September 5, 2019 - Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Odiham McCarthy Holden Estate Agents

From blousy tulips to cool white daffodils and dainty irises, Hannah Stephenson digs through some of the best bulbs available now.

Summer’s on its way out, which means it’s time to start planting your new spring bulbs – and why not turn over a new leaf and try something different? Bulb specialists and other outlets have a host of options to create a riot of colour in spring, or you could opt for some more unusual eye-catching varieties.

Here are some of the new and unusual spring bulbs to consider…

1. Fritillaria persica Purple Dynamite, £12.50 for one, Directbulbs.co.uk

This new hybrid of the persica family has wonderful shiny flowers of a deep purple black, and grows to 60-90cm (2-3ft). It’s ideal for free-draining sunny borders and looks stunning grown alongside Fritillaria Persica Ivory Bells, as the creamy white flowers are such a great contrast. Left to naturalise, it will work well planted with eremurus.

2. Iris Germanica ‘Bumblebee Deelite’, £6.99 for three bare roots, Dobies

This pretty miniature bearded iris bears dainty yellow and purple flowers, producing up to five flowers per stem. Grow it in full sun in well-drained soil and fertilise the soil every spring, as these little plants are hungry feeders.

3. Tulipa clusiana ‘Tinka’, £5.40 for 10, Broadleighbulbs.co.uk

The elegant Tulip clusiana cultivars are sometimes overlooked but make easy plants for a sunny bed or rock garden, or in a pot. They may also thrive without being lifted. ‘Tinka and ‘Honky Tonk’ are two of the newest and among the best. ‘Tinka’ is an eye-catching addition to a sunny rock garden, bearing slender flowers of pure yellow with deep red outer petals. As the plant ages it develops an apricot hue.

4. Narcissus ‘Snowy Mountain’, £5.50 for eight bulbs, Tulipstore.eu/en

This new daffodil recently received a five-star rating from Which? Gardening, the Consumers’ Association magazine. It reported that this statuesque variety has grey-green leaves and stems which complement the large white flowers very well, creating a cool colour combination. The stems stayed strong and straight when the flowers were open, and the large blooms had impressively long trumpets, blooming for around four weeks.

There are so many daffodils on the market, I can’t just feature one – so you may want to check out N ‘Frosty Snow’, a lovely new large cupped variety that has snow white flowers with a soft lemon cup that matures to white with a rim of pale yellow. It looks superb grown with Narcissi ‘Avalon’ or ‘Accent’ and sits well either in the border or in containers. Feed with bonemeal or tomato food during the leaf and flower stage to ensure years of colour.

If you want a dwarf variety that packs a punch, look out for N ‘Double Joy’, the double form of the old favourite ‘Jetfire’, which is ideal growing in containers or at the front of borders (both available from Directbulbs.co.uk). While for a cool white type, try ‘Polar Ice’, available from Dobies.

5. Eranthis hyemalis ‘Pauline’, £10 for one, Directbulbs.co.uk

This rare winter aconite is pale lemon, with delicate flowers surrounded by deep green leaves. Plant it in the shady areas of the garden alongside snowdrops or chionodoxa for a dazzling display early in the spring. It should naturalise well and as such come back year after year.

6. Gold Waxed Amaryllis, £11.99 for one bulb, Unwins.co.uk

This huge bulb arrives in a golden waxed coating, so no plant pot is needed to add sparkle to your houseplant. Start the bulb off in September indoors and by Christmas you should have a large, deep red amaryllis (hippeastrum).

From one bulb at least one large, tall stem will emerge, which may branch and form several saucer-size blooms, just in time for the festive season. Flowers continue for weeks for a welcome, long display into January.

7. Tulipa ‘Brownie’, from £6.30 for 10, Avonbulbs.co.uk

The rich copper hues of this unusual double tulip makes it one to include in the list. It is short stemmed, which helps stop it flopping when the heads become heavy in the rain, and does best in full sun, although try to avoid windy spots. Don’t plant these bulbs until late October or early November, when frost should have reduced the level of disease in the soil.

Living next door doesn't mean you'll always get on, but nobody wants a stressful fall-out. By Luke Rix-Standing.

Neighbours often rank up there with the in-laws on the list of people it’s really useful to get on with.

You live literally side-by-side – but just as with the in-laws, that doesn’t mean you automatically get on.

So what are neighbours battling over, and how should you handle a dispute with a tricky neighbour, whether it’s across the garden fence or in the courtroom? We talked to Dr Mike Talbot, CEO of conflict resolution experts UK Mediation, for his thoughts on the matter…

Causes of concern

Noise complaints frequently rank among the most common cause of neighbour irritation, particularly during summer with children off school, outdoor DIY projects, sizzling barbecues, and long evenings out on the patio all taking place.

