Spring Bulbs, Spring Flowers
A temperate climate has the following characteristics:
Plant Type | Bulbs |
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Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) |
Height |
Fragrant and stately, Tulip ‘Ad Rem’ is a spectacular tulip with large, richly colored blossoms. Wonderfully fragrant, it features glowing scarlet petals adorned with a golden band around the edges. Perfect for lighting up the garden! Blooming in mid-late spring, this Darwin Hybrid enjoys a sturdy, long stem that will withstand wind and rain. Grows up to 20-24 inches tall (50-60 cm)
Incredibly beautiful, award-winner Tulip ‘Ballade’ is a spectacular tulip with fabulous royal purple goblet-shaped flowers with pointed, reflexed petals and fine ivory edges. Blooming in the late spring garden, this Lily-Flowered Tulip provides an elegant and graceful display when swaying in the spring breeze. It naturalizes easily and will come back year after year to create dazzling harmonies. Grows up to 20 inches tall (50 cm)
Tulip ‘Cape Cod’ provides a mesmerizing sight with its glowing apricot petals edged yellow and combined with its purple mottled leaves. The flowers, are large in proportion to the plant’s total height, up to 4 in. wide (10 cm), and open wide in the full sun. Belonging to the Greigii Tulip Group, ‘Cape Cod’ will reliably bring sparkles to the garden in early – mid-spring. Growing only 8 inches tall (20 cm), this tulip naturalizes easily and will come back year after year
Award-winning Tulip ‘Don Quichotte’ presents an impressive and attractive sight in the garden with its vibrant deep rose flowers and purple sheen. Blooming in mid-late spring, this Triumph Tulip has a propensity for repeat performances year after year. ‘Don Quichotte’ also enjoys a sturdy, long stem that will withstand wind and rain. Excellent as cut flowers! Grows up to 18-20 inches tall (45-50 cm)
Award-winning Tulip ‘Maureen’ is one of the best white tulips with very impressive goblet-shaped flowers that are almost pure marble white and turn slightly ivory as they mature. A favorite since its introduction in 1950, this graceful Single Late Tulip is unsurpassed even after all these years. Grows up to 24-26 inches tall (60-65 cm)
Award-winning Tulip ‘Menton’ is amazingly beautiful with its elegant, egg-shaped blossoms looking rose pink in part shade and turning soft apricot in full sun. Blooming in late spring, this graceful Single Late Tulip enjoys a tall, stiff stem that will withstand wind and rain. Grows up to 24-26 inches tall (60-65 cm)
Slightly fragrant, Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’ has a commanding presence in the garden. It produces white peony-shaped flowers with attractive markings on the petals. Blooming in late spring, this Double Late Tulip introduces charm and romance in the garden with its multi-petalled flowers. An old variety that is still popular as it can be used to create cool, calming plantings of white and green. Grows up to 16-20 inches tall (40-50 cm)
Extremely popular and considered one of the top ten prettiest lilac cultivars, Tulip ‘Negrita’ presents an impressive and attractive sight with its large deep purple petals presenting red-purple streaks. Blooming in mid-late spring, this acclaimed member of the Triumph Tulips group enjoys a sturdy stem that will withstand wind and rain! Grows up to 18 inches tall (45 cm)
Handsomely blossoming in early to mid-spring, award-winning Tulip ‘Orange Emperor’ is a glowing orange tulip, with large, wide petals, a pale buttercup yellow base, and black anthers. Ravishing! Enjoying a sturdy stem, it will withstand strong winds and float gracefully above its elegant sword-like foliage.
For eye-catching spring color, award-winning Tulip ‘Parade’ is terrific with its enormous scarlet flowers with delicate yellow edges and a black heart. Long-lasting, these lovely blooms, up to 6 in. wide (15 cm), will enliven your garden in mid-late spring. A favorite member of the Darwin Hybrid Group, it also enjoys a sturdy, long stem that will withstand wind and rain! Grows up to 20-22 inches tall (50-55 cm)
Adored by gardeners and considered one of the prettiest white tulip cultivars, award-winning Tulip ‘Purissima’ is a classy and elegant tulip with broad pure white elongated petals and a creamy base. Withstanding wind and rain thanks to its strong stem, it is a popular member of the Fosteriana Group. Blooming in early to mid-spring, it can be found on full display for up to 3 weeks! Growing up to 14-16 inches tall (35-40 cm), this tulip naturalizes easily and will come back year after year
Tulip ‘Shirley’ is a beautiful color-changing tulip featuring ivory white petals, tenderly edged in purple as it opens, slowly turning almost entirely into light lilac lace. A fascinating tulip to observe. Easy to pair with other tulips and perennials, this mid-late spring bloomer makes perfect, long-lasting cut flowers. May live a few years in the garden, but the best effect will be obtained from new bulbs. Grows up to 18-20 inches tall (45-50 cm)
Standing out, award-winning Tulip ‘Spring Green’ is truly an unusual tulip with its amazing ivory-white flowers and soft green feathering. Fresh-looking, sturdy and reliable, it blooms in late spring and enjoys long-lasting blossoms (3 weeks!). It looks ravishing in a vase too.
