Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite) is a charming tuberous perennial that bursts from the ground in late winter (before crocuses) with cup-shaped, upward-facing, bright yellow flowers (1 in. wide or 3 cm), surrounded by divided leafy bracts. The foliage of rich green leaves, divided into several lobes, emerges after the flowers. Winter Aconites go dormant by late spring.

There are 20 different Snowdrop species and several hundreds of hybrids. Yes, several hundreds (!). The craze known as Galanthophilia has swept through the ranks of gardening enthusiasts in the past few years. While all snowdrops look the same to the uninitiated - dainty, nodding white flowers, with a dab of green, held on a thin arching stalk at the end of a thicker stem - they reveal their differences when you take a closer look.

Few sights surpass a mixed planting of Cyclamen coum (Persian Violet) on an early spring morning! Award-winning Cyclamen coum is an early spring bloomer with lovely heart-shaped, glossy leaves and small but showy flowers in shades of white to rosy-purple with every hue in between. Adding several weeks of cheerful color and beauty to the garden in late winter - early spring, the blossoms are so abundant that they almost obscure the leaves! Very decorative, the leaves may be plain dark green but are also adorned with pretty silver patterns.

Flowering in late winter to early spring, the Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum) generally appears at the same time as the snowdrops (Galanthus). Each flower stem usually carries a solitary lightly scented flower, white with green spots on its tepals, and rises above elongated, strap-shaped, glossy green leaves. Growing up to 8 - 10 inches (20 - 25 cm), this white beauty is an easy grower, naturalizes well and will multiply over time. It tolerates boggy spots and will do well on the edges of natural ponds.

Blooming well before the fat Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus), Crocus chrysanthus (Snow Crocus) pokes through the bare earth or snow to cheer gardeners and capture their heart. This crocus produces smaller flowers than those of the familiar 'Dutch crocuses' but in greater numbers. This species is also noteworthy for its unusual color blends, not found in the larger hybrids. Many cultivars have bicolored petals and a striking yellow center. They make the most dramatic appearance when planted in clumps of one color and bloom so profusely and brilliantly that even small clusters can be seen from a distance.

Vigorous, Crocus sieberi is a late winter-flowering crocus producing its charming flowers as the snow melts. Regarded by some as one of the most attractive crocuses, it is very hardy and ridiculously easy to grow, making long-lived clumps. Easily established, this crocus increases nicely over time, providing attractive splashes of color, like scattered gemstones sparkling on the ground!

Among the earliest to flower, this species has elegant blossoms of pale lavender to red-purple with a silvery reverse. The profuse flowering and spontaneous self-propagation make this crocus a very good choice for naturalizing. Blooming from late winter to early spring, the calyx-shaped flowers open when the sun shines or when there is a lot of light; they close up in rainy weather and at night.

Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata) is a 4 in. tall beauty (10 cm) with grass-like leaves and a violet-blue or purple flower with yellow markings that bursts into bloom in early spring to create an effect reminiscent of butterflies hovering low to the ground. This sight brightens the aspect of late winter days in February and March. Perfect in pots and rock gardens, Iris reticulata will naturalize readily.

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!

One of the earliest spring bloomers, Scilla siberica is a bulbous perennial boasting intense blue, bell-shaped, nodding flowers (2-5 per stem) in early to mid-spring. Each bulb produces 3 to 4 flower stems above a grassy foliage of narrow strap-shaped leaves. Easy to grow, this is one of the most winter hardy of the scillas and can be found in hardiness zone 2. A great naturalizer, it multiplies and comes back year after year, turning the landscape into a sea of blue. Looks best when planted in large drifts. Grows up to 3-6 in. tall and wide (7-15 cm). Hardiness Zones: 2-8

Native to Crete and Turkey, Chionodoxa are one of the earliest and loveliest spring flowering bulbs, adding beauty to the garden. Flowers are saucer-shaped with a conspicuous white eye in the center and bloom in very early spring. Once established, this little bulb naturalizes well and comes back year after year. It provides a pretty display when planted among early-flowering perennial plants in the border. Grows up to 4-6 in. tall (10-20 cm). Hardiness Zones: 3-8

One of the most popular species, Crocus vernus is an early spring blooming bulb that is widely grown in gardens or used for winter forcing. Its flowers are larger than any other of the crocuses, hence its common names of large flowering crocus or giant crocus. They range from yellow, white, and purple to striped or bronze and bloom for about three weeks.

The most popular companion of the tulip, daffodils are spring flowering bulbs mostly known as yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. However, daffodils (Narcissus) offer a wider range of flower shapes and colors that are absolutely fabulous when combined with other spring bulbs. Long-lived, they naturalize and multiply year after year. Versatile, they are perfect for beds and borders, rock gardens, containers, or window boxes. They also make gardening easy. Once planted, there is nothing left to do: these bulbs can stay right where they are and produce flowers year after year. As an added, most are fragrant and all are deer and rodent-resistant.

