You will find all the classic spring flowering bulbs on this list. Along with the daffodils, tulips and hyacinths which can all be grown outdoors there are some less hardy varieties that have to be kept inside the house. These twelve classic bulbs are described in an article by Marianne Lipanovich which I came across on the Houzz website.
Spring bulbs are amazing. One small, brown, often misshapen package contains everything needed to produce roots, leaves and a beautiful flower (or flowers). Bulbs are easy to grow, have relatively few pests and diseases, can go in the ground or into a container, and can even stay in the house. They work well with almost any garden style and pretty much herald the arrival of warm weather.
There?s just one thing about bulbs that keeps them from being the perfect no-fuss plant: You have to plant them at just the right time. Come spring you may find potted containers full of blooms, but you won?t be able to find flats of bulbs to put into the garden for a spot of color. To have a spring bulb garden, you have to plant in the fall.
Landscaping ideas. Before you plant, it?s a good idea to think of the final look you want. A formal and somewhat traditional look is garden beds. The upright growth and intense colors give the beds a tidy look, and massing the bulbs together highlights the colors.
Smaller bulbs, such as crocuses and hyacinths, work well along the edges of beds, in rock gardens and around the perimeters of ponds and creeks.
The one drawback of including bulbs in a formal space is that if you?re planning to treat the bulbs as perennials, you?ll need other plants in the same area that will fill in when the bulbs die back, while masking the yellowing foliage until it?s time to remove the leaves.
A natural approach works well for daffodils in particular and other plants like crocuses and fritillaries. The easiest way to achieve a natural look is simply to lightly toss the bulbs throughout the location in the garden where you want them to grow, then plant them where they fall. They?ll spread over the years.
Planting your bulbs in containers lets you bring them front and center when they?re in full bloom and place them in an out-of-the-way spot the rest of the time.
Many bulbs can also be forced into early bloom, usually for indoor use in the winter months. Among the most popular for this approach are amaryllises, crocuses, hyacinths and paperwhites (a type of narcissus, or daffodil).
I am a keen gardener and so created Garden Pics and Tips for people who love gardens and enjoy great pictures of plants and gardens. Also covered are practical tips on all aspects of gardening.
