fairy rings

Add some magic to your lawn in the spring by planting crocus bulbs to create your very own fairy rings. Even if no fairies appear, the rings are still a great place for having a picnic and playing. Best of all, the flowers will appear again every spring.

You will need

• ✿ piece of string, 20in (50cm) in length
• ✿ tent peg
• ✿ plastic water bottle
• ✿ play sand
• ✿ special bulb planter
• ✿ crocus bulbs

Step 1

In late fall, tie one end of the piece of string to the tent peg and push this into your chosen area of lawn. Fill the plastic bottle with some play sand and tie the other end of the string to its neck. Carefully tip out a line of sand as you move the string around in a circle, keeping it taut all the time. This will mark out your fairy ring.

Step 2

Ask a grown-up to use the bulb planter to make a hole along this circle every 4in (10cm) and leave the “plug” of soil and grass by the side of the hole. The hole should only be about 2in (5cm) below the surface of the grass.

Step 3

Place a crocus bulb in each hole, making sure that the bulb is the right way up (the pointed end should be facing upward). Replace the plug of soil and turf, and firm it down well. The bulbs will grow through the grass the following spring.

Try this... Make sure that the crocus ring section of the lawn is not cut until about six weeks after the flowers have finished. This gives the plant a chance to put the energy from its old leaves back into the bulb ready to grow again next year.