My favorite thing to do in fall is plan for spring by planting bulbs, bulbs and more bulbs, especially with companion perennials.
Look at where your perennials are and see where you can work in some spring bulbs. As the perennials grow, they camouflage the ripening foliage of the bulbs. Just a few, say three to five, clumped together will brighten the season.
I always try to plant some tulips every year, especially the species types, which are very reliable. The tall gorgeous ones tend to decline after a few years, so it’s always good to plop some in the ground every fall.
The design below would be easy to accomplish. The textures and color scheme make what could be a small-space garden of spring bulbs and companion perennials stand out.
If more than plopping bulbs in the ground is important, Colorblends has gathered the best advice and designs from four international designers.
The Bulb Design Notes Project explores the practical choices that go into creating plant partnerships that deliver high performance in spring and transition gracefully into early summer.
“We reached out to several designers whose work we admire and asked if they’d share the thinking behind some of their successful spring bulb and perennial combinations. Their generous responses are presented here,” says Tim Schipper of Colorblends.
The four designers of spring bulbs and companion perennials:
- Jacqueline van der Kloet of the Netherlands, garden designer, author and plant specialist
- Janie McCabe, residential garden designer, Northford, Connecticut
- Mark Konlock, landscape designer and former director of horticulture at Green Bay Botanical Garden in Wisconsin
- Linda Yater, residential garden designer and media producer, Oklahoma City
The designers offer 36 case studies, including photos and plant lists, perfect for spurring ideas for your landscape. They demonstrate how spring bulbs, perennials and flowering trees and shrubs all work together.