I remember my shock when I learned that spring-flowering bulbs were planted in fall. I had grown up in central Alaska, where spring was more a philosophical concept than a season. But once I learned more about the magical world of bulbs, it all made perfect sense.
Each papery bulb contains everything a plant needs – roots, stems, leaves, and of course, flowers. Given sufficient time in sun-warmed soil, you’ll be greeted by color, fragrance, and the sense that spring has truly arrived.
Most people think of daffodils and tulips when they hear “spring-flowering bulbs,” but the list is much longer. Some are tiny, others bigger than eggs, and all of them can transform a bleak yard into a dazzling display. (Side note: yes, there are “fall-flowering bulbs” too, planted in spring for autumn blooms – but that’s another story.)
My Top Spring-Blooming Bulbs
Fall is a season of endings, and it can be a little depressing as the birds fly south, and the last petals fall off the roses. That’s why the task of planting spring bulbs couldn’t come at a better time. Just begin to poke around in garden stores for bulbs, and you will remember there is a joyous spring display just around the corner.
What bulbs to plant? It’s a difficult choice, as there are many exciting species. You’ll also find hundreds of cultivars when it comes to popular species like tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils.
When planting bulbs, add some bulb fertilizer to the planting hole to ensure you get the best flowers. Espoma Organic Bulb-Tone Fertilizer, available on Amazon, is ideal. A bulb planting tool, like this one from Amazon, is inexpensive and will make it easy to create the perfect-sized hole for your bulbs.
Here are 7 of my personal favorite bulbs for spring flowers. All need planting in a sunny location and well-draining soil.
1. Daffodils
Everybody’s favorite spring flower! Green stems poke up in early spring, often the first of the pack, opening into bright yellow blooms. I love the traditional daffodils (Narcissus spp.) – a rim of yellow petals surrounding a yellow or orange cup. But newer cultivars are eye-catching and dramatic. You can find white/yellow flowers, pink on pink, double daffodils that look like pom-poms, fragrant daffodils, and more. Suitable for USDA zones 3-8.
My top pick: Check out ‘Suncatcher,’ offering fully double blooms in bright yellow with ruffles of orange between the petals and frilly peachy-orange centers.
2. Tulips
Species tulips (Tulipa spp.) are hardy and beautiful, but the tulip story goes far beyond that. Today, there are thousands of cultivars in every color, shape, and size. All tulips flower in spring, but the bloom month can be March, April, or May – and putting some early bloomers, middle bloomers, and late bloomers into your beds means beauty from early spring straight through ‘til summer. Suitable for USDA zones 3-8.
My top pick: Consider the ‘Amazing Parrot’ tulip cultivar. The flowers are big as your palm, the petals a deep pink, melding into orange near the edges. The centers of the blooms are tinged with orange as well.
3. Ranunculus
I love all my bulb flowers, but everyone has a favorite. Mine is ranunculus. The blossoms are showy and romantic, with layers and layers of petals in brilliant colors, including hues of yellow, pink, orange, red, purple, and white. As cut flowers, they are resilient and can last weeks. Suitable for USDA zones 7-11.
My top pick: Take a look at ‘Chamallow.’ This cultivar is extremely lovely, with pale pink and peach petals that open to reveal a soft green center.
4. Allium
The key to an elegant and exciting spring garden is variety – different colors and different flower shapes. That’s where allium shines. Each flower head is globe-shaped, comprised of tightly packed florets in purple or white, while stems can be up to 4 feet (1.3m) tall. Pollinators like butterflies and bees are super-fans, and you will be too. Suitable for USDA zones 4-10.
My top pick: The allium cultivar ‘Globemaster' is worth a second look with royal purple flowers as big as heads of cabbage.
5. Crocus
Small, sweet, and simple, crocus flowers are the early birds of the spring bulb plants. Their bright little faces emerge even before winter is singing its last song. Mine are deep purple, and make quite an impact in a bare garden, but you can get them in white and yellow too. You might mistake their tall, thin leaves for grass. Crocuses naturalize easily and return year after year. Suitable for USDA zones 3-8.
My top pick: Do you want something different in a crocus? Plant ‘Tricolor Crocus’. Each bloom has separate bands of violet, white, and gold.
6. Peony
Peonies (Paeonia spp.) aren’t technically bulbs – they grow from tuberous roots – but many gardeners tuck them into the same category. Planting peonies requires a certain amount of patience since you can’t cut any flowers for the first three years. But the wait is worth it since fragrant peonies make wonderful vase flowers. Their large, luscious blooms attract bees and other pollinators, too. Suitable for USDA 3-9.
My top pick: For a cultivar that captures all the romance and elegance of the species, you can’t do better than ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, an extremely popular variety with huge, fluffy, double blossoms in a soft and delicate pink.
7. Hyacinth
With an unforgettable and powerful fragrance, hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) light up the spring garden with their brilliant spikes of bright flowers. It’s easy to grow hyacinth, but it may be harder to choose a color, since modern cultivars have expanded the original blue shade options into a rainbow of colors, from lilac to apricot to blood red. Suitable for USDA zones 4-8.
My top pick: For something out of the ordinary, try the cultivar ‘Miss Saigon’. The hyacinth flowers are a royal purple, with starry violet florets.