Award-winning Tulip ‘Toronto’ is a multi-flowering tulip with 3-5 flowers per bulb. A bouquet per stem! Short but highly visible with its jasper red tinged on vermilion petals and bronze base atop handsomely mottled leaves! The cup-shaped flowers open broadly in the full sun. Belonging to the Greigii Tulips, ‘Toronto’ will reliably bring a joyful color to the garden in mid-spring. Growing only 12 inches tall (30 cm), this tulip naturalizes easily and will come back year after year to your delight!
Elegant and impressively tall, award-winning Tulip ‘White Triumphator’ is a real classic beauty that cannot be missed with its long-lasting and exceptionally large, pure white reflexed petals. Introduced in 1942, this old cultivar is still a favorite of many gardeners. Perfect for containers, in borders, or around the base of trees. Grows up to 26-28 inches tall (65-70 cm)
Multiple award-winning Tulip ‘Tarda’ is a top performer, boasting elegant star-shaped flowers with yellow petals adorned with white tips. Clustered tightly together, they make a striking impact with their lovely color combination, specifically when the completely opened flowers form a star during the sunny hours.
Named for its origin in Turkey, award-winning Tulip turkestanica features gray-green leaves and up to 12 star-shaped, fragrant white flowers on 10-inch stems (25 cm). The flowers have greenish-gray or pink-flushed exteriors and yellow or orange centers, with brown or purple stamens. Flowering in early spring, this tulip naturalizes easily.
Sun-proof, award-winner Narcissus ‘Accent’ is an elegant and prolific daffodil boasting star-shaped flowers, 4 in. across (10 cm), adorned with slightly reflexed, ivory-white petals and a contrasting, frilled funnel-shaped cup of deep salmon pink. Blooming in mid to late spring, this Large-Cupped Daffodil is a vigorous grower that is regarded as one of the best landscape pink daffodils. Excellent as cut flowers!
Fragrant, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Actaea’ (Poet’s Daffodil) displays elegant, pure white flowers, up to 3 in. wide (8 cm), adorned with six wide petals and tiny, red-rimmed, golden-yellow cups. Blooming in mid to late spring, one flower per stem, the blossoms rise atop a clump of narrow, strap-shaped leaves. Great in the sunny border, this daffodil performs better in wet, poorly drained areas than most daffodils. Because of its sweet scent, it makes excellent cut flowers.
Multiple award-winning ‘Bridal Crown’ is sweetly scented and incredibly good-looking. It features long-lasting double flowers with multiple creamy-white petals interspersed with saffron-yellow cup segments. The flowers cluster together at the top of the stems and appear in mid-late spring. Such a beautiful sight! This Daffodil makes a beautiful cut flower and can be forced indoors for winter bloom.
Rich with a strong vanilla scent, multiple award-winning Narcissus ‘Carlton’ is an exquisite, solid golden-yellow daffodil featuring very large flowers, 5 in. across (12 cm), adorned with wide, gracefully frilled cups and broad, overlapping petals. Blooming in mid-spring, this highly popular Large-Cupped Daffodil is a strong performer of immense vigor, and one of the best perennializers. It is famously reliable for large-scale plantings.
Very fragrant, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Cheerfulness’ boasts long-lasting, double flowers, 2.5 in. across (6 cm), with multiple creamy-white petals interspersed with yellow flecks at the center. The flowers, 3-6 per stem, cluster together at the top of the stems and appear in mid or late spring. Reliably perennial, you can’t help but smile when looking at this daffodil!
Introduced in 1938, multiple award-winning Narcissus ‘Dutch Master’ has become the standard for large yellow daffodils. Lightly fragrant, it boasts very large, showy golden-yellow flowers, 4 in. across (11 cm), in mid-spring. Noted for its great vigor and superior performance, it has become a strong substitute for the most recognized, heirloom daffodil, King Alfred. Great for naturalizing. Comes back year after year to bring its cheerful color and put a smile on your face!
