The flower bulb schedule

A flower bulb is really miraculous. It’s an underground storage shed and a flower factory all in one. At the heart of a flower bulb is its bud that will later produce a flower. Around this bud are its scales that store the nutrients needed for the plant to grow and bloom. There are many different varieties of flower bulbs, each with its own flowering period. The flower bulb schedule lists the most familiar flower bulbs and indicates exactly which variety will be in bloom during which month(s). If what you want is a garden without any bare spots, plant various kinds of flower bulbs in one spot so that their flowering periods will occur one after another.

Early mix

If you want a garden that invites you into it even when all the other plants, trees and shrubs are still dormant, you should know which kinds of flower bulbs are the earliest to bloom. White snowdrops (Galanthus) are the very first to show up in January. Even as dainty as they are, their beauty shines out into the winter cold. Included among the flower bulbs following in their footsteps are crocuses (Crocus). Their bright whites, golds and purples make a garden sparkle in February and March. As the last to flower among the early bulbs, you could plant species daffodils. These are daffodils that will emerge again every year in March.

Late mix

But perhaps you’d rather enjoy flower bulbs later in the season. If so, no problem. Choose grape hyacinths (Muscari) that will bloom in April. Although we usually think of them as being blue, they also come in white, pink and purple. And what garden could be without the most famous flower bulbs of all: tulips (Tulipa). Tulips are available in many different varieties, colors and sizes and will bloom from April until the end of May. To wind up the flower bulb season, you could plant ornamental onions (Allium) that will bloom in June and July. Their large spherical flowers make real eye-catchers in the garden.

Planting flower bulbs

The perfect time to plant flower bulbs is from October through December, before the first ground frost of the season. But how, exactly? All it takes is 4 steps.

1. First, loosen the soil with a spade at the place where you want to plant the flower bulbs.
2. Dig a hole with a spade or bulb planter.
3. Then plant the flower bulbs in it with their pointed sides facing up and rounded sides pointing down.
4. Fill the hole with the previously removed soil and tamp the surface gently.