7 Spring Flowering Bulbs to Plant Now
Spring bulbs are tiny packages that can deliver quite an impact whether grown in pots, garden beds or naturalised beneath trees
There are hundreds of plants we loosely term bulbs, but only those with an onion-like structure made up of layers of fleshy scale leaves (actually storage tissues formed during the previous season’s growth) are true bulbs. Some of the most common examples are anemone, daffodil, jonquil, hyacinth, tulip and freesia. Autumn is the time to start planting these miniature marvels for flowering in spring. Here’s the nitty gritty on what you could be planting now.
2. Crocus
Spring-flowering Crocus do best in cooler regions. In warmer areas, plant in semi-shaded spots, under trees, for instance. Crocus need good drainage.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade
Bloom time: Late winter, early spring
Planting tips: Plant bulbs in cool, moist soil, about 10 centimetres from each other.
Spring-flowering Crocus do best in cooler regions. In warmer areas, plant in semi-shaded spots, under trees, for instance. Crocus need good drainage.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade
Bloom time: Late winter, early spring
Planting tips: Plant bulbs in cool, moist soil, about 10 centimetres from each other.
3. Ranunculus
For glorious, rich colour in spring, you can’t beat a sumptuous drift of Ranunculus. These grow from claw-shaped corms, similar to but not technically bulbs. Rather than digging them up and storing them over summer, as you do with many other spring bulbs, it’s better to plant new corms each year. Ranunculus prefer full sun and soil that is fertile, well drained and friable.
Sun requirement: Full (preferable) to partial shade
Bloom time: Spring/summer
Planting tips: Make sure you plant Ranunculus with their ‘claws’ pointing downwards.
For glorious, rich colour in spring, you can’t beat a sumptuous drift of Ranunculus. These grow from claw-shaped corms, similar to but not technically bulbs. Rather than digging them up and storing them over summer, as you do with many other spring bulbs, it’s better to plant new corms each year. Ranunculus prefer full sun and soil that is fertile, well drained and friable.
Sun requirement: Full (preferable) to partial shade
Bloom time: Spring/summer
Planting tips: Make sure you plant Ranunculus with their ‘claws’ pointing downwards.
Image by Wikimedia Commons user Ghislain118
4. Tulips
Who can resist the stunning bell-shaped flowers and myriad colours of the tulip (Tulipa)? Definitely very few gardeners as this bulb remains one of the most popular on the planet and has been highly sought after for centuries.
Sun requirement: Position cool-climate bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths (Hyacinthus) in dappled shade, particularly in warmer areas. To get them flowering really well, many people put them and other cold-climate bulbs like hyacinth in the refrigerator for three to four weeks before planting.
Bloom time: Spring
Planting tips: Although the general rule of thumb with bulbs is to plant them two times deeper than the length of the bulb in warm areas, tulips should be planted deeper (20 to 30 centimetres).
4. Tulips
Who can resist the stunning bell-shaped flowers and myriad colours of the tulip (Tulipa)? Definitely very few gardeners as this bulb remains one of the most popular on the planet and has been highly sought after for centuries.
Sun requirement: Position cool-climate bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths (Hyacinthus) in dappled shade, particularly in warmer areas. To get them flowering really well, many people put them and other cold-climate bulbs like hyacinth in the refrigerator for three to four weeks before planting.
Bloom time: Spring
Planting tips: Although the general rule of thumb with bulbs is to plant them two times deeper than the length of the bulb in warm areas, tulips should be planted deeper (20 to 30 centimetres).
Image by FoeNyx
5. Bluebells
You might have heard of the common English bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), but in fact the Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) is even better for our climates as it’s more tolerant of heat. Both types are great for mass planting under deciduous trees as they do well in a semi-shaded position.
Sun requirement: Partial shade
Bloom time: Spring through to summer
Planting tips: Plant English and Spanish types seven centimetres deep and 10 centimetres apart. Mass plant for a stunning spring show.
5. Bluebells
You might have heard of the common English bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), but in fact the Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) is even better for our climates as it’s more tolerant of heat. Both types are great for mass planting under deciduous trees as they do well in a semi-shaded position.
Sun requirement: Partial shade
Bloom time: Spring through to summer
Planting tips: Plant English and Spanish types seven centimetres deep and 10 centimetres apart. Mass plant for a stunning spring show.
6. Daffodils
Daffodils (Narcissus) are synonymous with springtime and can be planted any time from February through to June, but late March to early April is perfect. They do well in a half-sun to full-sun aspect with good drainage, and look best when planted in clumps and masses. The golden, early-flowering ‘King Alfred’ daffodil is ideal for cooler southern regions.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade only
Bloom time: Spring
Planting tips: Plant daffodils twice as deep as the width of the bulb in either pots or drifts in the garden.
Daffodils (Narcissus) are synonymous with springtime and can be planted any time from February through to June, but late March to early April is perfect. They do well in a half-sun to full-sun aspect with good drainage, and look best when planted in clumps and masses. The golden, early-flowering ‘King Alfred’ daffodil is ideal for cooler southern regions.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade only
Bloom time: Spring
Planting tips: Plant daffodils twice as deep as the width of the bulb in either pots or drifts in the garden.
Image by Cilla
7. Jonquils
Part of the same family, jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla) are wonderfully fragrant and have a wide climatic tolerance that makes them easy to grow in most regions of Australia, except the tropics.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade only
Bloom time: Spring
Planting tips: Plant jonquils twice as deep as the width of the bulb in either pots or drifts in the garden.
