Planting Colorful Perennial Bulbs To Last For Years

Planting Perennial Bulbs To Last For Years

Spring! I love Spring! All winter I wish for Spring when the ground starts to warm up for digging in the dirt. I cannot wear gloves. I have to do asRebecca Kolls, Master Gardener, says, "Get Those Hands Dirty".

Did you know there is something therapeutic about getting dirt on your hands and digging in it? There is and it isn't just to make your muscles ache which by the way mine do for a few days after digging in the dirt. I rather call it playing in the dirt.

Like the person whom asked this question about what flower bulbs they can plant that will come back year after year, I like that too. Perennials are my favorite. They don't need lots of attention and they do come back and ad beauty to our flower beds each and every year. Some even will multiply themselves without the aid of digging and dividing. One of them is the Bearded Iris.

Irisis In My Garden

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This is one Iris I have in my garden

The Bearded Iris

Irisis's now come in a variety of colors, species and heights to suit any garden. They bloom in the summer. Experience has taught me the are prolific flowers which do not have to be planted very deep at all. The bulbs can be chopped up into many pieces and each piece will grow a new plant. This is a perfect plant for shallow plantings. Someone gave me a bunch of Irises a few years ago and they only filled in half of my garden that I placed them in. Last year, the third year, I divided them and cut the bulbs into smaller pieces and threw the "old" parts away, like instructed. I was told these "old" parts would grow. That is not true at all. I put them back in my garden and now the garden is 3/4 full. I also have some Hyacinths in there. My Irises reach a hieght of 4 feet and are very stately. I have a few Yellow ones and lots of the purple ones. I am hoping to get some Black and other colors in there. These are a bit expensive but the rate they reproduce makes these flower bulbs a bargain to any garden.

Daffodils

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The "Dils

Daffodils varieties can grow 4 inches tall to 20 inches tall and can be planted singlulary, in groups or naturalizing. Naturalizing is good if you have a field or open space that you wnt to have filled up with Daffodils. They self-dividing and will fill in an area in a coupe of years. This is great for those lots that have woods and fields as I had once and they were gorgeous and so picturesque. These all bloom in Early Spring.

Daffodils have long trumpets or cups as some are called depending on the variety. They can be planted in the spring and depending on the varieties you purchase they can bloom from mid t late summer all the wy into early fall.

Jonquils have smaller cups or trumpets and have a sweet aroma. They sit atop slender stems. Depending of the variety chosen they can bloom from early to late spring. These would be great placed in a windo box or under a window. When a slight breeze comes you can get the sweet aroma of these beautiful flowers.

Tulips

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Tulips

There are many varieties of Tulips. All are very pretty. You have the tall stately tulip to the lacy Angelique and shorter versions as well. They are sure to make a great impression on any garden and they are perennials. They also bloom in the summer

Crocuses

Crocuses

Crocuses are small to Giant and are the first bulbs to bloom in the early Spring. These are used in garden edgings and also are excellent for naturalizing in a field. They now come in many more colors than the basic lavender.

Tips on Planting Bulbs

• Be sure to purchase the biggest bulbs for planting so you get strong plants when they come up in the right time for the flowers you selected.
• If you get them before you are ready to plant the bulbs store them in the refrigerator or cool dark place such as a garage.
• You will need a garden spot with well drained soil. First fill the hole with compost or leaf mold to give them a great start.
• If rodents are a problem you can plant your bulbs in small wire cages and put chicken wire on top of the row after planting your bulbs. I used course steel wool and buried it around my garden. When doing this pull the stell wool rolls out to thin it and bury it in a trough around the garden perimiter.
• Small bulbs should be planted 3-6 inches apart and larger bulbs up to a foot apart.
• Small bulbs should be planted 2 inches deep, medium sized can be planted up to 4 inches deep and large bulbs like Tulips are planted 8 inches deep.
• When dividing hidden bulbs or ones you don't know where they are when the foilage has died back. Divide them in the early spring when you can see the plnat breaking the soil barrier.

© Debra K. Allen a.k.a Lady Guinevere

I researched and wrote this article. Please do not copy and paste any part of this article, picture included for your own use. I will find you and report you for stealing.  It is my right to change any information therein at any time and/or change the location of my article.