Another small but early bulb is the winter aconite. They are bright-gold buttercups only four inches tall. They aren't hard to grow, just hard to establish like the snowdrops. As soon as they arrive, moisten some peat moss and put it in a plastic bag or container. Then add the tubers and cover lightly with more dampened peat moss. Let it sit overnight and they should "plump" up. Plant them right away.

Crocuses are the next to bloom with their cheerful purples and yellows. Planted at a depth of 2 to 3 inches the bulbs need only nourishing, well-drained soil to give their best.

Scilla siberica or spring bluebells is not fussy about soil or even light and multiples easily by seed. So easily, that I have transplanted them inadvertently, all over my yard. It carpets the ground with a beautiful azure blue every April and is one of the least demanding bulbs blooming in either sun or shade.

Another favorite is one that isn't usually found at the nursery. Its real name is Fritillaria meleagris, but its common name is checkered lily. It sends up a slender foot-high stem with one or two four-sided, down-turned flowers colored purple or white with a checkered pattern. This is a good choice in front of daffodils or even in a shaded corner with bloodroot or other wildflowers. I've planted it everywhere in my backyard--even some bare spots in the lawn.

All small bulbs need to be planted in masses if they are to make a real display. Twenty-five is the minimum but fortunately most little bulbs have little prices, so this is not an exorbitant expense.

Darwin tulips look good planted en mass or just a few by the front door. Unfortunately, hybrid tulips can only be depended on two or three years and may need to be replaced. Species tulip are much smaller but will continue to multiply under suitable conditions. Some good varieties are Tulipa fosteriana, T. greigii, and T. kalufmaniana.

The blooming of daffodils is another high point of spring. Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginia) make a wonderful interplanting among daffodils of any shade. They grow from tubers which are planted with other spring flowering bulbs in fall. Early the next spring, purple shoots emerge. By daffodil time they have stretched to 18-inch stems topped with a spiral of mauve buds that open into bell shaped flowers tinted a glorious indigo blue. They do best in shady, fairly moist borders. Plant mertensia tubers several inches deep, "eyes" pointed up. Mark its location in the spring because the foliage dies away by midsummer.

Once bulbs are done flowering, their leaves can become an eyesore in the garden but don't cut them off! A good way to hide them is to plant perennials or annuals nearby. As they grow they cover the bulb foliage as it matures. My favorite cover-up is lady's mantle. It quickly fills in and camouflages all those ugly tulip leaves. Other perennials to plant alongside are daylilies, hardy geraniums, peonies, lungwort, creeping phlox, veronica, and leopard's bane

Before planting bulbs, prepare the soil thoroughly. Till four to six inches of compost or peat moss into the bed with one tablespoon of a 9-9-6 bulb fertilizer per square ft. of bed. Scatter the bulbs by the handful like sowing seeds. This will help the garden look more natural. The general recommendation is to set bulbs at a depth three times their diameters. The deeper you plant tulips the longer they will stay in your garden but beware--too deep, and they may not flower at all! Water well, and mulch after the ground freezes, especially the first season.

Don't wait too long to get out and plant. It's much nicer to get out when it's still warm and you can enjoy one of the last garden chores of the year. Next Spring when you are greeted with beautiful flowers, you will be glad you did!

Planting Spring Bulbs Video
Choosing and installing spring flowering bulbs from Dave's Garden.