In the Garden
Those of us who plant spring-flowering bulbs in the fall use tulips and daffodils mostly. In this article, I will give you some other ideas to add to your spring display.
When winter is finally over, and you are longing for a glimpse of color, early spring crocuses are a great choice. If you plant these bulbs this fall, your garden will bring joy as dots of yellow, orange, white, purple, or blue emerge through the winter snow. You can plant crocuses in your perennial beds, around the base of deciduous trees, in rock gardens, or even scatter them across your lawn and let them naturalize.
As with crocuses, grape hyacinths (Muscari) are stunning in mass plantings. These flowers, with their faint, almost grape-like fragrance, look like grapes when you hold them upside down. These bloom a little later than crocuses. You can also plant these in containers with pansies for a gorgeous early spring show.
Fritillaria (Checkered Lily) are gorgeous April bloomers. These bulbs are like no others. They have highly patterned, bell-shaped blooms which hang like nodding tulips. These are deer- and squirrel-resistant. They attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Fritillaria are great naturalizers. Planning ahead can make your spring garden sing with color.
