Landscaping with Bulbs

Fall Gardening Tips

King Alfred daffodils—those big, showy, golden, trumpet-flowered daffodils—can be planted now from bulbs for glorious spring flowers. Dress up your interior landscape with new houseplants for the upcoming holidays. Rake and destroy leaves from fruit trees that were diseased this year. Spray for peach leaf curl with a copper spray, as peach and nectarine trees may suffer from this fungus disease without protective treatment.

Landscaping with Bulbs

One of the things gardeners look forward to in the fall is planting bulbs that will bloom in the spring. This simple task yields big results but should be completed by the end of November. Spring bulbs offer a great variety of color, flowering time, plant height, and shape, making them a valuable addition to any landscape or garden. Since they provide the first spots of color after winter, they are a welcome sign of spring and require no watering beyond winter rains.

• Planting Locations:
  • In front of evergreen shrubs for a striking backdrop.
  • Along the edge of a lawn to add a splash of color.
  • Under deciduous trees, where bulbs bloom before the trees leaf out. Suitable bulbs include grape hyacinths, crocus, snowflakes, and daffodils.
  • In perennial beds or borders, where they bloom in March, April, and May before most perennials start flowering. Plant them so their dying foliage won’t be noticeable.
  • With low-growing ground covers like ajuga, violets, creeping thyme, or low-growing sedum. Choose bulbs at least twice as tall as the ground cover.
  • In a lawn, where small bulbs like crocus can bloom before the first mowing.
• Blooming Season:
  • Early February to mid-June.
  • First to bloom: crocus, grape hyacinths, and narcissus.
  • Followed by hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips through April and May.
  • Season ends with Dutch iris and elegant Alliums.
• Planting Tips:
  • Plant bulbs of one variety or color in masses for greater visual impact.
  • Avoid planting bulbs in single straight rows or circles around trees/bushes, except in formal gardens. Mass plantings look more natural.
  • In small areas, use one color to make the space appear larger.
  • In large spaces, use two or three colors, planted together (not intermixed).
  • Enhance bulb colors by interplanting with pansies, primroses, or other early flowers.
• Fun Combinations:
  • Blue hyacinths or yellow tulips with miniature narcissus.
  • Blue pansies for a living bouquet effect.
  • Pink and red tulips together for a Valentine’s theme.
  • Bold mixtures of fragrant hyacinths to brighten borders.

Enjoy painting your landscape with beautiful bulbs!