by Susie Cosack,
Spring garden bulbs are a popular way to add colour and beauty to gardens, and they are ideal for those busy or beginning gardeners. Bulbs planted in the fall, need little attention until they sprout and bloom. There are a wide variety of choices, each with their own characteristics and requirements, making them suitable for different gardening conditions and styles.
Fragrance gardens might include these bulbs:
• Hyacinths prized for their bell-shaped blooms of purple, pink, white and blue.
• Aromatic Tulip varieties that range in shape from classic cup-shaped blooms, fringed styles or the peony-like doubles (e.g.Bellona, De Wet or Gudoshnik).
• Daffodils with 40 different species and thousands of varieties to choose from.
• Polianthes tuberosa is not a rose at all, and grows two-to-three feet tall, but has a gorgeous scent, often use in perfumery products. This one would require more work as it needs to be lifted for storage before the first frost. Great for containers.
Late winter shade gardens or rock gardens may consist of winter aconite, snowdrops, crocus, grape hyacinth, glory of the snow, Siberian squill, dwarf tulips and dwarf daffodils.
Early spring gardens are visual feasts with daffodils’ trumpet-shaped blooms and bright yellow or white petals. Varieties of small tulips like Apricot Beauty, Chato or Orange Emperor work well too.
Late Spring Gardens feature irises, lilies and camassias from April to June. When you hold a brown lumpy lilium bulb, it is amazing to imagine the wonder that is inside.
Summer Show Stoppers for those tricky shady areas are the tuberous begonias, five-to-six inches across with many petalled blooms in white, pink, apricot, orange, and scarlet. An unusual summer flowering bulb is the Allium giganteum, resembling a spiky lollipop, and perfect for our Canadian climate.
For the more adventurous gardeners there are other interesting summer flowering bulbs like: Acidanthera, Gladiolas, Agapanthus, Anemone Coronaria and Caladium. Anemone Coronaria and Caladium like to be planted in full sun once the ground has warmed up. They are not perennial in our area and must be dug up before the first frost and stored over the winter months.
Each of these bulbs has its own specific planting needs and bloom times, bringing vibrancy to the spring gardens when many other plants are still dormant. They provide a burst of energy and colour, uniquely charming and beautiful at the same time.
If you select healthy, firm bulbs that are free of mold or blemishes, it’s easy to achieve an interesting and diverse display. Choose spring bulbs that are multi-coloured for a visual smorgasbord, or monochromatic hues that provide a quieter landscape.
Plant bulbs at a depth roughly three time their height. Larger bulbs should be planted deeper than smaller ones. Dig a hole deep enough and place them point end up, cover them with soil and water thoroughly to help them establish their roots. Once planted, add a layer of organic mulch to help retain moisture and protect from extreme temperature fluctuations.
It is important to water your bulbs as they begin to grow, especially during dry periods. As the blooms fade it is suggested you deadhead them once the leaves brown. This encourages the bulbs to store energy for the following year.
Consider this: Planting spring bulbs can be a simple yet rewarding way to give gardens aesthetic appeal. They provide early sources of nectar and pollen that are so important for our pollinator bees, butterflies, and other insects.
Many residents of Creemore, as well as the volunteers who tend to the Village Green gardens, planted bulbs last fall, and we are eager to see our blooms this spring.
This series of gardening articles brought to you by the Simcoe County Master Gardeners, members of the Master Gardeners of Ontario. For more information, visit www.simcoecountymg.ca.