Spring flower bulbs offer a dazzling display of early season color and mark the end of winter. But before you can enjoy these flowering bulbs, you need to plant them in fall. And if you’re looking for something besides the planting bed, try adding them to the lawn instead. There are many flowering bulbs that will naturalize in the lawn and return for years to come.

Top Bulbs for Lawns

No one wants to spend time going through long lists of suitable naturalizing bulbs for the lawn, so here are my top 5 choices of bulbs for naturalizing lawns:

• Daffodils – Daffodils are among some of the most popular spring flowering bulbs. Coming in a full range of colors and sizes, daffodils will bloom reliably season after season. Many cultivars are also known to multiply and naturalize in lawns. These extremely fragrant flowers vary in bloom time and will thrive with relatively little care from growers.

• Crocus – Crocus are often among the first spring bulbs to begin to flower. Growing low to the ground, these flowers range in color from white-yellow to purple. Mass plantings of crocus are known to multiply and naturalize easily. However, these flowers are commonly damaged by animals such as rodents, rabbits, and deer.

• Muscari – Also known as grape hyacinth, muscari flowers are small and petite. Low growing blue-violet flowers form clusters of florets on each stem. Though diminutive, muscari are extremely fragrant and will multiply from one season to another in a variety of growing conditions. An added bonus”¦ the honeybees love them so you’ll be helping out the pollinators too.

• Scilla – Ranging in color from white to blue, many species of Scilla naturalize with ease. These short, dainty flowers bloom in late spring and are also extremely attractive to pollinators. They are good options for garden areas which receive partial shade. Siberian squill and wood hyacinths are the most commonly planted.

• Anemone – Also known as windflowers, anemone bulbs produce an abundance of small, daisy like flowers. This native of Greece comes in a range of colors including white, pink, and blue. Though the flowers are small, this plant makes an attractive green ground cover for areas in the garden in partial to full shade.