I hate to admit it, but I’m the very definition of a cheapskate. I’m always on the hunt for a bargain … I want to get the best deal. But price isn’t everything – I’m looking for a real value. And for my money, fall-planted bulbs are one of the best values around.
Many bulbs come back year after year, so I like to amortize the cost over several years and realize how cheap they really are for how long they last and how much beauty they provide. Better still, many bulbs actually increase with each passing year, making the money I spend not just money spent, but an investment in future beauty.
When plants increase like this, it’s called “naturalizing” – one of the best things you can do for your landscape … and your wallet. Spring-flowering bulbs that naturalize well include daffodils, crocus, grape hyacinths (muscari), striped squill, (puschkinia), Spanish bluebells (scilla campanulata) and snowdrops (galanthus), among many others. Planting the right mix of bulbs will ensure a long blooming period in spring.
So where to naturalize? I say anywhere and everywhere you can! Choose a place where the fall-planted bulbs can remain undisturbed for a long while. It can be five years or more until bulbs get so crowded they don’t bloom as freely, then they’ll have to be dug up and divided. Most bulbs grow well under ordinary garden conditions, as long as they have adequate drainage. They don’t even need that much sun, so many fall-planted bulbs are perfect for woodland settings, under trees and in rooted areas where other plants refuse to grow. I love seeing drifts of daffodils along highways … and one of my favorite sights is a lawn naturalized with crocus. They bloom in late winter, often popping up through unexpected snows, flowering in spring-fresh colors – purples, yellows and whites. The foliage usually dies back before it’s time to mow, so their timing is perfect.
So pick a place – or several places – and plant away! You’ll be delighted in spring when your bulbs pop up, and your excitement will increase every year, just like your blooms!