Always the first to bloom, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘February Gold’ is a small but sturdy daffodil with gently nodding flowers, up to 3 in. across (7.5 cm), adorned with vivid yellow trumpets and reflexed petals. Blooming in early spring, this Miniature Daffodil is one of the most reliable, reblooming perennial bulbs. It multiplies easily to create pretty swathes of yellow blooms resembling shooting stars with their back-swept petals. Perfect for borders or naturalizing.
Rich with a spicy fragrance, Narcissus ‘Flower Drift’ features large, fully double flowers, 4 in. across (10 cm), adorned with multiple creamy-white petals surrounding a warm orange-yellow center. Blooming in early-mid spring, with one flower per stem, this Double Daffodil is a good naturalizer.
A real show-stopper, Narcissus ‘Fortissimo’ produces very large blossoms, up to 5 inches across (12 cm), combining brilliant yellow petals with a slightly frilled, reddish-orange cup. Blooming in mid-spring, this very eye-catching Large-Cupped Daffodil is a wonderful naturalizer and makes ravishing cut flowers. Each spring will bring you more of the largest, brightest daffodils!
Delightfully fragrant, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Geranium’ bears clusters of 3-6 flowers per stem, adorned with creamy-white petals and deep orange-red cups in mid to late spring. Many bulbs will produce multiple stems, forming lovely bouquets. Because of its strong stem and sweet scent, this heirloom Tazetta Daffodil makes excellent cut flowers. Ideal for warmer climates.
Sweetly fragrant, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ produces large flowers, 4 in. across (9.5 cm), adorned with creamy-white petals and a flared, frilled, lemon-yellow cup that fades to pale cream over time. Blooming in early to mid-spring, this fast-growing and popular Large-Cupped Daffodil is a wonderful naturalizer as well as a good forcer. A heavy bloomer and vigorous grower, it makes excellent cut flowers too!
Resembling carnations with its fully double lemon-yellow petals turning creamy-white, Narcissus ‘Ice King’ is a marvelous addition to any mid-spring borders. And it is so conspicuous with its impressive 4 in. (10 cm) blossoms! A sport of world acclaimed Narcissus ‘Ice follies’, this Double Daffodil has been extremely popular since its introduction in 1984. Makes a beautiful cut flower and creates extremely long-lasting bouquets.
Long-lived, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Jack Snipe’ is a sturdy and reliable Miniature Daffodil with long-lasting, relatively large flowers, 3 in. wide (7 cm), adorned with creamy-white, reflexed petals and frilled, bright yellow trumpets. Blooming for a good 6 weeks in early to mid-spring, the brightly poised blooms of this very vigorous daffodil create a bold statement in the garden. A great choice for naturalizing in grass.
Free flowering and slightly scented, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ or ‘Jet Fire’ is one of the most striking of all dwarf narcissus, producing large flowers, 3 in. across (7.5 cm), adorned with vivid yellow, strongly reflexed petals, and an extraordinary reddish-orange trumpet. Blooming in early to mid-spring, one flower per stem, this small but sturdy Miniature Daffodil is terrific for borders or containers.
A standard for white daffodils, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’ boasts slightly fragrant, large flowers, 4 in. across (10 cm), emerging creamy-white with pale yellow trumpets, which fade to a lovely pale cream before turning as white as snow. Blooming in mid-spring, one flower per stem, this Trumpet Daffodil enjoys a very long blooming season. Great-looking in the garden or a vase, it is also an excellent naturalizer. This classic white Trumpet Daffodil has been extremely popular since its introduction pre-1938.
Vigorous and long-lived, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Peeping Tom’ boasts large flowers, 4 in. across (9.5 cm), adorned with brilliant yellow, reflexed petals surrounding long, bright golden-yellow ruffled trumpets. Blooming in early to mid-spring, this Miniature Daffodil is great for naturalizing and multiplies rapidly. Perfect choice for the garden or containers.
Award-winner Narcissus ‘Pink Charm’ produces exquisite, large flowers, 4 in. across (9cm), with ivory-white petals surrounding a creamy-white cup adorned with a lovely coral band at the rim. Blooming in mid-spring, this romantic-looking Large-Cupped Daffodil is noted for its wonderful ability to produce a second bloom on many stems. Great in pots for the patio or balcony, in a vase or planted in the garden. Excellent as cut flowers!
