Natural Plantings with Bulbs

Create swaths of natural beauty with spring flowering bulbs

Spring blooming bulbs are a refreshing sight after a long winter and nothing is more enchanting than big drifts of bulbs flowing through grassy areas or in lightly shaded woodlands.

Designing Natural Plantings

Naturalized plantings should mimic nature and blend in with the existing landscape. To achieve this, lay out your planting areas so they follow the contours of your land and be generous with the size of the areas to be planted. The impact of your planting will be much greater if you have several large areas of naturalized bulbs than if you have lots of small areas. Naturalized plantings look best when they are planted densely in the center then feather out to fewer bulbs at the edges of the planting. And finally, swaths of one solid color generally have greater visual appeal than drifts of mixed colors.

Location

The key to selecting a good location for naturalizing bulbs is finding an area that isn't mowed until after the foliage ripens or turns yellow. Ripening foliage feeds the underground bulb so it can store energy and nutrients needed to bloom next spring. Therefore, a manicured front lawn may not be the best place for a naturalized planting but this type of planting is well-suited underneath deciduous trees, in grassy meadows, gracing a hill, or brightening a woodland.

Planting and Care

Please refer to the planting depth and spacing listed on the box or tear-off tags of your bulbs. You can also refer to the Bulb Advice section of our web site for this information.

Once the bulbs are planted, you can help them put on a great show year after year by applying slow-release fertilizer as a top dressing after planting and each fall thereafter. Follow label directions for application rates.

If, after 10 years or so, flowering slows down and the plants seem overgrown, dig the clumps, divide them and replant. You can use the extra bulbs to enlarge your naturalized areas or share them with friends.

Using Bulbs in Containers

Plant bulbs in containers to add great springtime color anywhere

Container planting is great way to use spring bulbs. Growing in containers is a good alternative if you don't have garden space, but it's also a good choice if you are restricted by too much shade, poor soil, too little time, limited mobility or a difficult climate.

Choosing a Container

The bulbs you choose to grow will determine the best container size. Outdoor containers need to be large enough to accommodate the correct planting depth and to allow for root growth. In general, use the largest container possible because the more soil there is, the more root space there will be and the more water your container will hold. This is important because it means your plants do not need to be watered as frequently.

Planting Spring Bulbs

Brighten your entry way, deck, balcony or patio with welcoming spring blooming bulbs such as crocus, hyacinths, narcissi and tulips. They provide color early and combine beautifully with cool season annuals such as pansies, snapdragon, diascia, nemesia, calendula and lobelia.

Plant spring blooming bulbs in outdoor containers in fall, at the same time you plant bulbs in the ground.

1. Use a container with drainage holes and partially fill it with potting soil. Do not use garden soil because it does not drain well and may cause your bulbs to rot.
2. Plant the bulbs at the depth suggested on the package or tear-off. Add soil to within 1 inch of the top of the container. Fertilizer isn't necessary because bulbs contain all the food they need for now.
3. Thoroughly soak the entire pot with water and place the container in a dark, cool place (below 50 degrees and above 32 degrees) until early spring. During this period, keep the soil moist.
4. Move the containers outdoors in early spring and enjoy!