Native to Western Europe, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (English Bluebells) is a vigorous, bulbous perennial producing small clumps of linear, strap-shaped leaves from which rise tall stems bearing arching, one-sided racemes of 4-16 strongly sweetly scented, nodding, narrowly tubular, bell-shaped, violet blue flowers, rarely pink or white. Blooming heartily from mid to late spring, English Bluebells go dormant by early summer. Easy to grow, low care and spectacular when massed, they are a reliable addition to the landscape, where they will happily multiply in optimum growing conditions. Bluebells make an attractive ornamental addition to woodland gardens or sites in semi-shade. Typically forms spreading clumps up to 12-18 in. tall (30-45 cm). Hardiness Zones: 4-10

Leucojum aestivum, although called 'Summer Snowflake', flowers in mid-spring and boasts 4-8 white, nodding, bell-shaped flowers with green-tipped tepals, dangling from each long, fairly sturdy flower stem. As an added bonus, the flowers are softly chocolate-scented!

Native to Bulgaria and Turkey, Ornithogalum nutans is an attractive bulbous perennial boasting one-sided racemes of up to 15 fragrant, nodding, bell-shaped, white flowers in mid to late spring. Each blossom consists of 6 tepals adorned with white edges and a green stripe on the outside. Very pretty, the flowers open up into a star shape and last well when picked. The narrow, strap-shaped bright green leaves feature a silver central vein. A striking cut flower and wonderful naturalizer.

Anemone blanda (Grecian Windflower) is a rewarding little plant that can easily provide a great deal of pleasure! Offering dabs of bright colors in mid-spring, mounds of abundant daisy-like flowers show off in shades of white, blue, and pink over the finely cut fernlike foliage. These daisies seem to last for weeks.

The genus Fritillaria consists of almost 100 species. All of these are found in the northern hemisphere, with the main habitats being the areas around the Mediterranean. Only a limited number are being cultivated, but interest in this genus is very much on the rise. All of them exhibit bell-shaped flowers, generally hanging downwards from the top of upright stems which bear narrow leaves.

Native to the Iberian Peninsula, Hyacinthoides hispanica (Spanish Bluebell) is a great bulbous perennial that is easy to grow, low care and incredibly good-looking. Each bulb produces attractive, nodding, bell-shaped flowers hanging from sturdy, round flower stalks, atop clumps of glossy strap-shaped leaves. Blooming heartily from mid to late spring, Spanish Bluebell is a beautiful and reliable addition to the landscape, where it will happily multiply in optimum growing conditions. Typically forms spreading clumps up to 12-18 in tall. Hardiness Zones: 3-8

Rich and heavily fragrant, hyacinths are spring-flowering bulbs that produce gorgeous red, pink, orange, salmon, yellow, purple, white or blue spike-like flowers that mostly cover their stem with a multitude of florets or bells. Floating atop erect, lance-shaped bright green leaves, these beauties bloom once each year in early to mid spring and last about 2 weeks, depending on the weather. 

Robust and hardy, Ipheion (Spring Starflower) are small bulbous perennials with lovely star-shaped, sweet violet scented flowers borne on long slender scapes in mid to late spring. Blooming for up to 8 weeks, the dainty blossoms rise atop a cushion of narrow, pale, delicate and grass-like leaves. Regarded to be one of the easiest bulbs to grow, the plants die down in early summer and the flowers can be cut for pretty indoor decoration.

Most Muscari species are so extremely winter hardy and easy to grow that no garden should be without them. They naturalize extremely easily and will come back year after year and multiply. They come in different shades of blue, in white and even pink. An additional benefit is that all Muscari have a lovely fragrance. The more you plant, the more fragrance you get!

No matter what their color, tulips will brighten up your garden and provide weeks of cheerful color. If you love Tulips and want to have a great spring garden that blooms from early season through late season, select Tulip bulbs that bloom across all three spring seasons. Exactly when the flowers bloom will depend on nature and the spring conditions in your area that year, but you should have a terrific garden that satisfies for months on end.

Ideal for shady areas and heavy clay, Convallaria majalis (Lily of The Valley) is a low-growing rhizomatous perennial forming a lush, spreading groundcover. Blooming for 3 weeks in mid to late spring, up to 15 sweetly scented, nodding, bell-shaped, white flowers hang along slightly arching flowering stems. Renowned for their powerful floral perfume, they rise above the handsome foliage of paired elliptic green leaves. A real charmer and an outstanding performer, Lily of The Valley is trouble-free, requires little maintenance and is deer and rabbit resistant. Long-lived, it naturalizes easily to form extensive colonies.

Alliums are plants of exquisite beauty that deserve a place in perennial gardens. Easy to grow and undemanding, these very ornamental bulbs distinguish themselves by their great diversity in color, inflorescence, flowering height and bloom times. Many species bloom in early summer - just after the spring-flowering period and just before the exuberant full bloom of summer. 

Native to North America, Camassias (Camas) are bulbous perennials with long racemes of up to 100 star-shaped flowers, adorned with six slender loose petals, a green center and bright yellow stamens. The flowers vary in color from pale lilac or white to deep purple or blue-violet. Borne on stout, willowy stems, they open sequentially from bottom to top for a long-lasting display. Blooming in late spring to early summer, these spring-flowering bulbs rise atop a foliage clump of linear green leaves. A striking feature in the garden, Camassias add something different to the borders at a time when the summer perennials have not yet hit their stride. Left undisturbed, they are vigorous growers and will increase freely in damp soil.

While called 'Dutch Iris', this iris never grew wild in the Netherlands. Instead, it is the product of hybridizations carried out by Dutch growers. Tall and slender, it features flowers that are 4 in. wide (10 cm) with flower stalks, surrounded by gray reed-like leaves, that are very sturdy - a quality which makes them quite suitable for use as cut flowers. The color assortment is very wide and includes bicolored varieties.