Make your home the spring standout on the block!
Go Big!
Don’t plant 10 bulbs. Think bold, planting in drifts, grouping them closely. I’d recommend at least planting 100. Although, let me further clarify…plant at least 100 bulbs of, say daffodil ‘Jetfire’ an early blooming variety that stands up well to our crazy spring weather. Then next spring, around April 12th or so (depending on where in the Chicago area you garden) you will begin to see a standout group of bright, cheerful yellow trumpets announcing the start of spring.
Plan ahead
Or should I say plant ahead! Bulbs are generally planted in the fall and aren’t readily available in pots when they are blooming in the spring…so they tend to be forgotten about. Or become afterthoughts. An insider’s gardening tip is to take time in the spring to decide where your garden or landscape could use some bursts of spring color to spark joy. The easiest way is to take a photo. Then, when the bulbs are available later in the season, you’ve got your photo to remember exactly where you wanted to add them. Trust me, you will never regret taking the time to plan for spring color.
Plant for you, not the deer
As beautiful as tulips are, if you have deer visiting your garden, and this is more and more common, skip planting them. It is beyond disappointing to look forward to a wonderful display and instead see the chewed, flowerless stalks. Sorry Bambi. Instead, I’d suggest putting your efforts into planting bulbs that will give back more than you put in, blooming happily and spreading themselves around. A few reliable bulbs to see you through from early to late spring include daffodils, grape hyacinths (Muscari), Hyacinths, Siberian squill (Scilla) and glory in the snow (Chionodoxa).
Location, location, location
Planting bold yellow daffodils will really draw attention to that area. To really make yourself look like you know what you’re doing give them a great backdrop, like an evergreen hedge, to really make them stand out.
For even more tips on bulbs and more contact me today to book a Strategy Session. Pick my my brain with your pressing questions and growing concerns 😉 Together we can personalize your landscape or up your gardening game for something truly special and rewarding.