Spring Flower Bulbs
Simple Rules
You’ll find that some rules are surprisingly simple. One such rule would be to plant bulbs in the full sunshine wherever possible.
Most Important Rule
You’ll find that some rules are never thought to be important. The most important rule of growing bulbs is to grow the foliage first, the flowers will take care of themselves
Surprising Rules
You’ll find some rules to be just surprising. One of those might be not to water spring flower bulbs in the summertime.
Many of these come from areas where summer water is non-existent and they are genetically programmed for summer drought. When we overwater tulips for example because they are in annual flower beds, they often respond by rotting away in the excess water. Again, I highlight these in the bulb descriptions.
Great Stories
You’ll find that some spring flower bulbs have great stories and legends.
Narcissus or daffodils are one such storied bulb and these stories never fail to interest me.
For example, daffodils are poisonous (they are also vile tasting so nobody is going to willingly eat them) and it is said that Roman soldiers carried them with them so if they were seriously hurt in battle they could kill themselves with the bulbs rather than die a long painful death of sword or spear injuries.
Sometimes you just want a quick introduction to the most popular of spring flowering bulbs and the names of spring flowers
So, enjoy this section on spring bulbs and follow these links to specific bulb instructions.
Bulb List
Allium or ornamental onions are fantastic and showy flowers that savvy gardeners are starting to grow. Easy.
Anemone are super little spring bulbs and here are the most popular two.
Anemone blanda or Greek Windflower is a wonderful small bulb for the rock garden or under deciduous shrubs.
Chionodoxa are a wonderful small, spreading bulb that is excellent in containers or rock gardens.
Corydalis solida is a little damp-soil and shade-lover that will win your heart in the spring. But it comes with a bit of caution.
Crocus and this harbinger of spring is well worth growing in large masses. Here’s the directions for how to succeed with this plant.
Q&A Rabbits are eating my crocus Help!
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Eranthis or Winter Aconite (pictured to left) is one of the earliest of spring blooming bulbs and it fits nicely into the shade garden. Here's how to grow it successfully.
Erythronium or Dog's-tooth Violet is a wonderful woodland bulb for shade or part shade. All are relatively easy to grow except for one that I'd recommend you ignore until you've succeeded with the others.
Fritillaria are fine bulbs but really stinky flowers. If you have a well-drained location it might be a bulb you'd like to grow.
Galanthus or Snowdrops are an easy bulb for rich soils in dappled shade. They'll naturalize if happy.
Hyacinthoides is the modern name for Scilla. Those wonderful bulbs are fantastic for growing under shrubs.
Hyacinthus
Ipheion uniflorum is one of those little-known spring gems that should be in more gardens. Surprisingly hardy.
Iris do indeed come in bulb form as well as perennial (rhizomes) and they are indeed little charmers. Here's how to grow bulbous iris
Ixiolirion tataricum is a sunny, hot and dry spot bulb that resents moisture. A naturalizer if happy. Here's the details and a picture.
Leucojum or Summer Snowflake is a spring or summer blooming bulb that you might want in your garden. There are usually two varieties sold - and you need to know which one is rarer so if you find it- you can grab a few bulbs.
Lilium
Muscari are fantastic in full, blue bloom and massed plantings are worth all the time and cost (plus they self sow if happy - here's how to make them happy).
Ornithogalum is a white flowering, fast spreading bulb for spring blooms. Excellent for naturalizing in rough spots but it comes with a potential garden thug warning.
Oxalis adenophylla is a delightful small, hardy bulb, that is perfectly suited for the rock garden or front of a perennial border.
Puschkinia. Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica is a real mouthful (named after Count Puschkin)
Scilla are a delightful blue spring flowering bulb that can become a little weedy blue mat. Here's how to grow scilla.
Need to Ask a Question About Spring Bulbs
If you have a question about growing spring bulbs that's not covered in the website, this is the place to ask it.
Please be as specific as you can.
Understand that I'm one writer trying to help folks out (not some big company) and I simply can't answer every question I get. Please check out the regional forums where there are a lot of other gardeners willing to help you out. (see navigation bar)
Important Please note that the text entry boxes can be tricky to read on some browsers. The boxes are usually right to the right or directly underneath the captcha text box.
What Other Visitors Have Asked About Spring Bulbs
Click below to see what other gardeners have asked about spring bulbs
what is this flower? It's just blooming now in Seattle - it's May 11th (Mother's Day)...just planted last year - they came up beautifully but now I don't remember what they ...
replanting and moving Fritillaria
I would like to change the location for my Fritillarias in my garden.
When is the best time to do that?
What is the best way of doing it so I will not ...
Crocus not growing We planted lots of CROCUS bulbs in Mid November and had snow few days later. New bulbs are not growing? Old bulbs those wre there previously are blooming?...
Help Identifiying Yellow Spring Bulbs
Hi,
Thanks for a great site! Can you identify the lovely spring bulbs in the enclosed photo? I thought that they were daffodils, but now I'm not sure....
can Crocus be grown in the house in containers I received some Crocus bulbs as a present and they are now coming up. I followed all the suggestions on the box and I am concerned because it says that ...
Bulbs Not Blooming
I planted 3000 bulbs about 10 years ago in a naturalized area of my front yard.
Sun is ample and I have had plentiful blooms until this year. I ...
If you want to ask a question about spring flowers, click here
