Planting garden bulbs is one of the quickest, easiest and cheapest ways to add color, perfume and interest to your garden at any time of year. Most garden bulbs will increase in size and keep coming back year after year. And there’s a huge range of flower bulbs to choose from.
Plant flower bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocus, snowdrops, irises and other spring bulbs from late summer and through to early winter. They don’t need feeding, watering or any other attention. Simply forget about them through the winter and enjoy the display in the spring.
Mid to late spring and throughout early summer is the time to plant summer garden bulbs such as day lilies, oriental and regal lilies, alliums, and autumn flower bulbs such as autumn crocus and hardy cyclamen.
Most garden bulbs need to be planted in soil that doesn’t become waterlogged over winter as this will cause them to rot. The soil should also retain some moisture and not dry out completely in summer. Ordinary garden soil that will grow perennials successfully is suitable for most bulbs.
Some garden bulbs are suitable for naturalizing and look superb when grown in short grass amongst trees or in orchards. If you don’t have many trees or an orchard they look just as good planted between shrubs for a spring or early summer display before your perennials get going.
Small flowered and species narcissus and daffodils, cyclamen, camassias and fritillaries are all excellent bulbs for naturalizing in grass or amongst shrubs. Bluebells are good for edge of woodland areas but do not do well in heavy shade. They naturalize a bit too well if not kept under control.
Erythroniums will also naturalize well in cool, woodland areas and clump up well if left undisturbed. They do not like sharing their spot with other later flowering plants.
Plant your garden bulbs using a trowel, covering the bulbs with soil to about twice or three times their depth. Make sure you plant them the right way up with the rooting base downwards and the flowering tip upwards.
After flowering allow the leaves to die down naturally. Mulch with garden compost or composted bark after flowering. If clumps get overcrowded after a few years and flowering diminishes, rejuvenate them by lifting and splitting the clumps and replanting them in smaller groups and adding fresh compost.
By planting garden bulbs that flower at different times of the year your garden will have all year round interest in return for very little work and at a small expense.