Hi everyone

I have just joined the forum and am a total gardening beginner.

I don't know if I need to tell you but I live in Southern England.

I got myself a patch and spent much of last summer digging it over. I am trying to create a cottage garden.

I planted 36 hardy perennials end of last August and the little things lived through the snow etc. I was really proud. Because my plugs were so small, I didn't know the difference between a plug and a weed so paid a gardener to come in and do some weeding last week. The idiot dug up all my plugs, threw them away and claimed they were weeds. I was heartbroken to say the least.

I have been given a load of bulbs which I have been told are summer flowering. If I plant these bulbs now, will they flower this summer and also, are these plants very invasive as I will be planting loads of other plants soon? The bulbs I have been given are ...... gayfeather, ladys mantle, golden rod, allium moly, gladiolus nova lux and astilbe spirea.

Thank you for your help in sorting out my confusion.