Learning with Experts

Bulbs: For Pots & Borders

£45 £27 Save 40%
Level: Peer






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Level: Peer

Course overview

Expert gardener and RHS Chelsea Gold medalist Andy McIndoe shares his passion and knowledge for bulbs (including tulips and daffodils) in this planting Spring bulbs gardening course.

You'll learn which flower bulbs to choose (including looking at hardy and dwarf bulbs), when to plant spring bulbs and where to plant bulbs, and how combine flowers from bulbs to create long lasting and naturalistic designs.

Late summer and autumn through to early winter is the time we should all start thinking about planting our bulbs for Spring. This course prepares you for how to buy and plant a beautiful garden using flower bulbs including tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs.

Have you ever wondered how people get a blend of scents and colour from bulb flowers in their garden?

Or how to naturalise bulbs in grass so they blend with your landscape?

Or simply how to use bulbs in pots as part of your exterior design for the Spring. Unless you have some understanding of the vast array of bulbs that are available, especially tulips, it's difficult to think beyond having a few bulbs in pots.

During this course we'll discuss now only how to plant spring bulbs, but how to choose appropriate bulbs for your setting, what to mix them with in planting design, and you'll also receive personal advice from Andy himself who is a self confessed tulip fanatic. We automatically tend to think of tulips and daffodils as the main spring bulbs, but Andy will introduce you to a full painting palette of spring bulbs, and enable you to work towards a garden which looks like a spring garden of a true garden designer.

You'll learn:

  • Where to source and buy bulbs
  • Planting bulbs in pots and containers and using layering
  • Combining bulbs with perennials, foliage and other garden plants
  • Planting bulbs directly in the ground
  • Using bulb flowers for colour
  • Types of bulbs including hardy bulbs
  • When to plant bulbs for spring flowers

Time to complete this planting design course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 9 hours 30 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Assignment: at least 1 hour per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson

You'll need:

You don't need any special equipment, but you will be planning which bulbs you could use and where to source your bulbs from.

The course is suitable for all levels - beginners to garden designers or horticulture professionals who want to learn from a horticultural expert.

The course includes:

  • On-demand video lessons - presented by Andy McIndoe
  • lifetime access to the video, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical (optional) bulb planning projects
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom chat online to students from around the world

Lesson summary

Introduction to Flower bulbs
Our first lesson looks at the appeal and versatility of flower bulbs. We'll learn how bulbs can be used to add colour and fragrance, when to buy spring flowering bulbs, how to plant bulbs (including depth), and how to re-use last years bulbs. Find out how to store them prior to planting and how to choose bulbs for a specific purpose or situation.
Growing bulbs in pots and containers indoors and out
Discover the secrets of success of growing prepared hyacinths and other flower bulbs for decoration indoors. You'll find out how to grow Narcissus ‘Paperwhite’ without soil, which other bulbs succeed indoors? Learn how to plant flower bulbs and tulips in pots on the patio, including using layers to extend your bulb flowering season. We'll investigate which soil to use, how to care for bulbs in pots and how to combine bulbs and bedding plants for stunning results.
Adding colour to beds and borders by planting flower bulbs
In this lesson we'll learn how plant tulip and other flower bulbs to survive from year to year in the open ground. We'll look at planting daffodils and narcissi in beds and borders and planting alliums with silver foliage plants, geraniums and other perennials. We'll explore the best way to create exciting colour combinations by adding a few flower bulbs.
Naturalising flowerbulbs
In the final lesson we'll look at planting daffodils and narcissi in grass, and investigate other bulbs for naturalising in grass and meadows. We'll discover how planting flower bulbs to add colour under trees or in shaded areas. And we'll look at which dwarf bulbs to plant in gravel and scree.

Choose how you want to learn

Expert-level

Develop your learning further with marked assignments and personal tuition:

  • Start the course whenever you like
  • Tutor access for personalised assignment feedback & coaching
  • Certificate of completion and CPD learning hours
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with expert videos & notes
  • Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom

Peer-level

Get the most from shared knowledge and community study:

  • Start course whenever you like
  • Practise what you learn with your peers
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with videos & notes
  • Course assignments
  • Group chat & direct message classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom

meet the expert

Andy McIndoe

Renowned horticulturist with 30+ years' experience, RHS Gold Medalist, prolific writer, lecturer & consultant.

Read more

Why choose Learning with Experts?

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.
Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.
Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!
Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.
Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between PEER and EXPERT options?

At Peer and Expert level, you get access to the same core content and features:

  • Video lesson tutorials led by your expert tutor
  • Downloadable lesson notes
  • Option to practise what you learn with lesson assignments
  • Group learning within an online interactive classroom of up to 20 classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes and classroom

If you choose Expert level, you get all of the above plus the following:

  • Personalised assignment feedback and coaching from your expert tutor
  • Opportunity to interact with your expert tutor through a private messaging system
  • Certificate of completion.
What is an online classroom?

Our online classroom has been developed to allow you to learn from our experts in a sociable environment alongside up to 20 other students. After each video tutorial led by your expert, you will be encouraged to practice what you have learned with optional assignments - these can be seen by the other students in your class, who are free to share their own thoughts and questions with you.

You will be encouraged to take part in an ongoing class discussion where you can discuss ideas, post images or work, and comment on each other’s assignments. It’s a great way to learn from other like-minded people who share your passion from all over the world.

This means not only do you benefit from people who are outstanding in their field, but also from a close-knit group of like-minded people whom you can learn alongside. Group learning has shown to greatly improve not just the experience of studying, but also how well you retain the knowledge, and we have built our classroom experience around this fact.

When can I start my course and how long will it take?

You can start your course any time within 12 months after receipt of your purchase confirmation email. Once you start, you’ll have lifetime access — meaning you can revisit the lesson videos and notes whenever you want.

Our courses are designed so that you can study at your own pace, some prefer to binge learn while others like to spread their studying over a longer period of time - it’s completely up to you. To give you a rough time frame, each lesson video is approximately 30-40 minutes long, and we recommend that you spend around an hour on each assignment.

How often can I speak with the Expert?

If you opt for the Expert version of your course, the time you have to interact with your tutor is limited to course length. You will have one week per lesson to chat to your tutor and to have your assignments marked, and during this period you can ask them as many questions as you would like.

To find out the length of each course, head to the product page and look at the Course outline to see how many lessons it contains. e.g. a four lesson course assumes that you will have completed the assignments within four weeks.

Your tutor interaction period will start as soon as you enter the classroom. If you find that you are struggling to complete the assignments in the allocated time or you wish to put this function on hold, just get in contact with one of the team via the support button and we will help you out.

Support and full FAQs

If you need any help with a course, be it one you’ve started already, or one you are looking to purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support email address, or view the full FAQ’s here.

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Awards and accreditations