Inspiration for Spring Bulb Design

Ensure a colorful spring by planting these bulb combinations in fall

Fallis around the recess , and while you are belike fix quick to start decorating your garden withpumpkinsand hay bale , this is also the time to think ahead — way ahead — tospring !

It ’s unfortunate that powerful at the prison term the time of year is at itspeak semblance , but do yourself a favor now and order your spring - bloom bulb in preparation for establish this tumble . That way you ’ll have something particular to look forrard to this winter .

Below are some of our favorite combination for spring planting . For even more information , check out how to plant your bulbs so that they appear as a natural feature film in the landscape painting inNaturalizing Spring Bulbs .

Great spring bulb combinations to plant now

Tulips

Red tulips are classic and all - design

Tulips ( Tulipaspp . and cvs . ) are various favorites , and it ’s heavy to go wrong with classic red tulips . They go with virtually anything . But an underplanting of pale blue forget - me - nots might be the good matter to elevate them to superstar status .

vertical forms , strike colors

The plastered , upright blades of Bowles ’ golden sedge attend to two purposes in this striking jazz band : They act as a contrasting background for the magenta tulips , and they mime the tulips ’ upright halt , drawing even more notice to both .

Sunshine and blue sky

You ’ve been waiting so long for clear skies and the passion of the spring Sunday , so celebrate them with cheery yellow tulip and pale azure bury - me - nots .

Grape hyacinths

Another delicate play on pastels

grapeshot jacinth ( Muscarispp . and cvs . ) may be lowly , but their color and texture can enhance many spring combination . pallid blue ‘ Valerie Finnis ’ grapevine hyacinth might be overwhelm by a big , bold , promising yellowed daffodils , so mate it alternatively with a more touchy version — in both size and hue — to make a proportionate mix .

A bouquet of leap bulbs

Bulbs are most often planted in drifts or minuscule bunch , but sometimes it ’s dainty to plant an in - the - ground fragrance . Save a few bulbs from each of your plantings in fall , and pick a special place to mix them together .

Watch the bloom of youth develop

Just before a grape hyacinth blooms , its architectural flower kind is most evident . The hints of blue peeking through promise that this colouring material - coordinate combo with poppy windflower will be even more stunning in a few days .

Alliums

The bloom are fabulous even when they fade

The globose umbels on most alliums ( Alliumspp . and cvs . ) are striking in any spring combining . The alliums pictured below might not be colorful anymore , but the seed heads still stand out against the mysterious burgundy backdrop of a smokebush . As the capsule ripen , they ’ll fade to beige and burst unresolved , revealing the seeds within .

set more than one variety

Alliums are n’t just violet . There are a few out - of - the - average gloss too , and it ’s sport to try out and flux them up . Planting more than one variety together lets you observe their bloom times , which will open up your eyes to other match opportunities .

Bring chives out of the herbaceous plant garden

If you ’ve ever develop chives , you know how prolifically they reproduce . If you ’re running out of room for the divisions in your herbaceous plant garden , add them to your borders . Here , they ring the color of the weigela and add a erect chemical element to the mounding plant around them .

1. ‘Caramel’ heuchera Zones 4–9) 2. ‘Powis Castle’ artemisia Zones 6–9) 3. ‘Orange Princess’ tulip Zones 4–8) 4. ‘Red Giant’ mustard 5. Lettuce

‘Caramel’ heuchera (Heuchera‘Caramel’, Zones 4–9), ‘Powis Castle’ artemisia (Artemisia‘Powis Castle’, Zones 6–9), ‘Orange Princess’ tulip (Tulipa‘Orange Princess’, Zones 4–8), ‘Red Giant’ mustard (Brassica juncea‘Red Giant’, annual), and lettuce (Lactuca sativacv., annual)

Daffodils

A natural spring garden political party of color

Republic of Iceland poppies in a premix of shiny color are cheerful on their own , but add some daffodils ( Narcissusspp . and cvs . ) and you ’ve get a lively party . happen the bubbly !

A planting that germinate as the workweek go by

1. Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris cv., Zones 3–8) 2. ‘Jan Reus’ tulip (Tulipa ‘Jan Reus’, Zones 4–8) 3. Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica, Zones 5–9)

Columbine (Aquilegia vulgariscv., Zones 3–8), ‘Jan Reus’ tulip (Tulipa‘Jan Reus’, Zones 4–8), and forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica, Zones 5–9).Photo: Michelle Gervais

Daffodils typically blossom before tulip . Take advantage of this fact to create a planting that moves with the season . The daffodils emerge first and blossom just as the tulip buds start to show color . As the daffodils slicing , the tulips will peak .

Bold colors , big charm

This classical Narcissus pseudonarcissus is what we envision in our minds when someone says “ Narcissus pseudonarcissus . ” It ’s big , bright , and happy . Underplanting it with the speckled leaves and pink and purple blooms of a lungwort makes it pop even more . Spring is here !

1. Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’, Zones 5–9) 2. ‘Negrita’ tulip (Tulipa ‘Negrita’, Zones 4–8).

Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata‘Aurea’, Zones 5–9) and ‘Negrita’ tulip (Tulipa‘Negrita’, Zones 4–8).Photo: Michelle Gervais

For more spring garden inhalation , seePlanting Spring Bulbs in Containers .

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1. ‘Golden Parade’ tulip (Tulipa ‘Golden Parade’, Zones 4–8) 2. ‘Victoria Blue’ forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica ‘Victoria Blue’, Zones 5–9) 3. Rysi™ Gold wallflower (Erysimum ‘Innrysigol’, Zones 3–7).

‘Golden Parade’ tulip (Tulipa‘Golden Parade’, Zones 4–8), ‘Victoria Blue’ forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica‘Victoria Blue’, Zones 5–9), and Rysi™ Gold wallflower (Erysimum‘Innrysigol’, Zones 3–7).Photo: Lynn Felici-Gallant

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1.‘Xit’ daffodil (Narcissus ‘Xit’, Zones 3–9) 2. Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum, Zones 4–8) 3. ‘Hawera’ daffodil (Narcissus ‘Hawera’, Zones 3–9) 4. ‘Scarlet Baby’ tulip (Tulipa ‘Scarlet Baby’, Zones 4–8)

‘Xit’ daffodil (Narcissus‘Xit’, Zones 3–9), grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum, Zones 4–8), ‘Hawera’ daffodil (Narcissus‘Hawera’, Zones 3–9), and ‘Scarlet Baby’ tulip (Tulipa‘Scarlet Baby’, Zones 4–8).Photo: Michelle Gervais

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1. ‘Mr. Fokker’ poppy anemone (Anemone coronaria ‘Mr. Fokker’, Zones 8–11) 2. ‘Saffier’ grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum ‘Saffier’, Zones 4–8).

‘Mr. Fokker’ poppy anemone (Anemone coronaria‘Mr. Fokker’, Zones 8–11) and ‘Saffier’ grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum‘Saffier’, Zones 4–8).Photo: Michelle Gervais

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1. ‘Ambassador’ allium (Allium ‘Ambassador’, Zones 4–8) 2. ‘Princess Victoria Louise’ Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale ‘Princess Victoria Louise’, Zones 3–9) 3. ‘Velvet Cloak’ smokebush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Velvet Cloak’, Zones 5–9)

‘Ambassador’ allium (Allium‘Ambassador’, Zones 4–8), ‘Princess Victoria Louise’ Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale‘Princess Victoria Louise’, Zones 3–9), and ‘Velvet Cloak’ smokebush (Cotinus coggygria‘Velvet Cloak’, Zones 5–9).Photo: Ann E. Stratton

1. ‘Silver Spring’ allium (Allium ‘Silver Spring’, Zones 4–8) 2. Allium (Allium atropurpureum, Zones 3–8) 3. Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis, Zones 4–7) 4. Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum, Zones 4–8)

‘Silver Spring’ allium (Allium‘Silver Spring’, Zones 4–8), allium (Allium atropurpureum, Zones 3–8), Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis, Zones 4–7), and Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum, Zones 4–8).Photo: Danielle Sherry

1. ‘Minuet’ weigela (Weigela florida ‘Minuet’, Zones 5–8) 2. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum, Zones 5–11) 3. ‘Joanna Reed’ catmint (Nepeta ‘Joanna Reed’, Zones 4–9) 4. ‘Sugar Plum’ heuchera (Heuchera ‘Sugar Plum’, Zones 4–9) 5. Sedum (Sedum cv., Zones 3–11).

‘Minuet’ weigela (Weigela florida‘Minuet’, Zones 5–8), chives (Allium schoenoprasum, Zones 5–11), ‘Joanna Reed’ catmint (Nepeta‘Joanna Reed’, Zones 4–9), ‘Sugar Plum’ heuchera (Heuchera‘Sugar Plum’, Zones 4–9), and sedum (Sedumcv., Zones 3–11).Photo: Michelle Gervais

1. 3D™ daffodil blend (Narcissus cvs., Zones 3–9) 2. ‘Champagne Bubbles Mix’ Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule ‘Champagne Bubbles Mix’, Zones 2–7)

3D™ daffodil blend (Narcissuscvs., Zones 3–9) and ‘Champagne Bubbles Mix’ Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule‘Champagne Bubbles Mix’, Zones 2–7).Photo: Lynn Felici-Gallant

1. ‘Thalia’ daffodil (Narcissus ‘Thalia’, Zones 3–9) 2. ‘Pink Diamond’ tulip (Tulipa ‘Pink Diamond’, Zones 4–8). This combination evolves as the season goes on, with the ‘Pink Diamond’ tulips brightening as the daffodils fade.

‘Thalia’ daffodil (Narcissus‘Thalia’, Zones 3–9) and ‘Pink Diamond’ tulip (Tulipa‘Pink Diamond’, Zones 4–8). This combination evolves as the season goes on, with the ‘Pink Diamond’ tulips brightening as the daffodils fade.Photos: Michelle Gervais (left); Lynn Felici-Gallant (right)

1. ‘Carlton’ daffodil (Narcissus ‘Carlton’, Zones 3–9) 2. Lungwort (Pulmonaria cv., Zones 2–8).