7. Jonquils
Part of the same family, jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla) are wonderfully fragrant and have a wide climatic tolerance that makes them easy to grow in most regions of Australia, except the tropics.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade only
Bloom time: Spring
Planting tips: Plant jonquils twice as deep as the width of the bulb in either pots or drifts in the garden.
How to plant your bulbs
Choose firm, heavy bulbs. Avoid those that seem light, bruised, or marked in any way. They prefer a free-draining sandy loam soil, so if yours is heavy clay, add coarse sand and plenty of organic matter to break it down. Just before planting, you need to add either an all-purpose or bulb fertiliser. Mix it into soil well so it doesn’t come into contact with your bulbs. Generally, bulbs should be planted at a depth that’s twice their width. Bulbs look best planted in large drifts or clumps, as show here.
Choose firm, heavy bulbs. Avoid those that seem light, bruised, or marked in any way. They prefer a free-draining sandy loam soil, so if yours is heavy clay, add coarse sand and plenty of organic matter to break it down. Just before planting, you need to add either an all-purpose or bulb fertiliser. Mix it into soil well so it doesn’t come into contact with your bulbs. Generally, bulbs should be planted at a depth that’s twice their width. Bulbs look best planted in large drifts or clumps, as show here.
Tip: If you have the space, allow spring bulbs to naturalise (i.e. flower every year without needing to be lifted in winter, and keep multiplying to gradually create large drifts). Some of the best bulbs for naturalising are jonquils, daffodils, Freesias, Spanish bluebells (see above) and snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum).
So Your Garden Style Is: Natural
So Your Garden Style Is: Natural
Tip: Many spring-flowering bulbs actually flower in winter. Others will flower earlier if grown inside. To remind you that spring is on its way, even though skies might be grey, fill pots inside the house with Crocus, snowdrops (Galanthus), jonquils and early-blooming daffodil.
Bulbs in pots
Many people prefer to plant bulbs in outdoor containers so that when they’ve finished flowering, the plants can be moved out of sight. This makes sense, particularly when you only have a small balcony or garden. Bulbs in containers are also the perfect solution for those of us who love spring bulbs but find them too much trouble to plant out in the garden.
They’re also ideal for people who love cold-climate bulbs such as bluebell, common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), tulip and Crocus, but live in hotter parts of the country. While some of the new varieties now available are more adaptable to warmer conditions, another option is to plant your tulips and Crocus in a bowl inside.
Many people prefer to plant bulbs in outdoor containers so that when they’ve finished flowering, the plants can be moved out of sight. This makes sense, particularly when you only have a small balcony or garden. Bulbs in containers are also the perfect solution for those of us who love spring bulbs but find them too much trouble to plant out in the garden.
They’re also ideal for people who love cold-climate bulbs such as bluebell, common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), tulip and Crocus, but live in hotter parts of the country. While some of the new varieties now available are more adaptable to warmer conditions, another option is to plant your tulips and Crocus in a bowl inside.
Another advantage of bulbs in containers is that you can move them out of sight while waiting for the foliage to die back (essential if you want healthy bulbs next season).
Even before bulbs flower, it’s much easier when they’re planted in containers to find the right spot to suit the growing conditions of the different species (for example: shade for cool climate types such as daffodils; and sun for heat lovers like Sparaxis). Once they’re actually in bloom, you can then put your lovely bulbs on show out in your courtyard, by the front door or somewhere equally prominent.
Even before bulbs flower, it’s much easier when they’re planted in containers to find the right spot to suit the growing conditions of the different species (for example: shade for cool climate types such as daffodils; and sun for heat lovers like Sparaxis). Once they’re actually in bloom, you can then put your lovely bulbs on show out in your courtyard, by the front door or somewhere equally prominent.
If you decide to plant your bulbs in containers, try these tips:
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- Bulbs need good drainage so make sure holes in the bottom of pots are not blocked, and that potting medium is a free-draining, sandy mix.
- Use a bulb container mix or add balanced slow-release fertiliser to a standard mix. Nutrients are washed out of pots more easily than they are from garden soil.
- Ensure the potting mix is sterile to reduce the chance of soil disease.
- For a stunning effect, use a deep pot, as shown here, and plant in layers with small bulbs like Freesia on top and larger bulbs like daffodil below.
- If you plant low-growing annuals such as Alyssum or Lobelia in the same pot as your bulbs, they will disguise leaves as they die back.
- Feed potted bulbs with liquid fertiliser every fortnight as soon as shoots appear until leaves begin to yellow.
- Keep potting mix moist while bulbs are growing and in flower.
- Stop watering when foliage starts to brown off and move pots to a cool, dry spot.
- Repot bulbs next autumn. Fresh potting mix (and often new bulbs) will give much better results.
Tell us
What are you planting for spring? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Top 10 Garden Jobs to Tackle This Autumn
Top 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden
Top 10 Plants for Minimum Effort and Maximum Impact
South African Freesias have almost become a weed in some places, but the sweet fragrance of their flowers means most of us are happy to forgive their prolificacy. Plant them where they will have plenty of space to spread to their heart’s content, preferably in a sunny position. Other South African bulbs that do well in warmer regions include Sparaxis, Tritonia, Babiana and Ixia.
Sun requirement: Full to partial shade
Bloom time: Late winter, early spring
Planting tips: Plant Freesia bulbs pointy end up and water well after planting.