One of the longest blooming daffodils, award-winner Narcissus ‘Pipit’ is a sweetly fragrant Jonquil Daffodil bearing up to 2-3 flowers per stem and multiple stems per bulb. The flowers, 3 in. across (7 cm), open lemon-yellow with their cups gradually fading to ivory-white. Blooming in mid-spring for up to 5 weeks, this is a wonderful all-around daffodil. Perfect for borders and containers or to grow in the grass.
Exquisite and popular, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Salome’ boasts large blossoms, up to 4 in. across (9 cm), adorned with creamy petals and a primrose-yellow cup, softly fading to peach-pink. Blooming in mid-spring, this consistent and elegant Large-Cupped Daffodil never fails to put on a remarkable display when it appears in spring. Perfect for chasing away those winter blues!
Highly reliable, Narcissus ‘Standard Value’ is a mid-sized Daffodil featuring bright, golden petals surrounding a lemon-yellow trumpet with a slightly ruffled edge. Blooming in mid to late spring, one flower per stem, it is ideal for naturalizing.
Double Narcissus is romance with all the frills! Robust, fragrant, multiple award-winning Narcissus ‘Tahiti’ features large, double flowers, 4 in. across (11 cm), with multiple golden-yellow petals and vermilion interior ruffles. Very eye-catching in mid-late spring! Standing up and straight on sturdy stems, it holds up to rain. Extremely vigorous and prolific, this Double Daffodil is reliably perennial and is a fine naturalizer.
One of the most popular miniature daffodils worldwide, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Tête à Tête’ boasts perfectly formed, gently nodding, very fragrant flowers, 2.5 in. across (6.5 cm), adorned with pale yellow petals and brighter yellow trumpets. Blooming in early to mid-spring, with 1-3 flowers per stem, this dwarf daffodil is great for naturalizing and very popular for forcing. Highly versatile, it is a beautiful golden addition to the front of the border and a very popular pick for containers and window boxes.
Multiple award-winning Narcissus ‘White Lion’ is sweetly fragrant and sturdy with blossoms resembling gardenias! It features long-lasting, double flowers with multiple creamy-white petals surrounding a warm yellow center. Blooming in mid to late spring, this strong and reliable heirloom Daffodil was introduced in the 1940s and is still a favorite.
Strongly scented, award-winner Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus, commonly called ‘Pheasant’s Eye Daffodil’, displays brilliant pure white flowers with strongly recurved petals and small, red-rimmed, golden-yellow cups. Blooming in late spring, one flower per stem, the long-lasting blossoms rise atop a clump of narrow, strap-shaped leaves. Great in the sunny border, this daffodil performs better in wet, poorly drained areas than most daffodils. Plant in mass and enjoy its delightful fragrance waft through the air.
With its soft primrose yellow color, Hyacinth ‘City of Haarlem’ brings a cheerful sight to the dull days of late winter! Featuring flowered spikes densely covered with starry, pale yellow florets maturing to ivory, it is strongly fragrant. Rising atop fleshy bright green leaves, this eye-catching hyacinth blooms for 2-3 weeks in mid-spring. Combine with Hyacinth ‘Jan Bos’ for a striking combination or with ‘Blue Jacket’ for a pastel scenery.
One of the most fragrant, Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’ features densely flowered spikes of soft porcelain blue flowers. Rising above glossy green leaves, this lovely hyacinth blooms for 2-3 weeks in mid-spring. A wonderful addition to pots, great for indoor forcing, it also looks lovely planted in groups or drifts in the border. Plant it where you will be able to enjoy its perfume daily!
Highly fragrant, award-winning Hyacinth ‘Pink Pearl’ features dense spikes of fuchsia-purple flowers edged pale pink. Floating atop erect, lance-shaped bright green leaves, this beauty blooms for 3-4 weeks in mid-spring. Plant it where you will be able to enjoy its perfume daily: near a doorway, along a path, near your patio or deck!
Pastel lilac with richly colored, contrasting pastel florets, Hyacinth ‘Splendid Cornelia’ always provides an outstanding show! Its flared florets are also enriched with deep blue veins and its stem is not green but burgundy! Highly fragrant, with a sweet fresh scent, it is considered one of the best hyacinth varieties for forcing. Plant it where you will be able to enjoy its perfume daily. This beauty will charm you for 2-3 weeks in mid-spring.
Giant Dutch Crocus ‘Flower Record’ bears large, cup-like violet-mauve blooms with orange stamen. Extremely vigorous, long-lived and appropriate for naturalizing, this crocus belongs to the Crocus vernus group, known for its flowers that are larger than any other of the crocuses. This crocus blooms for about 3 weeks in early spring and naturalizes easily. Growing up to 4-6 inches tall (10-15 cm), this beauty naturalizes easily and will come back year after year!
