In May, as I was working in my yard, I found a plastic Easter egg among our boxwood. Hidden a few weeks earlier, the small snickers bar contained inside was a deliciously unexpected sweet treat. Spring blooming bulbs, hidden in the ground months before they bloom, offer beauty and fragrance after a long cold winter. Because of their small size, bulbs are easier to plant, come in a variety of colors and are low maintenance. Bulbs offer a good return on investment because they are relatively low cost and bloom for many years after they are planted. Tulips, while perhaps the most widely known, is just one of many different types of flowers that are planted in bulb form in the fall and bloom in the spring. This column outlines the benefits of these plants that surprise us with their appearance in the spring.
Crocus are one of the first bulbs to bloom in the spring. They range in size from 3-6” inches high and are available in colors such as white, purple and yellow. The bulbs are usually smaller than the size of a quarter. It is not unusual for crocus to bloom while there is still snow on the ground. Because they bloom in very early spring, before many of us are working in our yards, they are best planted where they will be visible from a sidewalk, the driveway or from inside our homes.
Snow Iris (Iris reticulata) begins blooming in March. ‘Harmony’, a particularly hardy cultivar, offers a fragrant deep blue flower at a height of 6”. The plants go dormant by June. They are best planted in mass near the front of a landscaping bed.
Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica) are very low maintenance plants that naturalize over time in full sun to part shade areas. Their blue flowers seem to dance above fine foliage that grows about 6” tall. This is an easy to grow, very durable bulb.
Perfectly round balls of purple and white flowers appear on Allium bulbs in early summer. These pollinator friendly flowers grow about 2.5-foot tall and do best in full sun. These unique flowers add elegance and charm to the garden.
Daffodil bulbs are available in a variety of colors, heights and bloom times. Yellow, orange and white flowering daffodils grow in heights ranging from 10”-24”. These flowers are considered rabbit and deer proof.
Tulips are available in a kaleidoscope of colors. Many tulip varieties have unique characteristics such as multiple colors on the same flower, fringed petals and/or double petals. The time in which the flowers appear also varies from early spring to late spring offering months of coloration within the same bulb family.
When planting bulbs, consider amending the soil with organic matter such as mushroom compost or peat moss. In successive years, a water-soluble fertilizer may be added to the area in the fall.
Bulbs are typically planted at a depth equal to twice the height of the bulb. I use the naturalization method of planting. I choose an area in which to plant the bulbs, then loosely toss them in that area and plant them where they land. Lightly watering the bulbs helps them to get established. Ideally the bulbs are planted with the pointy end facing up. Bulbs use a process called negative gravitropism to determine which way to grow. No matter which way they are planted, the stem will always grow the right way.
One of the primary concerns of spring blooming bulbs is unsightly foliage after they flower. The foliage on shorter bulbs such as crocus and Siberian squill tends to die back rapidly and doesn’t cause any concerns. The foliage of taller bulbs such as tulips and daffodils can take several weeks to dieback. As the foliage dies back, the energy is put towards a stronger bulb. If possible, the foliage should be left in place until it has died back completely. Planting annuals or perennials in front of the bulb foliage helps to divert attention away as the bulb is going into dormancy.
I hope that you are able to ‘hide’ a few surprises in your landscaping beds this fall and enjoy their beauty next spring. They truly are one of nature’s true sources of joy and beauty.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc.,a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@ thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
