Bulbs
Designing with bulb can be an exciting way to create various " wow " moments in your garden . One common method acting of place bulbs is to confound a handful into a garden bed and found them where they land , which result in a natural - looking exhibit of bloom . However , with a bit of creativity , there are many other ways to accomplish fabulous termination using bulbs .
1. CREATE COLOR ECHOES
Creating color echo is a well - screw invention conception for flower shrubs , perennial , and annuals . But , do n’t draw a blank to admit bulbs ! Some of the most impactful color echoes can result from a flowering bulb that echo nearby foliage or flowers . Take it one step further and pull out strange sources of colour that might ensue from your efflorescence bulb , such as a petty , less - obvious color from a petal , stem , or leaf .
The soft scandalmongering and ashen daffodil echo the variegated foliage of the neighboringIris pallida‘Variegata ’ . pic by : Rebecca Sweet .
2. TREAT AS EPHEMERALS
Ephemerals are wildflower typically found in a woodland setting that briefly look in early spring . They grow underneath deciduous Tree , take advantage of the sunlight before the tree ’s canopy sate out and make dim shade . Once the shade appear , the ephemeral fade away until the undermentioned natural spring . It ’s a glorious thing to see these fugitive moments of beauty !
Even though bulbs are n’t technically considered ephemeral , by planting them beneath a turgid deciduous tree or shrub , the concept is alike — letting the bulbs take advantage of the irregular gay location , fading off once the shrub or tree begins to leaf back out .
carry advantage of the former winter Dominicus , a carpet of crocus blooms under a deciduous tree . The flowers are finish once the tree begins to riffle out again . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
3. VARY BULB HEIGHT
When implant a traditional garden bed , a common scheme is to place taller plants in the back , medium plants in the middle , and smaller plant in the front . The same conception can be applied to bulbs by using varieties with deviate heights .
This scheme leave for smaller bulbs to be well appreciated when planted up front , and create visual depth with taller heyday planted in the back of the perimeter . The resultant role is a much more engaging and dynamic garden , encouraging one to expend a little more time take it all in before moving on .
Small livid rain lilies bloom in front of the tallerBegonia boliviensis . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
4. PLANT IN DRIFTS
make some garden drama by planting a drift of lightbulb versus equally spacing them throughout the garden . For instance , a belt of 50 + bloomingMuscaribulbs creates much more excitement than if they were sporadically planted here and there in small clusters .
drift also create visual cause , encouraging guest to follow the drift to search the rest of the garden .
A mess of lavender grape hyacinth creates a visual impact , exciting to view both up close and farther away . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
5. USE CONTAINERS TO TEST COLORS
While there ’s nothing incorrect with enjoy a fully grown container of bright colored medulla oblongata on your terrace or near your front door , why not take vantage of the pot ’s mobility and range it within your garden bed ? This is a fantastic way to test a particular color combination without the loyalty of planting the bulbs in the ground . If it ’s not quite correct , plainly move the container to unlike area in the garden until you obtain the staring smudge or the want colour combination from surround plant life . When the bulb are finish blooming you may set them in the ground with authority , knowing they ’ll look mythologic next class .
A blooming lot of orange tulip snuggle within the garden bed not only contribute summit , but earmark for experiment with colors . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
6. DISGUISE DYING FOLIAGE
As a light bulb ’s flower and foliage begin to fade , it ’s enticing to tidy up and bump off the die leaf . However , fight that enticement ! While perhaps a niggling unsightly looking , the leafage is busy gathering energy to salt away in the incandescent lamp for next year ’s flower . Remove the foliage too early , and you ’ll have much little ( if any ) blossom the following year .
One method to disguise unsightly foliage is to embed the incandescent lamp behind or near low - growing evergreen plant plant or decorative weed . By doing this , when the foliage begins to flop , it can neatly be insert behind the plants in front , allowing them to fade away at their own pace .
Once the leafage is tan - colored and dry out out , it ’s secure to remove . At this stop , the foliage should well pull off from the medulla , but if not , use pruners to avoid accidentally dislodging the bulb .
Another similar method acting to disguise a bulb ’s dying leafage is to plant the bulb near perennials or annuals that will start growing just as the bulb is finished bloom . standardized to the evergreen plant strategy , the perennials or annual will part raise over the foliage , hiding it from view and letting it tardily fade away .
The grey leaf of theSenecio‘Silver Gleam ’ highlight the purpleAllium‘Lavender house of cards ’ and enshroud the pass leaf . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
7. STAGGER BLOOM TIME
Having a four - season garden , with something blooming throughout the integral year , is a goal for many gardeners . When choosing industrial plant with staggered bloom times , do n’t leave to admit bulb that bloom throughout the yr as a tremendous path to add four - season involvement .
The summertime - bloomingAllium‘Millenium ’ makes its appearance after the spring - blooming bulbs have polish off their show . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet .
make Magic in Your Garden with Fall Blooming Bulbs
Transform your drop garden with the counselling of horticulture expert Rebecca Sweet from Harmony in the Garden . Discover how she use fall - blooming bulbs to create three dynamic compounding full of optic DOE .
