1.   As the early blooming bulbs go dormant, overhanging trees leaf out, providing the summer shade required by all these plants.

2.   All that is needed is an area in winter sun and summer shade, well-drained soil, a mixture of early blooming bulbs, and some cyclamens and hellebores.

3.   Crocuses are the best-known early bulb, a down payment on spring.

4.   Early bulbs, such as crocuses, have been blooming about a week ahead of schedule.

5.   Hellebores make good companions for ferns, cyclamen, pulmonaria, early bulbs, wild ginger and low-growing shrubs such as sweetbox and Daphne odora.

6.   The early bulbs seem desperate just now.