Giant Dutch Crocus ‘Pickwick’ bears large, cup-like silver-lilac flowers, heavily striped with pale and dark lilac stripes. Extremely vigorous, long-lived and appropriate for naturalizing, this crocus belongs to the Crocus vernus group, known for its flowers that are larger than any other of the crocuses. A first-rate choice for planting in big, bold drifts in grass, where it will quickly spread.
With big creamy-yellow flowers, Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ (Dog Tooth Violet) is an outstanding addition to shady gardens. Vigorous, this spring perennial features up to 10 nodding lily-like flowers per stem, 2 in. wide (5 cm), with elegantly recurved, pointed petals in mid to late spring. They rise well above the foliage of rich green, glossy leaves, mottled with brown or bronze markings. The rosette of leaves emerges in early spring and grows from long, tooth-like bulbs, before dying back soon after flowering.
Realize an impressive display with this lovely bulb, Striped Squill (Puschkinia libanotica or Puschkinia scilloides). A great naturalizer, it will come back year after year and even multiply from seed under favorable conditions of light shade and moisture-retentive soil. Quite short (up to 8 inches tall – 20 cm), this award-winning bulb still makes a striking impact with its pale blue, bell-shaped flowers, accentuated with deeper blue stripes. A real charmer!
Native to the mountains of northern Iran, award-winning Scilla mischtschenkoana (White Squill) is the earliest to flower, generally in late winter or early spring. This bulbous perennial features charming racemes of starry ice-blue flowers, about 1 inch wide (2.5 cm), with a dark stripe through each petal. The blooms last as long as 2 months! Specimens that receive what they need often continue to flower year after year in the same location. White Squill has long been a popular species for the garden where it is planted to enhance early season interest. Grows up to 3-6 in. tall and wide (7-15 cm). Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Scilla siberica, an early blooming bulbous perennial, showcases vibrant blue, bell-shaped flowers that nod gracefully in early to mid-spring. With 2-5 flowers per stem, its narrow, strap-shaped leaves form a grassy foliage. This easy-to-grow plant naturalizes well, creating a stunning blue carpet when planted in large groups. It reaches a height and width of 3-6 inches (7-15 cm). Hardiness Zones: 2-8.
With their exquisite beauty, alliums are a must-have for perennial gardens. These easy-to-grow bulbs come in a wide range of colors, inflorescence types, heights, and bloom times, adding diversity and charm. They often bloom in early summer, bridging the gap between spring and summer.
Anemone blanda (Grecian Windflower) is a delightful and rewarding plant that brings bursts of bright colors to the garden in mid-spring. Its daisy-like flowers in shades of white, blue, and pink bloom abundantly over the finely cut foliage, creating a charming display. Perfect for planting along paths and borders, or even under shade trees, these flowers provide weeks of springtime joy.
Chionodoxa, commonly known as Glory-of-the-Snow, is a delightful spring-flowering bulb. Its clusters of star-shaped flowers in blue, pink, or white hues create a carpet of color. Growing just 4-6 inches tall, this petite beauty easily naturalizes in rock gardens, borders, and woodlands, adding charm to any landscape.
With its charming blooms in shades of pale lavender to red-purple and a silvery reverse, this crocus is an early flowering beauty. Its profuse flowering and natural self-propagation make it an excellent choice for naturalizing. Opening in response to sunlight and light, the calyx-shaped flowers add a delightful touch from late winter to early spring, closing during rainy weather and at night.
Iris hollandica, commonly known as Dutch Iris or Dutch Hybrids, is a bulbous perennial plant with slender, erect stems and vibrant, showy flowers. Native to the Mediterranean region, these iris varieties produce large blooms in a range of colors, including shades of blue, purple, white, and yellow, adding beauty and elegance to gardens and floral arrangements.
Muscari, commonly known as Grape Hyacinths, are charming spring-blooming bulbs that add a touch of whimsy to the garden. Their compact spikes of bell-shaped flowers, resembling clusters of tiny grapes, come in shades of blue, purple, and white. Easy to grow and low maintenance, they naturalize readily, creating captivating carpets of color. They are perfect for borders, rock gardens, and containers, providing delightful bursts of color in spring.
Top picture is courtesy of Peter Wiezoreck
Plant Type | Bulbs |
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Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) |
Height |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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