Boundary issues involving shared spaces or fences also commonly cause consternation. “Plants come up quite a lot,” says Dr Talbot. “If my neighbour’s plant is growing through my fence, and I cut it off or lay down weedkiller, in their eyes I might have killed their plant.”

Party walls are as contentious as they ever were, and there’s even a designated organisation – The Faculty Of Party Wall Surveyors (fpws.org.uk) – devoted to the complexities they pose.

The hardest issues to resolve involve lifestyle – fundamental behaviours that residents are unwilling to change. “Cooking smells can be contentious,” says Talbot. “Plus late-night parties, drinking or smoking cannabis in the garden – especially when the neighbours are of a more conservative disposition. Things can get quite heated.”

If required, remember that your local council has a duty to investigate so-called ‘statutory nuisances’ – any disturbances that could be damaging to a citizen’s health. These include noise pollution, light pollution, and conventional pollution like dust, smoke, or a build-up of rubbish.

Build a relationship

Without meaning to sound flippant, the easiest way to make up with your neighbour is to not fall out in the first place, and in order to have a good relationship with them it helps if you know who they are.

“We’re less inclined to know our neighbours these days,” says Talbot, “so sometimes your first conversation with your neighbour is when you’ve got a dispute.” Even an occasional ‘hello’ in the driveway helps build some sort of rapport, which can give you invaluable credit when you need to raise an issue.

Not knowing your neighbour also means you’re less likely to pipe up when you first have a problem, which allows resentment to build and fester. Talbot says it’s the number one problem he encounters: “If you wait ’til you’re really annoyed, you can’t disguise your anger. The other person will then feel attacked and lash back, and that’s when things can go to a really bad place.”

So loving thy neighbour may be a big ask, but let’s start by at least knowing their name.

Mind your manners

When you do need to go knocking, pick an appropriate time, and, without meaning to patronise, play nice. “Don’t go round at 10 o’clock when you’ve had a can of something,” says Talbot, “and be prepared to take a conciliatory approach.”

If you’re really nervous, you could write your neighbour a note, or where appropriate go through their landlord – but it’s generally best to at least start with face-to-face communication.

“I always say listen first,” continues Talbot. “Speak to your neighbour and see what their take is – there’s often a good reason and you want to let them know you’re taking that into account before putting across your perspective. Collaborate with your neighbour to take on the problem, rather that taking on your neighbour ‘as’ the problem.”

Be particularly cautious when discussing the behaviour of unruly children, as even an implied slight on someone’s parenting will generally go down like a pint of warm beer.

“It complicates things massively,” says Talbot, “as you tend to get clashes of values. One neighbour might be happy to let their kids come home at two in the morning, while the other might be disturbed by the noise, but also by the values. When people start calling each other bad parents, it takes on a new dimension.”

You’re trying to come to a consensus, so however stuck-up/irresponsible you consider your neighbour to be, try to keep value judgements to yourself.

The letter of the law

We were going to run through the legal specs you might need for different situations, but it’s complex, scenario-specific, and generally not something you want to get involved in if you can help it. Talbot recalls one case in which mediation was called in after a two-year stretch of litigation, in which the two parties had already incurred £30,000 in legal fees apiece.

It also might not work. While informal methods like mediation emphasise compromise, in law there’s often a winner and a loser, and formal settlements will show on the deeds to your house as and when you decide to sell.

The courts are well aware of these difficulties, and sometimes won’t even hear the case unless forced. “These days, judges will ask: ‘How have you tried to resolve this?’ And they don’t want to hear you’ve gone straight to litigation. They’ve even sent cases away.”

If you do decide to explore your legal rights, don’t make the classic mistake of using Google. “Thanks to the internet, people selectively find articles that give them the version of their rights they want to hear,” says Talbot, “and interpret legislation for their own ends.” If people actually want to know their rights, says Talbot, speak to Citizens Advice, or book in a consultation with a lawyer.

Preparing to Plant your Spring Bulbs? 7 Colourful Options to Consider

From blousy tulips to cool white daffodils and dainty irises, Hannah Stephenson digs through some of the best bulbs available now.

Tricky Neighbours? Here’s how to Avoid Disputes – or Deal With Them Wisely if they do Crop Up

Living next door doesn't mean you'll always get on, but nobody wants a stressful fall-out. By Luke Rix-Standing.

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From blousy tulips to cool white daffodils and dainty irises, Hannah Stephenson digs through some of the best bulbs available now.

Living next door doesn't mean you'll always get on, but nobody wants a stressful fall-out. By Luke Rix-Standing.

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