I DID what everyone else did at the end of last autumn. I went out and bought the last of the tulip bulbs when they were going cheap in the sales. Then I completely forgot about them until Christmas.

Between Christmas and New Year, I had a sudden yearning for spring colour. I found the bulbs shoved to the back of a drawer, under all the left-over wrapping paper and cut out name tags (from last year's cards, of course) and hoped that the physical activity involved in getting them planted would burn off at least a finger's worth of excess-induced calories.

I have a large collection of multi-coloured pots as a result of moving from a town house to one with a little more land. I used to grow most of my plants in tubs in the back yard, but since moving have managed to plunge them all into the ground (and they have all doubled in size in just a year). Consequently I am now left with a dozen empty pots.

My plan for later in the year is to create a small out-of-the-way seating area between our house and that of our neighbours. There are only about three metres worth of flooring and it is all concrete, but I hope it will make a secret morning coffee snug. I can't get cracking on it yet though as the roof needs a little attention, and the scaffolding will have to go just where the hide away will be. So I shall be patient and wait until the roofer has completed his task.

In the meantime, I have been using the tubs which have been outlined for that area for other ornamental purposes around the garden. One such pot was one that I used for the hurriedly-planted tulip bulbs. I carried the pot to a bare patch by the front door, just to the side of the path from the gate. It is always wise to move the pot into position before filling it with soil and flowers. It's a simple tip, but one easily missed.

I had bought three packets of tulips. One of small white tulips, another of medium mid mauve ones and the last one of tall deep purple flowers. I half filled the pot with an all-purpose compost and then laid the taller flowering bulbs gently onto the soil. I added another layer of compost and added the medium height bulbs. After another couple of inches of compost I planted the smaller white tulips. I poured on a good dose of water before retiring to watch another repeated festive film on the television.

I have one of those entrance arrangements to the house where myself and most visitors arrive by the back door. Only the post person and occasional visitors actually make it down the lavender-lined path to the front door. It wasn't until I went out to cut the front hedge (at long last) that I noticed the bursting mass of tulips rocketing out of the pot by the front door.

It had all come out as planned. The smaller white ones had emerged first, with the slightly taller mauve ones just behind them. The deeper, taller flowers were just poised to push through the greenery and take over as the white ones begin to fade. It was a perfect arrangement.

I have made a point of sitting out on the front bench as much as possible and enjoying the floral display as it continues to flourish. I shall then allow them to die down naturally. I may plant a summer perennial or something like a low growing rockery aubrietia in the top of the soil, which will die down for winter and allow the bulbs to show off again next year. You do get an extra buzz when you know that you have actually planned for something to look as good as it does. It gives you incentive to do more, and more, and more, and more.