Time for light bulb reading | In Fiona's Garden

Online viewing is fabulous but nothing beats a colourful catalogue.

My brain goes into overdrive as I plan next spring's garden, all thoughts forgotten of how much spare ground I have and, naturally, what it will cost to fill.

Bulb growers cleverly time their offerings to coincide with the garden's quiet time.

Early perennials are over, sedums and salvias are yet to come and our minds are at their most receptive to thoughts of spring colour.

When confronting the vast array of spring bulbs on offer it helps to remember what's already in your garden.

Look at photos, walk around and think about the places where bulbs are waiting under the surface.

Other time - and cash - savers are understanding your climate.

If your summers are dry, daffodils, Dutch irises and tulips will love you, but try to avoid damp woodlanders like fritillaries, trout lilies (Erythronium sp.) and trilliums.

Pot planting is a possible way round your climate and I often do this with new bulbs.

But I like to think that if I love something and it does well, it can eventually go into the garden, so I still tend to stick with bulbs that I know will be happy with our endless sunshine, summer drought and frosty winters.

Daffodils spell spring for many of us. I grow hardy, bright yellow 'King Alfred' (available from Tesselaar, www.tesselaar.net.au) as I like the traditional shape of the flowers with their big, open trumpets. 'Golden Lion' and 'Camelot' are similar.

I love double daffodils so this year I'm trying 'Dick Wilden', primrose outer petals surrounding masses of gold inner petals, early, and lemon yellow 'Lemon Marvel', late.

Miniature daffodils are irresistible, especially bright yellow Tete a Tete, pretty among brilliant blue muscari.

I'm about to extend my range with 'Jetfire', orange trumpet and yellow swept back petals, and 'Little Ruby', white with dark red cup.

All are available from Hancocks Daffodils 2024 (www.daffodilbulbs.com.au).

Dutch irises are another spring favourite, hardy and quick spreading.

Blue and yellow 'Apollo' is easy and long lasting, unlike gorgeous burgundy 'Red Ember' which I've never succeeded in keeping for more than 2 seasons.

I'll give it another go this year, it's worth the effort.

Two beautiful ornamental onions (Allium sp.) flower in spring. 'Purple Rain' has grapefruit size, starry, dark purple flowers.

A. moly is the only yellow allium, lower growing with smaller flowers. Available from Van Diemen Quality Bulbs (www.vdqbulbs.com.au).

A winding path is just that bit more inviting when lined with low growing flowers.

Crocuses are ideal as they take up little room and soon multiply.

I have stripey mauve 'Mr. Pickwick' and bright mauve 'Barr's Purple' and this year I'm trying golden yellow species C. angustifolius. Available from Hancock's Spring Bulbs 2024, website as above.

Lacy anemone foliage is the perfect contrast among the upright, parallel vein leaves of other bulbs.

I prefer single anemones to the bouncy doubles. 'De Caen' is a favourite, in a rainbow of colours with dark centres.

Don't forget hyacinths for winter indoors: with staggered planting you can have scented bloom from July to September. Order now, popular colours sell fast.

Tulips will have to wait for another column; they need not go in before May.