Every year in late summer or early autumn, attention turns to buying spring flowering bulbs to ensure those beautiful and inspiring early blooms next year. Catalogs and websites are full of flowering bulbs of all sizes, shapes, colors and textures to entice gardeners and convince them to plant them in their gardens.
There are thousands of possible spring flowers to choose from, from classic favorites to new varieties. While this may be exciting, it can also come with potential banana peels. The sheer number of choices means it’s easy to make impulsive decisions that don’t always turn out as originally intended.
With planning and careful selection, you can create a magnificent and long-flowering bulb display. Having planted large quantities of bulbs for displays in public gardens over the years, I have identified some key points to consider to help you choose which bulb to order.
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6 tips for ordering flower bulbs
When ordering flower bulbs online, from garden centers or nurseries, the temptation to buy everything can be hard to resist. However, it’s worth putting some thought into ordering flower bulbs. Here are some tips I’ve picked up as a professional gardener that can help you put together a spring flower bulb order.
1. Choose light bulbs that match the room
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There is a huge range of spring bulbs to plant in autumn, including the ever-popular snowdrops, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and many more. It’s easy to overdo it, but all ideas for planting bulbs in the garden depend on the space available.
Size and light conditions affect bulb ordering. Make sure the bulbs are ideal for the conditions and that the number of bulbs is appropriate for the size of the space. Packing bulbs together, planting them in moist areas, or placing sun-loving bulbs in shadier spots will affect their growth and potential flowering.
Consider the size of your beds and the topography of your space to select blooms that will look fabulous. If you’re short on space or are container gardening, there are still plenty of options, including planting miniature bulbs and dwarf varieties of alliums, hyacinths and snowdrops.
2. Consider the planting style
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What do you want to achieve by planting your bulbs? You may have a specific idea in mind, or you may be inspired by social media or magazines. Bulbs suit many garden styles, and the look and feel of your garden, as well as your goals, will influence the type and number of bulbs you order.
Spring bulbs are often planted in flowerbeds and borders to create the feel of a cottage garden. Bulbs can be planted in groups or strips along the border. Alternatively, bulbs can be planted in blocks for a dramatic effect. Or bulbs can be planted in lawns.
Typically, bulbs are planted in groups for the best effect. The smaller the bulbs, the more of them are needed to create a dramatic image. Since bulbs are often planted in groups of 3-6 or more, and you need between five and 15 per square foot to create an impact, depending on the size of the bulbs, the amount you need to order can add up.
I worked in a historic garden where we planted an elaborate arrangement of over 4,500 hyacinths, daffodils and tulips. The bulbs were planted about 4 to 6 inches apart. While this is not a typical backyard bulb planting scheme, it was a fantastic display every year. To achieve a similar feel at home, plant large groups of bulbs in two or three colors in beds or borders.
Daffodil natural mix for landscape gardeners
A selection of the best daffodil bulb varieties that will reproduce for many years. Convenient bulb sizes make planting in large quantities easy.
3. Mix the flowering times
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The different types of spring bulbs you can plant mean you can mix and match them to give yourself a long season of flowers and color. This splendor can begin in February and continue into early summer, although the exact timing will depend on your climate and U.S. hardiness zone.
For example, a long exhibition can begin with snowdrops, early crocuses and winter aconites, followed by daffodils, hyacinths, checkered lilies and tulips. The season can end with alliums and camassias.
When ordering daffodils or tulips, choose early, mid and late varieties so you can enjoy their flowers for as long as possible. You can get a long blooming season in both smaller beds and pots by planting your bulbs in layers, like a lasagne, with the larger and later bulbs planted under the earlier, smaller ones so they bloom one after the other, creating a long-lasting effect.
A mix of eight brand new daffodil varieties, some early flowering, some mid flowering and some late flowering. These varieties are long-lasting and have large trumpet flowers.
4. Combine flower bulbs for a great mashup
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Height, colour and texture – there is a huge range of choice when it comes to bulbs. It’s not just about the flowers, bulbs with colourful foliage are also something to consider. There are many ways to combine bulbs to create a beautiful effect. While it always makes sense to plant larger bulbs at the back of the beds and smaller ones up front so they can be enjoyed, the sheer number of options leaves plenty of room for creativity.
There are many different varieties of classic spring bulbs. For example, daffodils come in different colors and with different shapes of their characteristic trumpets, tulip varieties with ruffled petals or peony-like flowers – like the Double Surprise tulip, available at Nature Hills – and allium varieties with large football-sized flowers or four-foot-tall stems.
It’s your space and your choice. You can opt for a complementary colour combination of yellow and purple, which can be achieved with daffodils and alliums, both of which come in a range of shades. Or, if you want something different, darker varieties of tulips and hyacinths can create a dramatic effect, either planted together or combined with bright pops of colour from pink or white bulbs.
5. Mix annual and perennial bulbs
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Many popular spring-flowering bulbs are perennials, including daffodils, alliums, crocuses, camassia, and irises. Planting these plants will allow you to enjoy their blooms for years, especially since they multiply over time.
Tulips and hyacinths are treated as annuals by growers. They offer a great display in the first year, but there is no guarantee of a repeat in subsequent years. When I worked as a professional gardener, these two plants were reordered and replanted every year to guarantee a great display of flowers for visitors.
If you order bulbs every year, it may not be necessary to spend money planting perennial bulbs every fall. Keep a close eye on their performance to see if they are declining or if there are gaps that you would ideally fill with more perennial bulbs. However, be prepared to order annual bulbs every year to be sure you get the display you want.
A unique blend of 100 tulips, all different. Including single, double, parrot, fringed, large and small tulips that bloom in early, mid or late spring.
6. Buy from a reputable supplier
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To plan your presentations and get inspiration, you can look in magazines, websites and social media. However, if you actually want to order your bulbs, always buy from a reputable supplier. A single retailer may not have all the bulbs you want, especially if you’re looking for more unique varieties. However, there’s nothing wrong with shopping around and sourcing bulbs from multiple suppliers.
It is important that reputable suppliers supply large and healthy bulbs. Cheap bulbs are tempting, but there is always the risk of receiving small, poor quality bulbs. These have a lower guarantee of vigorous flowering or the bulbs may not flower at all. Large and established suppliers also have certified disease-free bulbs, so there is no risk of bringing problems into your garden.
FAQ
When should I buy garden onions?
Spring bulbs are bought in late summer and early fall and planted from September to November. Plant the bulbs in pots and in the ground at the same time. You can plant bulbs until January, but there is no guarantee of spring blooms and any blooms will come later than with bulbs planted in fall. Summer bulbs are best bought in spring and planted when the frost has passed and the weather has warmed up.
Once you receive bulbs, store them in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place to ensure they stay in the best condition and are ready for planting. Open the packaging boxes to allow air to circulate around the bulbs and prevent rot. Also make sure they are far enough away from mice or other rodents that could eat the bulbs.
