Some kinds of hyacinth need up to 12 weeks forcing in a warmish, dark place (such as a hot press), followed by about three weeks in the light, to bring them on. But other varieties, including the excellent 'Blue Delft', which has a very good scent, is supposed to need a maximum of only nine weeks of darkness followed by about 21 days of light to come into flower.

Therefore, according to my calculations, if you planted this variety right now, then it should be in flower on 25 December, just making it in time for Christmas by the skin of its teeth. But even if you've passed the deadline for planting other sorts, that shouldn't stop you.

It's lovely to have a succession of hyacinths . . . as well as paperwhite narcissi and snowdrops . . . coming on at their own pace in pretty pots, throughout the whole of January and on into spring. (Good bulbs are available in Mr Middleton's in Dublin's Mary Street, Murphy & Wood's in Cabinteely, Co Dublin, Hosford's in Co Cork, Mackey's in Sandycove, Co Dublin, and from all good garden shops. ) When planting bulbs in pots, indoors or out, you are best to use a general, soilbased compost and not the specially fabricated 'bulb fibre' sold for the purpose.

One reason for this is to ensure you have big, healthy bulbs left after flowering, for growing-on next year, either in outdoor pots or in the garden. Bulb fibre has no food in it to sustain them, but if you're planning on discarding the bulbs after flowering, then feel free to use it.

Another good reason for using a soil-based compost . . .

a John Innes No 3 (or No 2) mixture is the one to ask for, then you add some extra horticultural grit and a handful of dried seaweed or bonemeal . . .

is that most prepared hyacinths are outrageously top heavy in their first year, with big floppy heads that often need discreet but firm staking.

Unlike a John Innes compost, bulb fibre just doesn't have enough mass or body to hold those few discreet stakes steady, so you'll be irritated with your display, rather than thrilled. When planting the bulbs, it's a good idea to put a generous layer of the same grit or, even better, some purifying charcoal, which you can buy, at the bottom of the bowl.

Besides enjoying them for their wonderful scents, the main aim with all indoor bulbs is to produce a mass of colour, so use as many bulbs as the container will hold, packing them in as closely as possible.

With small bulbs, ensure their tops are about one inch (2.5cm) below the rim of the pots, then cover with more compost until the surface is about half an inch below the rim.

With large bulbs, such as daffodils and hyacinths, stand them with their tops half out of the container and again finish with the compost half an inch below the rim. If the compost comes to the top of the pots, then it will make watering messy.

After planting and watering thoroughly, completely wrap the bowls or pots in newspaper and place them somewhere dark and warmish, if you want them speeded up, or somewhere dark and cool, such as a shed or unused room, if you're not in a hurry.

Alternatively, you can 'plunge' them in the old-fashioned way, that is, leave them outdoors in the lea of a north wall and cover them with about six inches of either peat, old ashes, sifted soil or wrap them in black polythene, to exclude light and keep in moisture.

WINTER PANSIES You'll get double value out of a space by underplanting any winter bedding with tulips, which can go in when the pansies or other plants have established themselves.

The tulips will then start into flower just as the bedding is packing up.

If you're planning to use winter pansies or violas, as carpets of bedding or to fill pots and windowboxes, be sure to buy much more than you think you will need.

Plant growth is very slow in winter, so they will need to be packed in closer together, to make a decent visual impact.

Also, try to find bedding in single colours, so that you can choose your own colourways.

GARDEN WORK Now is a good time to sow the seed of many annuals, for flowering next year. These will have a head start and be much sturdier than those sown next spring. Good subjects for sowing now are annual poppies, lovely larkspur, pot marigold, cornflowers, clarkia and intensely blue nigella.

It is a simple matter and also less work if you sow them in the places where you want them to flower, be it in a container or out in the open garden.

Any thinning out of seedlings, if at all necessary, can be left until spring. Simply rake and level those areas of bare ground, or the compost left in containers after you've removed spent annuals to the compost heap.

Whichever you're using, ensure it's free-draining, and add some horticultural grit to open it up if not.

WHAT'S ON >> Sunday 1 October: Meet Charlie Dimmock, of BBC's 'Ground Force', at the Grand Opening of the Gerry Dooley's Orchard Home & Garden Centre in Celbridge, Co Kildare, which has just undergone a 13m revamp.

>> Wednesday 4 October, 8pm:

'Exquisite Old Roses', an illustrated talk by award-winning plantswoman and designer, Assumpta Broom"eld. The talk, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland (RHSI), will be followed by a 'Mini Plant Sale', which is sure to yield some worthwhile treasure. All welcome. Admission for nonRHSI members, 7, Wesley House, Leeson Park, Dublin 6.