Planting in my garden

Might there be bulbs already in the soil? I would look around for some cheap plants/ask friends for cuttings, but don't plant too much until you have had time to assess the soil, see what the weather brings and how the garden shapes up during the seasons. In my D.D.'s previous garden we rushed into landscaping and planting but then discovered that lawn would not grow down the bottom - too shady and part of garden was flooded during winter. Take your time it will be worth it.

Have you a plan for your beds or are you intending to create new beds?
New beds created and dug over the winter are best. Any frost will break down the soil and kill any nasty bugs. Then in the spring you can top dress the soil and plant.
However, this time of year is the best time to plant shrubs and any divided herbaceous plants that you might be given.
Garden centres often sell off plants that they don’t want to over winter, so you might get some bargains.

Thanks you everyone, really helpful . Other than mowing the lawn I don't think my gardener knows anything . Believe it or not after all that rain, when I asked him to plant some shrubs he told me the ground was too dry so that's when I reached out for some help.
Will see what happens.

My mother always said that plants wanted to grow and you could help them or hinder them but on the whole they would grow!

I managed to buy some winter pansies last week - everyone wants them.
If our veg. plot was still plantable we would be putting in onions and broad beans.

It is the best planting season of all! The ground still has some warmth and there is often sufficient rain to keep them happy.

Any time until the cold weather closes in. So get planning study all the plants and be prepared to pay a fortune

Combine winter pansies/violas with your spring bulbs - they look charming with mini daffs. A word of warning: if you decide to plant a shrub, find out how tall and wide it is going to grow. My garden is full of overgrown shrubs and I'm waiting for a tree surgeon to come and operate on them.

You can plant spring bulbs now then you'll have a good show next year. Go to a good garden centre and they'll be happy to advise you. I'm afraid I'm a stick it in the ground and see what happens sort of gardener. It means I have to move things sometimes but not often.