As winter rages on bringing snow showers, sleet and day after day of gray skies your days could be brightened with a vast array of winter blooms. Let this be the year that you take a walk around your landscape in winter and note spaces where you could add some winter and spring blooming bulbs. What many don't know about bulbs is that they are inexpensive, low maintenance and with the number of varieties available can enhance any garden regardless of style.
Bulbs like the crocus in the above photo can be purchased and planted in the fall. They are a relatively inexpensive investment initially and many naturalize (multiply) over time. In fact, you can purchase 100 crocus or naricissus bulbs for around $15.00! Some of the fancier or more rare and prized varieties may cost a bit more but as you can see bulbs are not hard to fit into your garden budget.
Both crocus and naricissus are very low maintenance in that they really need no special care and do not need supplemental water during the dry summer months. I don't generally plant tulips as they do not do well in the Puget Sound area as they prefer good drainage and hot dry summers. If you really love tulips I would suggest you plant your favorite variety in a container so you can enjoy the blooms then easily lift and discard the bulbs after they are done blooming.
I prefer to purchase bulbs from one of the large bulb companies online. This way I can peruse all the available varieties and can take care to come up with visually pleasing combinations. In our wet rainy Northwest climate the large and douple cupped naricissus collect so much moisture that the flowers often end up face down in the mud so I recommend the smaller flowered varieties. My favorite place to purchase bulbs is Van Engelen Inc, they offer planting recommendations, bloom time, good photo's and quality bulbs at a good price. A few of my favorite narcissus to plant are Jonquille, Tazetta, and Poeticus types.
I hope I have convinced you that adding some bulbs to your garden will be well worth the small investment of time and money. And as today is cold and rainy, why not start planning for next winter right now!
As always I will end by telling you that I am available for garden design and maintenance help and consultation. Please contact me at gabbysgardening@gmail.com if you would like to inquire further.


