don’t overlook minor spring-flowering bulbs

By Barbara Arnold

Many gardeners will busy themselves this fall planting spring-flowering bulbs. If you would like to venture away from the ordinary tulips and daffodils you might want to consider some of the minor bulbs. The minor bulbs are often overlooked, but they offer a number of benefits for your garden such as early color, unusual flowers, resistance to deer damage, and the ability to naturalize or perennialize. If planted in a good location and left undisturbed, they just get better with each passing year. Some great minor bulbs to try include Scilla, Fritillaria, hyacinths and grape hyacinths, Allium, snowdrops, winter aconites, and Leucojum.

Winter aconites are among the first to appear in spring. They have yellow or white flowers and are tolerant of frost and will survive fresh snow cover unharmed. Snowdrops also come up very early, sometimes before the final snows of the season. They have foliage similar to grass. There are numerous cultivars with single or double white bell-like flowers. Like crocuses, grape hyacinths are one of the earliest species to bloom in the spring and can be safely planted in your lawn. Grape hyacinths are much smaller than Dutch hyacinths and produce spikes of blue flowers resembling bunches of grapes. They usually multiply very quickly when planted in good soil. Grape hyacinths are a brilliant blue color that blends very well with other brightly colored blooms like yellow or red tulips. Scilla, or squill, are also in the hyacinth family and their flowers are similar in color, usually blue, but also white, pink, and purple. They are a compact grower, usually around 6” tall, and most flower in early spring.

Leucojum are another great specialty bulb and include two varieties known as spring snowflake and summer snowflake. They both bloom in March through May, but the summer variety blooms slightly later. Both have narrow foliage like daffodils and small, usually white, bell-shaped flowers. They have a slight fragrance. Ornamental alliums or “flowering onions” are unique and fun plants that prefer a sunny location. They can extend the bloom period well into June with globe-shaped flowers up to six inches in diameter. Alliums make a lovely cut flower that last a long time and can also be dried.

Fritillaria is one of the more unusual spring blooming bulbs in the garden. ‘Crown Imperial’ features orange or yellow bell-shaped flowers that hang below the foliage.  Guinea Hen or Checkered Lily (Fritillaria meleagris) is a very different Fritillaria than Crown Imperial. Guinea Hen is not malodorous and is noted for its reddish-purple solitary flowers that are mottled with blackish squares giving it a checkered appearance.  Crown Imperial is resistant to deer and squirrel damage as the bulb has a skunk-like odor. Scilla, Dutch hyacinth, and ornamental alliums are also not as appealing to these critters, but if you really want to protect your bulbs you should consider a caging arrangement for your bulb plantings.

When you are ready to plant your bulbs a good rule of thumb is to plant them at a depth that is three times the bulb’s height. Heavy soils, either wet or dry, are not conducive to successful bulb gardening. If your soil is heavy, work large amounts of compost into the soil to a minimum of 12 inches. Good soil drainage is also critical, especially during the dormant season. All of these specialty bulbs will look great mixed into your garden border. Your emerging perennials will hide the browning foliage in late spring.

Your local garden center will likely carry a selection of minor bulbs, but if you can’t find them there are many web or mail order bulb suppliers that can get you started.

E-mail your questions about minor spring-flowering bulbs to info@ourohio.org.

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Click here to login or register.