Early, Mid and Late Blooming Bulbs for an All-Spring Flowering Garden

Blooming yellow and red tulips
(Image credit: neirfy / Getty Images)

Spring flowers not only brighten the garden but lift your mood. After a long winter of gray skies, impossible snow and hardly a green thing in sight, the rejuvenating powers of spring are harnessed in its flower displays. Spring can provide an entire season of interest with early, mid and late periods, each encompassing its own flower varieties. The unveiling of these spring bulbs is gradual and can last from late winter into the beginning of summer with some careful planning. That's where DutchGrown Flower Bulbs come in. They have a huge selection of flower bulbs that can keep spring bright from its beginning up until its end and the start of summer. The bright hues of spring soon give way to summer, but there is that period when all your daffodils and tulips are gone and little remains in the way of color. Often, there are a couple of months of waiting for summer splendor and watching green things erupt without any of those vibrant tones to set them off. The spring palette is a varied one and preplanning can use each of the bulbs available for a consistent color show that responds as the temperatures heat up. The three parts of spring are early, mid and late. Early spring usually amps up at the end of winter with crocus, snowdrops, and early daffodils making their welcome appearance. Some other early risers might include:

  • Anemone
  • Muscari
  • Scilla
  • Puschkinia
  • Iris reticulata
  • Winter aconite
  • Chionodoxa (glory of the snow)
  • Double Early Emperor tulips
  • Spring snowflake

(see all early spring blooming flower bulbs here) Many of the earliest bloomers are very small bulbs, tempting "snack size" treats for hungry squirrels and other animals. Use them 'en masse' for the most effective displays and cover the area with mesh or at least a thick mulch to keep animals out of the bed. As you see green poking above the mulch, pull it away to make it easier for these hardy plants to grow and bloom. Mid-spring is one with which we are most familiar when it comes to bulbs. The classic fall planted darlings are what naturally come to mind. Here you'll find anything from dainty checkered fritillaria to robust tulips and carefree anemones. There are native and naturalized bulbs, as well as brilliantly bred frilled, double petal, variegated foliage and more anomalies. In tulips alone, there are more special adaptations than the imagination can encompass. Some of the most fun that will start neighborhood tongues wagging are:

  • Caribbean Parrot tulip
  • Ice Cream tulip
  • Mini Thalia daffodil
  • Camas lily
  • Fritillaria Imperial Crown
  • White Triumphator tulip
  • Hollyhock hyacinth
  • Persian lily
  • Brigid anemone

(see all mid spring blooming flower bulbs here) There is still another season to which you can look forward. The last month or so before we slide into summer bliss can also be filled with wonderful blooms. In addition to late season classics like tulips and daffodils, we can now add stunners such as allium and bluebells. Just as your dahlia tubers are starting to produce some foliage, you can still enjoy bright tones in the many later forms of spring bulbs like:

  • Arabian starflower
  • Parrot tulips
  • Queen of the Night tulip
  • Spanish bluebells
  • Allium Globemaster
  • Anemone de Caen
  • Minnow daffodil

(see all late spring blooming flower bulbs here) The timing of each of these bulbs is a bit vague. That is because it will depend upon where you live and how quickly soil warms. Combined with adequate spring rains; well-draining, nutrient rich soil; and those warm temperatures, some bulbs will come up sooner than others in certain locations. The 4-generation DutchGrown company is committed to delivering the healthiest bulbs to your door, and they even have wholesale pricing for those that qualify. These are true flower bulbs from Holland, the place that made spring flowers, like tulips, famous. Start selecting your choices today and beat the rush for delivery by fall planting time.

Bonnie Grant