Guide to spring bulbs: nine best varieties and smart planting ideas
Order your spring bulbs now for the widest selection, says Tamsin Hope Thomson, as she gives her top picks for everything from miniature irises to spectacular tulips
IT’S never too early to start planning ahead. In an era of next-day deliveries and TV streaming, gardening is refreshing because it’s not all instant. For tasks like seed sowing and bulb planting, our efforts are rewarded in the next season. The fact that we have to wait for the spring bulb display makes it even better when it finally arrives.
At the moment, it’s the perfect time to enjoy looking through bulb catalogues. Many spring bulbs are planted in September and October, and although tulip bulbs don’t need to be planted until November, if you leave ordering too late you’ll be left scouring the internet or garden centres for the variety you saw in a catalogue and now can’t be without.
A succession of colour
Another good thing about planning ahead is that instead of making snap decisions and buying the usual daffodil or tulip mix, there’s time to plan for a succession of colour. Widen your repertoire to include the early flowering miniature bulbs, and spend time looking at the flowering times of different narcissi and tulips. If you choose a few different varieties, you could extend the season over several months.
If you have tricky planting areas, such as shade or damp borders, there’s time to put in a bit of research and find bulbs that will give those spots a boost. For shade, try dog’s-tooth violets or bluebells, which thrive in the dappled shade beneath deciduous trees, while fritillaries will thrive in moist but welldrained soil.
Try something new
If you still have space and want to try something new, choose something a bit more unusual. There’s Narcissus ‘Rip van Winkle’ – a daffodil that looks like a crazy hairstyle with lots of narrow petals. Alternatively, try Tulipa ‘Amazing Grace’, a variety with many layers of petals that’s a bit like a peony, and turns from a lavender-pink to a deep rich pink as it matures. Also try crown imperials, which are tall, bright and dramatic, or the chequered-pink flowers of snake’s-head fritillaries. I could go on, but it’ll distract you from your task of whittling down a long list of ‘must-have’ bulbs to a number you can fit into your borders and pots.