Create Your Garden

Bulbs that return to the garden year after year!

Perennial bulbs, bulbs that come back, bulbs that naturalize, spring bulbs

Bulbs that naturalize contribute so much to the garden! Once planted, they produce more flowers every year. Even nicer: they also produce more bulbs! They generate new bulblets all on their own, and many kinds reproduce by seed.

This makes these little garden treasures highly prized for gardens, patios, and balconies. Since they evolved over thousands of years to survive natural conditions, living on, year after year in a garden is a snap for these hardy bulbous plants. After flowering, the bulbs remain alive beneath the surface of the soil and simply produce flowers again during the next growing season. That’s what makes them so delightful.

Guide Information

Plant Type Bulbs
Genus Narcissus, Scilla, Galanthus, Allium, Tulipa, Crocus, Chionodoxa, Fritillaria
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)

Nice to know things about naturalized bulbs

  • For bulbs that naturalize, choose a planting location that will not be spaded and where they can be left undisturbed to ‘do their thing’. This will maximize their performance and give you the best display.
  • Insects love them; bumblebees, for example, are frequent visitors. Even when nothing else is in bloom, the early bulbous plants are already providing them with enough nectar.
  • These are low-maintenance plants providing significant viewing pleasure with little work.

Caring for Perennial Bulbs

  • Planting Depth: Ensure you plant bulbs at the correct depth, usually two to three times their diameter.
  • Feeding: After blooming, it’s essential to leave the foliage until it naturally dies back. This allows the plant to photosynthesize and store energy for next year’s blooms. You can also apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring.
  • Watering: Bulbs don’t like to sit in wet soil. Ensure your soil drains well to prevent rot.
  • Division: Over time, some bulbs, like daffodils or irises, may become overcrowded. Divide and replant them every few years to keep them healthy and blooming.

By incorporating these perennial bulbs into your garden, you can ensure a vibrant and colorful display for years to come. With a bit of care and maintenance, these plants will reward you with their beauty season after season.

More on Gardenia

Garden Examples

A Spectacular Spring Border Idea with Tulip ‘Stresa’ & Crocus ‘Remembrance’
Add Sparkles To Your Early Spring Garden
A Fragrant Spring Border with Tulip ‘Heart’s Delight’, Muscari Latifolium, Hyacinths ‘Woodstock’ & ‘Splendid Cornelia’
An Eye-Catching Border Idea with colorful Allium and Euphorbia
An Impressive Planting Combination with Alliums, Poppies and Sage
A Pretty Spring Border with Allium, Eryngium and Grasses
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

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