The earliest are, of course, snowdrops and there are so many great varieties, even doubles – the best way is to buy them as plants ‘in the green’ at the end of the season, but I’ve had plenty of luck planting bulbs. I always include some Anemone blanda, also known as Windflowers – they have delicate cut foliage and beautiful flowers from white, through pale pink to bright blues – try planting around the base of an ornamental tree. Crocus is another gorgeous early flowering bulb that can bring a swathe of colour into the garden. However, be warned the squirrels find them delicious and usually dig all of them up in my garden! Any Crocus not eaten by the squirrels are usually pecked off by the birds – they seem to love the white and yellow flowering ones.
Tulips look great in a border. I keep away from the bright, municipal colours like reds and yellows – although it’s purely a matter of taste. I like to plant Queen of the Night which is a very deep, almost black purple, then upwards through the purple colour spectrum through to pale sugar pink. Negrita is a lovely deep mauve as is Purple Prince. Shirley and Douglas Bader are both good for the pink end of the spectrum.
Make sure you include some alliums, their architectural domes are a must in the late spring garden. I like Allium ‘Purple Sensation’.
I’m not keen on daffodils in borders – their foliage leaves the border looking scruffy for ages after the flowers are gone. All the other bulbs mentioned will disappear into the border until they come up again the following season, and any residual foliage is covered quickly by emerging plants. I like to plant daffodils in pots – I have dozens of pots of them that I hide during the summer and bring out again, always adding a couple more pots each year, when they are poking their heads above the soil.
Have a look at these sites Gee Tee
and J Parker for a great range of spring flowering bulbs.
Blue Parrot Tulips
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