Spring A-Z

Pastel tints

Pastel tints Pastel-coloured flowers such as this lilac tulip, 'Lilac Beauty' are a fairly new phenomenon in flower-bulb land. Interest in these softer colours and the availability of flower bulbs with pastel-coloured flowers has been growing steadily in recent years.

Orange and yellow

Orange and yellow are spring colours. They are cheerful and fresh tints which are associated with the light green of young leaves as they open.

Naturalising

Bulbs suitable for naturalising also remain undisturbed in the soil and will emerge again every year. An added advantage to these kinds of bulbs is that they can also increase in number if planted under ideal conditions (proper light and drainage). Examples are Snowdrop, Scilla and Crocus.

Many years of flowers

Many years of flowers The Dutch expression 'Meerdere jaren bloei' (several years of flowering) We call this “perennialising” by which we mean that after spring-flowering bulbs have flowered, they should be left undisturbed in the soil and given enough time for their leaves to wither naturally so that the nutrients they have produced can be used by the plants’ underground storage organs to prepare for the next growing season. The practice of using spring-flowering bulbs in this way actually mimics the same natural cycle as followed by perennials.

Lasagne plantings

Lasagne plantings For large, concentrated displays that bloom "in waves" all spring, plant in layers like lasagne. Place late-blooming bulbs in the lowest layers (where it's coolest), early-blooming bulbs up top.

Kindly fritillary

Kindly fritillary The checkered fritillary is a bulbous plant which also grows wild in some parts of the Netherlands. Fritillaria meleagris is its Latin name. It only reaches a height of 25 cm and blooms in April.

Jack Snipe, Peeping Tom and Minnow

Jack Snipe, Peeping Tom and Minnow are small-flowered types of narcissus which are already in bloom extremely early in the season. They are offered for sale, in bloom, as pot plants, around Christmas, but they are, of course, also magnificent on the balcony or in the ground.

Iris reticulata

Iris reticulata are especially appropriate for use in rock gardens. Naturalising is possible. One drawback is that they develop many leaves during the flowering stage, diminishing an otherwise dramatic appearance. Try to make combinations with perennials to avoid the problem with the dead leaves.

Harvest time

Harvest time or the autumn is the ideal time to plant crocuses, narcissus, tulips and other spring-flowering bulbous plants. It is amazing to see such splendid flowers appear from these apparently dry bulbs, every year.

Gardens with bulbs

Gardens with bulbs In the UK there are many interesting bulb gardens. You will find them listed on this website.

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