Before autumn arrives, you might want to think about ordering some spring bulbs for your garden. Spring bulbs are not just an attractive addition to your garden in the spring. They can also be a boon for early pollinators, blooming at a time when there is little nectar around. And spring ephemerals also catch and store water and nutrients early in the year. But which spring bulbs should you choose? Here are some things to think about when choosing spring bulbs for your garden.
Where Do You Want to Grow Bulbs?
Spring bulbs can be grown in a wide range of different locations. So one of the first things you should think about when choosing spring bulbs is where you want to grow them. You can grow spring bulbs:
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In pots or containers.
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Below trees or in a woodland area.
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In a lawn.
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In sunny beds or borders.
Choosing Spring Bulbs for Pots
Many different spring bulbs can work very well in pots and containers. Growing bulbs in containers is a great choice for those with limited space, and also for novice gardeners who want to do something relatively easy to ease themselves into home growing and gardening.
One interesting thing to consider is making a bulb lasagna, and layering different spring bulbs in a pot so that they bloom successionally next year. The latest flowering bulbs are placed in the lowest tier, sometimes with mid season bulbs above them, and early flowering bulbs at the top. For suggestions of options for inclusion in each of these tiers, read on. You’ll find some suggestions in the next section of this article.
Choosing Spring Bulbs For Below Trees
Certain spring bulbs are ideal for placement below deciduous trees, where they will flower before the trees are in leaf. So for a woodland or forest garden you should consider options like:
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Anemones
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Crocus
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Muscari
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Narcissus
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Snowdrops
Spring bulbs can be useful when planted as part of the guilds for fruit trees. They draw in early pollinators, making sure that these are around by the time that the fruit tree in question is in bloom. They can also catch and store nutrients and water during this early part of the year. And can aid in keeping grass out of the guild zone around the tree when planted around the drip line of the tree. Thinking about when the fruit tree is in blossom will help you decide which spring bulbs might be most appropriate for this situation.
Choosing Spring Bulbs To Naturalise in a Lawn
A number of spring bulbs also work very well to naturalise in a lawn. Some of the best options for this are:
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Anemones
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Bluebells
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Camassia
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Chionodoxa
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Crocus
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Daffodils
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Fritillaria (in moist soils)
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Iris reticulata
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Muscari
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Snowdrops
Choosing Spring Bulbs for Sunny Beds or Borders
Spring bulbs which can look very good in sunny beds or borders include, but certainly are not limited to:
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Daffodils
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Tulips
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Alliums (late spring/ early summer flowering)
One idea to take note of is that spring flowering bulbs could work well as edge planting around the sides of a polytunnelor other structure in your garden, along with some self seeding annuals or perennial flowering plants which do not grow too tall.
When Do You Want Your Spring Bulbs To Be in Flower?
Another important thing to consider when choosing spring bulbs is when you wish them to be in flower. Understanding when different spring bulbs will flower is important, since this can allow you to achieve a succession of blooms, and ensure that you have flowers in bloom in your garden over as long a period as possible.
When bulbs will flower is of course very important if you are making a bulb lasagna. And also if you are planning on filling gaps in the planting or flowering in a bed or border. Remember, when you plant bulbs will influence timings to a degree, so bear this in mind. Remember, certain bulbs can also be forced indoors to bloom earlier.
Early Flowering Spring Bulbs (Top Tier in Pot)
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Anemones
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Crocus
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Chionodoxa
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Miniature Irises
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Muscari
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Snowdrops
Mid Season Spring Bulbs (Mid-Tier in a Pot)
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Daffodils
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Hyacinths
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Tulips which bloom earlier
Late Spring Bulbs to Consider (Base Tier in a Pot)
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Alliums
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Lilies
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Tulips
There are plenty of great combinations of spring bulbs to consider. So when choosing spring bulbs, make sure you do not just consider your choices in isolation. Think about how you can combine various spring bulbs in pots or elsewhere in your garden for the best and most beautiful results.
Aesthetics and Personal Preference
Once you have considered the basics, of course, you will likely also wish to think about what the flowers of the spring bulbs you are considering look like – what colour or colours they are, and how they will fit in with other elements in your garden. You should think about aesthetics not only in terms of the plants themselves but also in terms of overall effect. Think about how your spring flowering bulbs will fit into your overall design scheme and garden style.
Consider how the spring bulbs that you choose, and how you arrange them will influence the overall look and feel of your spring garden. Of course, you can use spring bulbs in more naturalistic ways to create an effortless and relaxed look. You can achieve this look with naturalistic random planting in lawns or meadow land, or with drifts through borders. But you can also use them in much more formal design schemes. Many spring flowering bulbs can be very versatile in this regard.
You can choose spring bulbs with similar and complementary hues for a harmonious feel, or create a cacophony of colour and brighten things up with contrasting shades. There really are spring bulbs and bulb combinations to suit any garden.
Planting spring bulbs in the autumn months is a really easy gardening job. And if you make the right choices when choosing spring bulbs, can make a big difference in your garden early next year.
Do you have favourite spring bulbs or bulb combinations? Which bulbs do you plan to plant this year, and where do you plan to plant them? Share your plans and your experiences in the comments below.
