Spring can be one of the most beautiful seasons in your garden. After a long cold winter, the bright yellow flowers of winter aconites (Eranthis) let us know spring is on its way! They are one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring. Winter aconites are three to four inches tall and grow well in filtered light. Since they spread quickly, give them plenty of room to grow. Spring crocuses are the perfect addition to any budding garden. These petite flowers come in nearly 80 species and bloom in a variety of bright colors. A crocus is grown from a corm, which is actually a compressed stem, not from a bulb. As an early blooming flower, most crocus varieties are six-inches or less in height making it important to plant them in large numbers. Another great bulb for early spring bloom is snowdrop (Galanthus). The small white flowers with drooping petals are only three-inches tall and emerge in early spring. These small delicate bulbs need to be planted in mass, where they will be seen. The grape hyacinth (Muscari) perfectly complements the sunny spring daffodil. These brilliant blue flowers appear in April and May and grow to be six to eight-inches in height. Another early spring bloomer with blue flowers is squill (Scilla). These flowering bulbs only reach five to six inches in height. Squill will naturally spread out and fill in an area on its own. They bloom in March to April and are great in rock gardens, under trees, and as borders.
The flowers mentioned above are just a few of the magnificent blooming bulbs available for fall planting. Bulbs can be purchased locally at garden centers or through a mail order catalog. For best selection, buy bulbs early.