Spring Bulbs for the Garden

Often overlooked, spring bulbs are relatively cheap and easy to grow, adding some impactful colour to our gardens. Many will increase yearly rewarding you for the minimum effort of autumn planting.

When designing planting schemes, I use bulbs to extend the seasons of interest, as they are invaluable in small borders planted in the same spot as late flowering perennials. Plan now whilst you can see exactly where you need to add injections of colour and take note ready for autumn. Often squirrels can be a nuisance, digging them up. The best ways to get around this is to cover the bulbs with either chicken wire pegged down or a wire cloche. Adding grit over the top or prickly holly leaves also works, but my absolute favourite is to sprinkle some chilli powder over the planted bulbs. The squirrels won’t go near.

The majority of bulbs will want a moist, well drained situation in sun or partial shade, but there are some that will grow in those trickier spots. Camassias, ranging in pastels of blue, white and pink, Fritillaria meleagris and Leucojum vernum will cope well in wet soils. For dry sunny sites tulips, daffodils, tritelia, dwarf iris and hyacinths along with those stalwarts of late spring, Alliums, will be the best options.

There are so many Alliums to choose from and not all will reliably come back each year. A. ‘Purple Sensation’ is perhaps still the best along with A. ‘Globemaster’ and A. ‘Mount Everest’. A. nigrum, a white flowered one is best for growing in partial shade.

Also coping with shady situations well are snowdrops, grape hyacinths, Anemone nemerosa, Cyclamen coum, bluebells, Eranthus and Erythroniums.

Tulips can’t be counted on to return past the first 1 – 2 years, but there are a few reliably perennial ones such as Tulipa. clusiana, T. ‘Apledoorn’ (a Darwin hybrid) and species tulips. Tulips in general are best planted slightly later, in November. This is usually when temperatures have started to dip and therefore can help prevent the spread of viruses such as tulip fire.

Of course if you just can’t wait until next year for a display garden centres often have a good selection of potted bulbs in stock now to give you some instant gratification.