Tulips, daffodils, irises – these are some of the most popular flowering bulbs, and for good reason! But, many varieties of beautiful blooms are less commonly used. Take a couple hours exploring the flower kingdom and your wish list will have at least a few flowering plants you haven’t seen in the neighborhood or big-box gardening centers. Try out some of these uncommon spring-flowering bulbs to make your garden stand out next season!
Anemones or windflowers are colorful, gorgeous and easy to grow- great for spring-summer landscape! These lovely perennials have daisy-like blooms and basal leaves, can be grown in groups of different sizes, in containers and make for the most fabulous groundcovers! The classic Grecian windflower is a wonderful pick for spring gardens. It blooms early in the season, in delightful hues of blue, pink and white and naturalizes with amazing ease. Poppy Anemone Sylphide is an excellent plant for rock gardens, front borders and cut flower arrangements! The 2” magenta-pink flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, attracting flocks of butterflies and tons of envy!
Spanish bells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are eye-catching perennials with bell-shaped flowers and sword-shaped leaves. The tiny blue flowers of Spanish bluebells bloom late in the spring and look awesome under the shrubs and trees, in the borders, grass and any other location! Spanish Pinkbells resemble broad pink bells with flared rims, with the strap-like leaves that accentuate their appeal to create stunning spectacles in late spring. Look best when grown in clusters! Blue or pink? You don’t need to ponder over that bit. Go for Spanish Blue and Pink Bells Mixture- a fantastic , zero maintenance mix suited to full sun as well as full shade and every part of the garden!
Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa) or Snow Glories infuse a dash of color in early spring landscape, at times pushing through the snow! These bulbous perennials produce fabulous star-shaped flowers and perform best in cold climates since they require deep winter rest to flourish. Early Snow Glories are a refreshing sky-blue color and absolutely carefree. They’re perfect for ground cover and look sensational in the lawn.
Snowdrops (Galanthus) are easy care and hardy, bursting through the snow at the first hint of spring (even as early as February)! These bulbous perennials produce bell-shaped white blooms and multiply rapidly. Early Snowdrops hate to wait- they’ll pop out soon as the snow starts to melt, sometimes even in late winter. These lovely plants look stunning in rock gardens, along the paths and under trees and shrubs. Double Snowdrops, a double-flowered variant are another excellent choice for your spring garden. They’re doubly beautiful, very hardy and great for naturalizing!
Every growing season is an opportunity to improve upon the last, take up new challenges and have fresh, exciting experiences. Plan ahead and make the best of the next one!
