Planting Spring Flowering Bulbs

According to Better Homes and Gardens, New Garden Book, page 208, many plants, which are referred to as bulbs, are not in fact true bulbs. True bulbs are plants such as tulips, hyacinths and daffodils.

A bulb contains future roots, stems and flowers. A bulb propagates by producing tiny bulblets that can be removed and used in future plantings.

The first bulbs to bloom after the winter thaw are crocuses, daffodils and then hyacinths. Some later blooming hyacinth varieties like the grape hyacinth make an excellent complementary display with early blooming tulips.

Designing a Spring, Bulb Flowerbed

If the flowerbed is large enough, a mixture of bulbs planted in large masses produce an outstanding splash of color.

For a planting alongside a fence or building, use taller bulbs like the two and a half foot high Darwin hybrid tulip at the back and smaller ones like hyacinths in the front of the bed. For a freestanding bed, tall, plant producing bulbs should be planted in the center with smaller bulbs cascading to the edge.

Color combinations are a matter of personal choice. Many prefer a bed with just one or two complementing colors. Others like a palette of color springing up to chase away the winter doldrums.

Tulip bulb varieties are almost endless. They comprise early blooming tulips and mid to late blooming tulips.

Single early blooming tulips include Rising Sun, a golden yellow tulip, Pink Beauty, a brilliant cherry-rose with white strip and General De Wet, a soft orange with a stripped effect.

Double early bloomers look like small peonies on short, straight stems. Mr. Van der Hoef is a bright yellow tulip. Vuurbaak and Scarlet Carnival are excellent reds. Electra is a deep rosy violet.

Mid to late blooming bulbs include Cottage tulips such as Advance which looks like a large flame red poppy. Cottage tulips have large flowers on three-foot stems. They come in all colors except blue and purple.

In bloom in late spring are the exotic looking Parrot tulips. These tulips grow on stiff stems and are single and double bloom. They come in a range of colors with petals that are fringed, feathered and pointed outward. Some varieties of Parrots are Red Champion, Violet Queen and sparkling yellow Sunshine.

Add Other Bulbs for Variety Planting

Crocuses are first bulbs to burst up in early spring. They are short, squat, usually white plants, that bloom early then quickly disappear. Next come Daffodils, which grow from four to twenty inches tall. The tallest, Trumpet daffodil grows on a single stem and has yellow fringes with white petals. Other smaller varieties have small, cup blooms on reed like foliage.

Hyacinths are an aromatic, esthetically pleasing plant. Flower colors include white, pink, red, yellow and purple. Like tulips, they should be planted in clumps. Also like tulips the bulbs become weak over time and should be replaced every three to five years.

Pay attention to hardiness zones for bulbs and plant them in late fall. For a large garden it’s cheaper to buy spring, flowering bulbs in bulk of 100 or more bulbs. Bulbs are generally planted deeper than established perennial plants.

Follow the enclosed planting instructions, then sit back and wait for the palette of color to appear in the spring.