Flower bulbs
Buy flower bulbs for a garden that keeps flowering from February into summer. Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, alliums and naturalising bulbs, fresh from the grower with clear planting advice. Buy flower bulbs for a garden that keeps flowering from February in...
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Flower bulbs: colour from late winter well into summer
Flower bulbs are one of the best-value buys in gardening. Each bulb already holds everything the plant needs to root, grow and flower, right down to the bud itself. All you have to do is get it into the ground at the right time. An hour of planting in autumn pays you back with months of colour, from the first crocuses pushing through the lawn in February to the big purple globes of alliums floating above the border in June.
This collection brings all our flower bulbs together in one place. Whether you're after classic tulips and daffodils, fragrant hyacinths, crocuses for the lawn, alliums for bees and butterflies or naturalising bulbs that come back every year, you'll find garden bulbs here for every border, patio and season. Below you'll also find everything you need to know: when to plant bulbs, how deep they go, when they flower and how to keep them coming back.
Why grow flower bulbs?
Few plants give so much for so little effort. Here's why gardeners come back for bulbs every autumn:
- Colour when little else is out: bulbs flower while most shrubs and perennials are still bare.
- Easy to plant: dig a hole, drop in the bulb, cover it over. Nature does the rest.
- Good for pollinators: crocuses, grape hyacinths and snowdrops are among the first food sources for bees in early spring.
- They come back: many varieties return year after year, and some spread to form wider drifts.
- They fit anywhere: borders, lawns, under trees, or in pots and window boxes.
When to plant bulbs
When you plant depends on when the bulb flowers. Broadly speaking there are two groups: bulbs to plant in autumn for flowers in spring, and bulbs you plant in spring for flowers in summer.
Bulbs to plant in autumn
Most bulbs go in during autumn. These spring bulbs need a period of cold in the ground before they can flower. So when to plant spring bulbs? Daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops can go in from September, as they like to root early. Tulips are best planted from October through to December, once the soil has properly cooled, which helps prevent tulip fire. Alliums and most naturalising bulbs are planted from September to November too.
Bulbs to plant in spring
Some summer-flowering bulbs aren't hardy. Ranunculus, freesias and Anemone De Caen are planted in spring once the risk of hard frost has passed, usually from March to May. They'll flower in early to midsummer.
Is it too late to plant bulbs?
Running late? Don't worry. As long as the ground isn't frozen, you can keep planting spring bulbs into December, and tulips cope best with a late start. Late-planted bulbs may flower a little later and for slightly less time, but they will flower. A bulb left in the shed simply dries out, so planting late always beats saving them for next year.
How deep to plant bulbs
The rule of thumb is simple: plant a bulb two to three times as deep as it is tall, pointed end up. Not sure which way is up? Lay it on its side and it will find its own way to the light.
- Small bulbs: crocuses, grape hyacinths and snowdrops go 5 to 8 cm deep.
- Tulips: 12 to 15 cm deep, around 10 cm apart.
- Daffodils: about 15 cm deep; dwarf Tête-à-Tête 8 to 10 cm.
- Alliums: three times the height of the bulb, so the larger ones go in 15 to 20 cm deep.
- How many per square metre: allow 50 to 70 tulips or daffodils and 50 to 100 crocuses or other small bulbs.
Choose a spot with good drainage, as bulbs hate sitting in wet soil. On heavy clay, work in some grit or compost first. Firm the soil gently after planting and only water if the ground is very dry.
When do bulbs flower?
Plan it well and you can have something in flower from February right through to July. A typical year with bulbs looks like this:
- February and March: snowdrops, winter aconites, crocuses and early daffodils such as February Gold.
- April: hyacinths, grape hyacinths, most daffodils and the first tulips.
- May: late and double tulips, pheasant's eye narcissus, camassias and the first alliums.
- June and July: large alliums such as Gladiator and Mount Everest, plus the summer bulbs you planted in spring.
Exact timings vary from year to year and garden to garden. In a cold spring everything shifts back a couple of weeks, while bulbs against a sunny south-facing wall will be ahead of the rest.
