Spring is the season when your garden awakens, bursting with colour and life after the quiet of winter. To create a vibrant spring display, it’s essential to choose bulbs that not only dazzle but also thrive in the unique conditions of your garden. Whether you have sunny patches, shady corners, or damp spots, the wide variety of bulbs available means there’s something perfect for every part of your outdoor space.
In this guide, we’ll help you select the best bulbs for every situation and share tips on planting, pairing, and maintaining them. From timeless daffodils to delicate crocuses and bold tulips, we’ll show you how to craft a stunning spring garden that’s sure to impress. Get ready to transform your garden into a masterpiece of colour and beauty!
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Popular Bulbs for a Stunning Spring Garden
Here are our top seven favourite bulbs to plant that bring you lasting colour from early spring right through summer and even into autumn in some cases.
Daffodils (Narcissus)
Daffodils are a spring classic, known for their cheerful yellow, white, and orange hues. They’re an incredibly low-maintenance bulbs that naturalise well over the years and are relatively resistant to deers and rabbits, making them an ideal addition to your spring bulb border.
Planting Advice:
We recommend planting daffodils in autumn before the first frost, about 10-15cm deep and 10-15cm apart. They thrive in sunny or lightly shaded areas with well-draining soil.
Tulips (Tulipa)
Another favourite, tulips add drama and elegance to your garden with their wide range of colours, shapes, and sizes, meaning that you can pick a variety that matches the existing theme of your garden. They’re perfect for planting in either borders or containers and make beautiful cut flowers if you’d like to bring the garden inside.
Planting Advice:
We recommend planting tulips outside in late autumn, about 15-20cm (6-8 inches) deep and 10cm apart. They prefer sunny spots with well-drained soil.
Crocuses
We love crocuses as they’re one of the earliest spring bloomers, providing splashes of purple, yellow, and white while most other bulbs are still waking up from the winter. They’re excellent at naturalising in lawns, borders, and rock gardens, so you’ll have a beautiful, natural display within a few years.
Planting Advice:
You should plant crocus bulbs in autumn, about 5-8cm deep and 5cm apart. They thrive in sunny or partially shaded areas.
Snowdrops (Galanthus)
Snowdrops bring an understated beauty to the garden with their delicate white flowers. Commonly found in woodland, they’re the perfect addition to the shady areas of your garden.
Planting Advice:
Snowdrops are best planted ‘in the green’ (when they’ve finished flowering) in late winter or early spring. Simply plant them about 5-10cm deep in the ground and you’re good to go!
Alliums
If you’re looking to add some architectural interest to your garden, then alliums are a bulb you need to buy. With their spherical blooms perched on top of tall stems, they’re always a crowd-pleaser no matter what outside space you have. What’s more, they’re loved by pollinators so you know that your garden’s helping wildlife in the early stages of the year while also looking incredible.
Planting Advice:
Plant alliums in autumn, about 10-15cm deep and 10-15cm apart in sunny, well-draining areas.
Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
If you’ve seen bluebells growing naturally in the woods then you’ll know why they’re on our list of the best spring bulbs for your garden. They create enchanting carpets of blue across the shady areas of your garden which makes for a stunning display. They also naturalise really well meaning that they’ll keep on developing in your space for years to come.
Planting Advice:
Plant bluebell bulbs in autumn, about 10cm deep and 10cm apart in shady or partially shaded spots.
Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis)
Hyacinths are a timeless classic, renowned for their vibrant colours and sweet fragrance, which makes them a perfect choice for your garden.
Planting Advice:
Plant hyacinths in autumn, about 10-15cm (4-6 inches) deep and 10cm apart. They thrive in sunny areas with well-drained soil.
Spring Bulb Planting Tips
If you’re starting to plant your bulbs for the year, make sure you follow our tips so you get the most vibrant display of flowers.
- Quality Check: Always inspect your bulbs carefully before purchasing them. You should be looking for firm, plump bulbs and avoid any that feel soft or don’t feel intact.
- Using The Right Tools: Use a narrow trowel or wooden bulb dibber to create shallow holes in the ground for your bulbs. Make sure to add some grit in with your bulbs to ensure there’s adequate drainage.
- Protect From Squirrels: If squirrels are a problem in your garden, try planting bulbs slightly deeper than recommended and cover the soil with some chicken wire to protect them.
Best Bulbs for Shady Gardens
Shady gardens can often be one of the most challenging areas to brighten, but there are plenty of spring bulbs that thrive in dappled light or deep shade. Our favourites are:
- Snowdrops (Galanthus): These delicate white flowers bring charm to the darkest corners
- Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta): Known for creating enchanting carpets of blue, bluebells love partial to full shade, particularly under trees and shrubs.
- Winter Aconites (Eranthis hyemalis): These cheerful yellow blooms add a pop of colour in late winter to early spring and thrive in woodland-like conditions.
- Fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris): With their striking chequered petals, these bulbs do well in damp, shady areas with consistent moisture.
- Anemones (Anemone blanda): These daisy-like flowers bloom in shades of blue, pink, and white and are perfect for light shade or beneath deciduous trees.
If you’re interested in learning more about the types of plants that you can add to the shady patches in your garden, take a look at our top 10 shade-loving plants by clicking here.
Best Bulbs for Moist Gardens
Gardens with moist or damp soil can support a surprising variety of bulbs, many of which thrive in such conditions. While planting some bulbs in regularly damp soil can cause them to rot, the following bulbs are well adapted to damper areas and will transform them into lush, flowering havens.
- Camassia: Perfect for damp meadows or borders, these tall, spiky blooms come in shades of blue, purple, and white and are highly attractive to pollinators.
- Fritillaries (Fritillaria meleagris): These chequered flowers thrive in damp soil, making them ideal for boggy or waterlogged areas.
- Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris): Although technically not a bulb, these flowers are perfect companions for wet gardens and add a splash of yellow.
- Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica): These elegant blooms flourish in moist soil and are ideal for planting around ponds or in wetter borders.
- Leucojum (Summer Snowflake): Similar to snowdrops but flowering later, they thrive in moist conditions and look lovely in naturalised settings.
Best Bulbs for Sunny Gardens
Sunny gardens offer the perfect environment for a wide range of bold and colourful bulbs. These plants thrive in the light and warmth, producing vibrant blooms that will light up your garden.
- Daffodils (Narcissus): Versatile and iconic, daffodils thrive in full sun, providing a stunning display of yellow, white, and orange hues.
- Tulips (Tulipa): Available in almost every colour imaginable, tulips are a must-have for sunny borders and pots.
- Alliums: With their tall, striking blooms, alliums add architectural interest to sunny spots and attract pollinators.
- Crocuses (Crocus spp.): Perfect for naturalising, crocuses thrive in sunny lawns, borders, and rock gardens, offering early-season colour.
- Irises (Iris reticulata): These hardy bulbs produce intricate, vibrant flowers and are excellent for borders and containers.
Conclusion
Spring bulbs are such a great addition to your garden, bringing so much light and colour throughout the first few months of the year. By selecting the right varieties for your garden’s conditions and following simple planting tips, you can be sure that you’ll have a reliable display for years to come.
If you’d like to learn more about the best bulbs to plant to create a vibrant summer display, then click here. Alternatively, you might be interested in our tips to help you make the most of a small space in your garden.
