get maximum sunshine. They are also a favourite of inquisitive mice, squirrels and foxes who like to dig them up and/or eat them, so if you have any of these in your garden, consider netting the bulbs for an added layer of protection.

Green escape: Plaistow Park:

To the untrained eye, this spot may not seem like much. However, when you set foot inside the park, there is far more to it than initially meets the eye.

Much of where the site now sits is where the former Essex House was built, dating back to Tudor times. The house was demolished in the mid 1800s and the land was taken over by West Ham Council, who created the public park. Initially, it began life in 1894 as the ‘Balaam Street Recreation Ground’, but in 1999, after significant restoration was completed, it was re-christened ‘Plaistow Park’.

Entering the park by Greengate street you immediately pass a well-kept, compact children’s play area. Following the path onwards you come to the most beautiful Hansel and Gretel style house, completely covered in lush, green ivy and surrounded by trees. It is fabulous and looks like a modern day piece of art, a living sculpture right on our doorstep.

Follow the path onwards and on one side you will pass further children’s play areas, some swings and a slightly tired looking football pitch, while on the other side, you’ll see a couple of well-maintained basketball courts. At the end of the park is the ornamental garden where you’ll find a great variety of roses – sadly, just coming to the end of season, a sea of purple lavender beds which the bees were loving and a pretty (if somewhat overgrown) fountain, complete with water lilies. The park lost its bandstand over the years and could do with a little TLC, but there are still some lovely features which I think are well worth a look.

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