Spring Bulb Plants

When winter's snows start to recede, I want color in my landscape immediately, which can be accomplished by incorporating spring bulb plants in a landscape design. But to enjoy these vernal wonders, you must train yourself to have an autumnal mindset. That's right: you can't wait till Old Man Winter departs to install these bulbs. By then, it's too late.

When to Plant Spring Bulb Plants

You have to remember to plant these beauties in fall, according to the growing zone in which you live (as follows):

• For zones 2-3, plant spring bulb plants in September.
• For zones 4-5, plant in October.
• For zones 6-7, plant in November.
• For zone 8, plant in December.

Below are links to resources on some of the individual spring bulb plants, each of which features a picture of the flower. Other such photos can be found in my galleries of flower pictures.

• Planting Tulips
• Growing Daffodil Bulbs
• Squill (Scilla siberica)
• Picture of Grape Hyacinths
• Picture of White Narcissus
• Hyacinths
• Crocus (technically "corms")
• Snowdrops
• Fritillaria imperialis
• Glory-of-the-Snow
• Reticulated Iris
• Allium schubertii (the flowering onion that looks like fireworks bursting)

Care Information

One of the most important things for beginners to remember about the care of spring bulb plants is to leave the foliage alone after the flowering period is over. True, the leaves don't look very good in most cases at this stage. But this is a case where practicality surely trumps aesthetics. Your spring bulb plants are taking in nutrients through photosynthesis during this period that will serve them well over time. You will deprive them of this nutrition if you rob them of their leaves. This deprivation could well diminish future color displays.