It's getting nippy out there, and that means it's time to start thinking beyond winter. With temperatures dipping to below 10 degrees, the ground is just right for planting next season's bulbs. These garden centres will put the spring in your step.
Bill's Garden Centre, 903 Pape Ave. This east-end store is as famous for its helpful, knowledgeable staff as it is for its varied selection of bulbs. Look for Picture, a new pale pink tulip that resembles a peony. Also available are hot-ticket items such as allium bulbs.
Tumino's Garden Centre, 271 Scarlett Rd. This 35-year-old neighbourhood stalwart near Jane and St. Clair has all the regulars -- tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths -- as well as some of the more unusual fritillaries such as Lutea maxima.
Sheridan Nurseries, 2827 Yonge St. After buying out Weall & Cullen last year, Sheridan expanded to 11 locations across Ontario. Bring a photograph of your garden for free landscape consultations. Off-site expertise by the store's landscape architects is available for a fee.
The Trellis Shop, 777 Lawrence
Ave. E. This store at the Toronto Botanical Garden carries more than 1,300 gardening titles to help you decide just what should go in your garden. Besides regular bulb favourites, it also sells a number of species tulips.
Gardenimport Inc.
This Thornhill mail-order company is the only place in Canada to get the rare, variegated leaf Fritillaria imperialis Aureo variegata. Log on to place your orders for other hard-to-find bulbs, such as the magnificent magenta Rai tulip.