Tip for a long display: don't plant everything to flower at once, but combine early, mid-season and late varieties. Put crocuses and Tête-à-Tête at the front, tulips and daffodils in the middle and alliums at the back. One flower then takes over from the next, and the same spot stays colourful for weeks. Prefer not to plan it yourself? Choose a collection that has been put together with exactly that in mind.
Which flower bulbs should you choose?
There's plenty of choice, which is half the fun. Here are the main groups at a glance.
Tulips
Our tulip bulbs include Triumph tulips in red, black, pink, purple and white, sturdy Darwin Hybrids, low-growing Greigii and Praestans tulips for the front of the border, doubles such as Double Lilac and the species tulip Sylvestris. Tulips flower from March to May.
Daffodils
Daffodils are reliable performers that come back every year. Choose from compact Tête-à-Tête and early February Gold to Thalia, Ice King, Mount Hood and the fragrant pheasant's eye. A big bonus: mice and voles leave daffodil bulbs alone.
Crocuses and hyacinths
Crocuses open the season in February and March and are perfect for planting into lawns. Choose large-flowered varieties such as Ruby Giant, or species crocuses that flower even earlier. Hyacinths follow in April, filling the garden with their sweet scent, and look lovely in a pot by the front door.
Alliums
Alliums, or ornamental onions, flower from May to July, just as the spring bulbs fade. Purple Sensation, Gladiator, Mount Everest and the silvery, starry Christophii are magnets for bees and butterflies.
Small bulbs for early colour
Don't underestimate the little ones. Snowdrops, winter aconites, grape hyacinths, Scilla siberica, Anemone blanda and the chequered snake's head fritillary may be small, but together they create carpets of colour. They take up little space, slot in between larger bulbs and perennials and come back year after year. In the first weeks of the year they're invaluable for bees.
Bulb size: why bigger flowers better
Every variety lists its bulb size: the circumference of the bulb in centimetres. The bigger the bulb, the more energy it has stored and the better it tends to flower. A size 12 tulip will give you more than a size 10.
Bulbs for every spot in the garden
Bulbs are wonderfully versatile. Pick the right ones and they'll thrive almost anywhere.
Can you plant bulbs in pots?
Yes, and you don't even need a garden. Use a garden pot with a drainage hole and a layer of crocks or grit, and plant the bulbs close together, almost touching. A bulb lasagne, with different varieties planted in layers, gives you weeks of flowers from one pot. Leave the pot outside over winter in a sheltered spot: bulbs in pots need the cold too.
In borders
Bulbs look best planted in generous groups of ten or more rather than in rows. Tuck them between perennials that come up later, which will hide the fading foliage. A ready-made bulb collection is already matched for colour, height and flowering time.
In lawns and under trees
Crocuses, snowdrops, grape hyacinths and scilla look beautiful in grass and beneath deciduous trees. Scatter a handful and plant them where they land for a natural look. Hold off mowing until the bulb foliage has turned yellow.
Caring for bulbs after flowering
What you do after flowering decides how well your bulbs perform next year. Thankfully, it's very little work.
Leave the foliage
Snip off faded flowers so the plant doesn't waste energy on setting seed. Then leave the leaves until they turn yellow and die back naturally. During those weeks the bulb is building up reserves, and a little bulb fertiliser or well-rotted compost helps it along.
Bulbs that come back every year
Daffodils, crocuses, alliums, grape hyacinths, snowdrops and other naturalising bulbs return every year and often bulk up over time. Tulips are at their best in the first year, so if you want the same full display every spring, add some fresh bulbs each autumn. Hyacinths come back too, though usually with slightly looser flower spikes.
Storing bulbs safely
Flower bulbs aren't edible. Until planting, keep them somewhere cool, dry and airy, out of reach of pets and young children.
Buy flower bulbs from Green Bubble
Ordering flower bulbs online at Green Bubble is easy. You choose from a carefully selected range from a specialist bulb grower, with the bulb size, flowering time and planting advice listed for every variety. Not sure which bulbs suit your garden? Our Personal Plantshopper is happy to help you choose.
✔ Fresh from the grower
✔ Carefully selected varieties and bulb sizes
✔ Clear planting advice for every variety
✔ Personal advice from our Personal Plantshopper
Plant this autumn and enjoy a garden that comes to life all by itself.
