As the summer garden winds down, it’s time to think about spring flowers, and the best way to ramp them up would be to plant bulbs now. We’re all familiar with tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, the popular, colorful — and omnipresent – harbingers of spring. But there’s a class of lesser-known beauties called minor bulbs that may not get as much attention, and that’s unfortunate because they can provide the earliest splashes of color when our souls need it the most.
Make no mistake: Minor bulbs get their name from their size, not their importance in the garden. Most are less than an inch in diameter, which makes them easy to plant, but their impact is great. They also tend to “naturalize,” or multiply, each year, and can be planted in large groupings under trees and shrubs or even right in the lawn, where their foliage usually dies down just as mowing season begins. You might even interplant minor bulbs with tulips and daffodils to start the party early.
Perhaps the most well-known of the minor bulbs is the crocus (Crocus spp.), which displays white, cream, purple, lavender, orange or yellow flowers above 2- to 5-inch-tall stems and grassy foliage. Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is another ground-hugger, reaching only 3-6 inches tall with shiny, upward-facing, yellow, buttercup flowers. Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalus) is a 3- to 6-inch plant in the Amaryllis family with dainty, white flowers that bloom in late winter. Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) offers star-shaped blue flowers with white centers, while grape hyacinths (Muscari) come in various colours and heights.
Regardless of which bulbs you decide to plant, you can ignore the spacing recommendations but plant at the recommended depth for each bulb type. Grouping them together, ideally in drifts, is recommended for a more aesthetically pleasing display. When planting directly into the lawn, simply scatter the bulbs and plant them where they land to create a natural look. These bulbs contain all they need to survive winter, grow, thrive and bloom without fertilization now.
To deter critters, consider adding crushed oyster shells to each hole or covering the bulbs with chicken wire. Planting in larger quantities can be more cost-effective, and bulbs can be purchased from various sources. By considering the ‘minor bulbs’ like crocuses, snowdrops, and more, you can enhance your garden with early splashes of colour and beauty.