From "The Monday Garden" August 3, 2003, issue 71 Long-Term Planning: Spring Bulbs In August's heat, it's hard to recall how welcome a single, tiny flower is in March. However, if you want the delight of brave little flower-faces, assuring you that winter will actually end, you've got to plant the bulbs. Now's the time to order. By fall planting time, the bulb companies will be concentrating on shipping, so it's best to order early. Some companies will even give you a discount for June or July orders. So what to buy? Whether you're buying locally in October or shopping web sales in June, the bill adds up real fast. Get the most for your money:.....
Deal with established, reputable dealers; second-rate bulbs disappoint. Beware web start-up companies!
Set an annual limit; save a "wish list" for next year. In a few years, you'll have quite a collection.
Hardy varieties that "naturalize" like narcissus, scilla, and snowdrops are great. Skip the short-lived hybrid tulips.
"Plain vanilla" varieties are just as wonderful as the newest and rarest.
Look for "mixes" and "collections" that sellers can offer more cheaply.
Small "corsages" of 3, 5 or 7 bulbs, strategically placed around the garden, create as much color as large masses. (Bulbs are NOT soldiers so do not make them march in rows!)
Pick bulbs for early, middle and late spring. Plant a few of each, crowded together in one hole, but leave plenty of space between groupings.
Plant the bulbs where you'll see them most, e.g. outside the diningroom window, in a window box, by the back door.
In the fall, put in "ice" pansies in your most sheltered spot. In the spring, add supermarket primroses. The pink ornamental strawberries also start blooming early and spread well from a single pot. Take advantage of local wild violets.
Culture:
Daffodils, narcissi, crocus, grape hyacinth, and other bulbs that have long-lingering foliage go best where larger plants, such as hosta and day lilies, will cover the dying leaves.
Spring bulbs need sun but remember you have less shade in spring before the trees leaf out. Also, the sun's low enough to peek under the evergreens.
Most bulbs will rot in perpetually moist soil. Add gravel for drainage, raise the bed or use a large outdoor pot. Also, for a sunny damp spot, try scilla siberica (squill) and our native spring beauties (claytonia virginica). Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) (looks like marsh marigold) works too well; it's horribly, horribly invasive, so please don't plant it.
Very dry is usually OK as long as the bulbs get adequate water while the leaves are green.
Design: For early spring, I particularly like delicate miniature bulbs in pastel colors. Keep the color scheme simple. You can't miss with mostly blues, pinks, and violets, accented with white and yellow. In the picture are: miniature narcissi, squill, and species tulips from "www.johnscheepers.com; ice pansies planted the previous fall; and grocery-store primroses planted in previous years. Whatever you do, don't forget some winter aconites (eranthis hyemlais) that are the earliest bloomers.
Advanced gardening: explore the wonders of our native spring flowers such as blood root, hepatica, false rue anemone, and marsh marigold.