Homeowners looking for gardening tips for the winter months could follow the advice of one expert and start planting tulips.
Editor of Stopwatchgardener.com Sheila Averbuch said November, December and early January are the ideal time to plant this variety of flower.
She specified the season for tulips is March through to May and they will blossom for anywhere between eight to ten weeks.
For those who wish to use their garden tools to plant flowers in a container, she suggested a few tulip bulbs could be set aside in a pot, or snowdrops could be another option.
Ms Averbuch explained these will come up a little earlier than the tulip – as early as December or January – and start to flower in February.
Local gardeners in Northampton started planting both of these flowers along with daffodils at Delapre Abbey last weekend (October 28th), the Northampton Chronicle and Echo reported.
In cooperation with volunteer group the Friends of Delapre Abbey, residents picked up garden equipment and got to work on their goal of planting 10,000 new bulbs to be ready for next spring.
It is hoped this will help bring the heritage centre to life with a bright new range of colours to attract visitors.
People who are not sure they will share this group's enthusiasm in the cold winter months could find taking the first step outdoors can provide enough motivation in itself.
"If you can, try to put a seat in your garden that's going to get the tiny bit of sun," advised Ms Averbuch.
"You can get out there all wrapped up with your cup of coffee and feel a little bit of sun in your face. If you put a chair somewhere where the sun's going to be, it might pull you out of the house," she added.
