Planting Fall-time Bulbs for Stunning Early Spring Blossoms
Spring is just around the corner, and it's time to start planning your garden for a burst of colour! Here's a rundown of some stunning spring flowering bulbs that are available to brighten up your outdoor space.
Anemone Windflower bulbs, available from Amazon, offer pink, blue, and white blooms. Fritillaries, with their nodding quality to the flowerheads, are another beautiful option. 'Rubra Maxima', a vibrant heirloom spring flower fritillary, is particularly noteworthy.
For those seeking a prolific and low-maintenance bloom, Muscari ornamentals, or grape hyacinths, are an excellent choice. They are compact yet prolific, and are easy to establish in your garden. 'Soulmate' and 'Blue Grape' are common varieties, but there are also pink, white, and yellow ones to choose from.
Crocus plants are versatile and hardy, capable of growing happily in gritty soils, partial shade, under trees, and even in lawns. 'Willard & May's Mixed Giant Crocus Bulbs' are available from Amazon for creating a dynamic floral spectacle.
Siberian squills, with their delicate profusion of nodding (usually blue) star-shaped blooms, are another charming addition to your garden. Hirts' Siberian Squill Bulbs are available from Amazon in bundles of 15.
Tulips, with their wide variety of shapes, textures, colours, and tonal ranges, are a staple of spring gardens. 'Lorenzo', 'Queen of Night', and 'Double Shake' are some tulip varieties available at Burpee.
Daffodils, easy-going and full of charm, with options for double blooms and frilly flowerheads, are a delightful choice. Dividing daffodils every few years helps them to return with renewed vigor.
Dutch iris, capable of impressive heights and proportions, is a striking spring bloomer. 'Lion King' Dutch iris bulbs are available from Burpee.
Snowdrops, the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and the giant snowdrop (G. elwesii), are common varieties, but there are many others. They love dappled shade and humus-rich earth, making them suited to spring garden plantings.
Alliums, while not explicitly mentioned in this guide, can be grown in all manner of purples, pinks, and whites. Varieties such as 'White Giant', 'Millenium', 'Purple Sensation', 'Globemaster', and 'Christophii' are some options.
Before you start planting, it's essential to test your soil pH, nutrient loads, and moisture levels using a meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon. Condition the ground with a soil treatment like Miracle-Gro’s Performance Organics All-Purpose In-Ground soil amendment from Walmart.
When choosing flowering spring bulbs, consider flowering times, blooming windows, impact in combination, and potential for overlapping in container planting. Sign up for the free Newsletter for gardening jobs and seasonal expert advice.
Remember, the success and vitality of spring flowering displays depend on steps taken in the fall. So, start planning now and enjoy a beautiful spring garden!
Garden enthusiasts like Sarah Raven and Jo Thompson have written articles on floral planting art for the platforms GardeningEtc and Homes & Gardens in recent years. Happy gardening!
