Colorful spring flowerbeds depend upon gardeners who prepare and plan for the months ahead. So mark your calendar. Save space on your To-Do list. Now is the time to shop for bulbs.
Whether you prefer to purchase bulbs online, order from a catalog or pick up the pre-packaged bags in a local store, don't wait much longer. Late fall is the ideal time to prepare the ground and plant. My favorites are daffodils, freesias, and tulips. All three grow well in Solano County when planted in well-drained soil, and more often than not will reward you with blooms spring after spring.
Daffodil: This easy-care bulb is from the Amaryllidaceae family, blooming in late winter to early spring. Summer water and division of bulb clusters is appreciated but not necessary for its survival. Available in a variety of flower shapes and color shades, daffodils grow as well in containers as in the ground. I like planting these bulbs in clumps to produce a mass of color — orange and apricot in the flowerbed, and yellow in a pot.
Daffodils are separated into 13 divisions: Trumpet, Large-cupped, Small-cupped, Double, Triandrus hybrids, Cyclamineus hybrids, Jonquilla hybrids, Tazetta daffodils and Tazetta hybrids, Poeticus, and Bulbocodium hybrids.
Freesia: This bulb from the Iridaceae family is also called a corm. Corms have life spans of a year, after which "cormels” form on top, taking up to three years to produce flowers. But the Freesia is well worth the wait. Beautifully shaped, it's also a fragrant addition to any garden and is quite elegant in a vase. Each stem produces from 5 to 10 tubular shaped blooms. I've noticed that the white and gold colored flowering varieties appear to be the hardiest and produce the largest blooms. Freesias are drought tolerant and need little maintenance. I planted several corms sparsely along the edge of a flowerbed and within a few years, they created a lovely springtime border. Freesias also do well in containers.
Tulip: This bulb from the Liliaceae family prefers dry summers and cool springs. Many gardeners dig up their tulip bulbs and place them in the refrigerator for six weeks before planting. This period provides a time of “cool dormancy” known as vernalization. Personally, I've stabbed to death with my trowel way too many tulip bulbs attempting to lift them out of the ground. Instead, I prefer to leave them undisturbed along the east-facing front walkway where they have multiplied and bloomed for several years.
Tulips are separated into 15 divisions: Single early, Single late, Double early, Double late, Triumph, Darwin hybrid, Lily-flowered, Fringed, Rembrandt, Parrot, Kaufmanniana, Emperor, Greigii, Botanical species, along with the Multiflowering.
Whatever type bulb you choose to plant this fall, when you step outside for a springtime stroll in your garden, you'll be so glad you planned ahead. Just imagine the colors, shapes and fragrance that will greet you. Already I'm holding breath in anticipation of a newly released double tulip bulb I just ordered. The catalog describes it as resembling a vanilla ice-cream cone — pink and green outer petals with “a froth of white” on top. I can't wait . .