Build an indoor bulb tower like the Victorians for dramatic effects with daffodils and more
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| Bulb tower with clay pots
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'I create a tier of four pots, but I see no reason why there should not be more, provided you can lift them up and prevent them toppling over.'
Plant up the pots for spring bulbs
Gardens Monthly reader Peter Verney got in touch to say he had tried the Victorian practice of making a tower of clay pots each planted with spring bulbs suitable for forcing. He says 'It is easy to make and quite spectacular'. Follow his tips to try it out yourself this autumn:
* The tiers are created by using clay pots of varying sizes (largest at the bottom, then in decreasing diameter). They need to be clay, or a fairly rigid material, as plastic squashes.
* I create a tier of four pots, but I see no reason why there should not be more, provided you can lift them up and also prevent them toppling over.
* I've experimented with various bulbs but have now plumped for Narcissus 'Tete a Tete' as it has plenty of uniform blooms and grows to just 20-25cm (8-10in) high. A drawback of this cultivar is that the bulbs are large and there isn't a lot of growing room in the rim between the tiers, so there's a tendency for the pots to dry out unless you're vigilant – but the results can be stunning.
* For more on bulbs, see Related Articles at the bottom of this page.
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