This is partly thanks to Jacqueline van der Kloet, a Dutch designer whose radical ideas on “liberating tulips” from traditional drifts has reminded many of the versatility of the flower. The tulip is a truly diverse species with more than 1000 varieties offering an array of different textures, heights and hues. Perhaps the most widely known and immediately recognisable of all the bulbs, tulips are one of this autumn’s most affordable luxuries.

Jacqueline’s designs are centred around a more natural aesthetic, with tulips becoming an accent for established elements within the garden. “To integrate bulbs in a natural setting, I think it is always nice if there is an item in the area that can be highlighted by bulbs: a blanket of bulbs under a single tree or a number of trees that can be connected to one another by a meandering ribbon of bulbs. Or a splash of bulbs in the turn of a pathway.”

By pairing bulbs with other perennials, the overall aesthetic of the garden is maintained. Perennials will offer the coverage needed to allow bulbs the necessary die down period, enabling them to re-flower the following spring. Jacqueline also advises sensitive use of colour. “In natural areas, I would use softer colours, but also the light is important,” van der Kloet says. “Bright colours are better in full sunlight, while softer colours are much more beautiful in dappled shade. The latter is true not only for bulbs but for perennials as well.”

By being creative with planting, a gardener can achieve continuous colour by choosing bulbs that will follow one another, remembering to take into account the ability of different bulbs to live happily alongside each other. For example, van der Kloet divides large and small bulbs by planting them in layers. This contributes to an even more varied and natural appearance, as well as stunning displays that will last throughout spring.

Now all that remains is to begin designing your own energetic display of colour, sure to revitalize any outside space this coming spring.