8 Festive Bulbs to Plant This Fall
By Pro.com
Unless you frequent the garden stores, you might forget to plant bulbs this fall that will shower your yard with brilliant colors next spring. Pops of blue, lavender, pink, white and yellow signal the arrival of warmer temperatures, baseball and a time when we can stay outside longer. Let this serve as your reminder to bury those bulbs now and forget about them.
If you’d like to change up what bursts into bloom in your yard next spring, you’ll find some unique flowers in this list.
1. Tulips
Look for single or double flowers, fringed or ruffled-edged varieties. Sew one or two colors in a pattern of your choosing – circles, bunches, rectangles – or plant a colorful rainbow of yellow, pink, orange, red, lavender and purple.
2. Crocus
The first of the spring bulbs to bloom, crocuses just barely peak out of the dirt because of their short stature. A single flower sprouts from the end of a tube and comes in brilliant shades of yellow, purple, lilac, blue and striped.
3. Daffodils
Other common names include narcissus and jonquil. A harbinger of spring, these traditionally show yellow or white petals surrounding trumpet-shaped flowers. They also infuse a sweet, dewy fragrance into the air.
4. Grape Hyacinth
This bulb creates a grape-like cluster of cobalt blue bell flowers with a thin, white stripe on the rim. Floppy, narrow green leaves accent the flowers. Grows 4 to 8 inches tall and emits an exhilarating scent.
5. Bearded Iris
Thick, bushy “beards” on the lower petals give these blossoms their name. Select from a variety of heights from miniature to dwarf to standard and all sizes in between and almost any color. Royal purple, a vibrant choice, gives your landscaping a beautiful flush.
6. Dutch Iris
Can grow to two feet, which makes their intense colors like deep blue, purple or orange a focal showpiece in your landscaping. The petals that drape off the sides often sport a yellow swatch.
7. Summer Snowflake
Almost identical to snowdrops, which bloom prior to spring snowflakes. A foliage that looks like grass supports white bell-shaped flowers that hang down. Makes a good backdrop for a border for low-growing perennials and the flowers last a long time.
8. Scilla
Produces a smaller blue flower. Many shades of blue are available including purple-blue. Although rarer, you may also find them in pink, purple and white. As a bonus, they multiply.
Pro.com is a website founded in 2013 by service industry entrepreneurs and former Amazon executives to simplify home services -- especially research on contractor fees and qualifications.
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