On Gardening/Bulb Planting Suggestions For A Colorful Spring

9-15-97
University Park, Pa. -- The following comments and points may help you create an attractive display with spring flowering bulbs.

· Don't plant everything that appears in the bulb display at the garden center. Try to limit your selections to three colors, or five at the most. The same limits should be applied to the species of bulbs selected. Once the colors have been selected, repeat them throughout the landscape.

Many times bulbs are planted so they line up in rows like soldiers. About the only time this arrangement proves effective is in narrow beds or along walks and drives. The greatest impact with bulbs comes when they are used in free-flowing beds.

Bulbs can be used to create a transition between ground covers, shrubs or trees. Proportion is important at this point since you are trying to make the change gradual. Bulbs that are either too small or too large in relation to the other plants will not be satisfactory.

It is important to separate some of the stronger colors from each other with white or creamy color flowers. Strong foliage plants like hosta or ground covers also work well. Large beds of creeping juniper add color year round while keeping colors apart.

Interplanting can extend the color period in a planting. The extension can be made with bulbs that bloom at different times during the season or with the introduction of annuals and perennials among the bulbs.

If you group bulbs with different bloom times, plant areas of early-flowering types beside groups of late-flowering bulbs. With this arrangement, the later flowers will draw attention away from the dying foliage of the early-flowering types.

Most American gardeners don't plant enough bulbs to make a significant statement in the landscape. When using any of the larger bulbs plant at least a dozen of each variety, more if possible. With the smaller types, plant 25 or more in a single grouping for the greatest impact. Always think in terms of flowing arcs and lines rather than straight rows.

Establish a bloom sequence between early spring and early summer by selecting varieties from each of the four periods.

Early Spring: snow drop, winter aconite, crocus, glory of the snow, or various squill.

Mid-Spring: species tulip, hyacinth, early tulips, daffodil, or selected frittilaria.

Late Spring: late tulips, Allium species, or bulbous iris.

Early Summer: Alliums such as golden garlic or giant onion, gladiolus, lily species, or tuberous begonia.

The declining bulb foliage can be hidden with a variety of other plants that can add color once the bulbs finish flowering. Pansies, violas, purple rockcress, alyssums, forget-me-nots, primroses, and hardy wallflowers are all possible choices.

Most bulb plantings are more effective if they are used in conjunction with other materials that serve as a background for their bright flower colors. Evergreens in particular supply a consistent and uniform backdrop which does not compete with the flowers. Yellow daffodils are especially attractive when planted under a white birch. Snowdrops contrast well with evergreen foliage, and the blue of grape hyacinth adds color to the ground under yellow forsythia.

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**Dr. Robert Nuss is a horticulturist at Penn State. He coordinates all extension horticulture programs. He has bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in ornamental horticulture and has been on the Penn State faculty since 1966.