Prepare for a joyous display early next year by getting the brightest, boldest, best spring bulbs in the ground in fall. From fiery-orange fritillaries to dazzling-blue scillas, scarlet anemones and magenta tulips, each bulb is akin to a bomb of color that will explode with vibrant flowers in a few months’ time.
Planting spring bulbs that bloom at different times will ensure a non-stop display throughout the season. For instance, purple crocuses and azure scillas will kick off the show; followed by sun-yellow daffodils and beetroot-red hyacinths; then cobalt muscari and tulips in every color; with rich-mauve alliums and hot-pink gladioli to finish. In pots, this succession of flowering is done in layers and is referred to as ‘lasagne planting’.
Gardener and bulb specialist Sarah Raven names tulips as her favorite bulbs for vivid color in spring. Tulips are the most sophisticated, high glamour flowers of all, with a flamboyance that no other plant can match, she says. ‘They have such a wide selection of colors and styles, from rich, saturated velvet reds and purples to bold and brilliant pinks and oranges that will light up any corner of your garden.
'Fall bulb planting is one of the main opportunities us gardeners have to create our own style signature, to plot a great parade of color and contrast which will keep us going for months next spring,' she adds.
14 of the best spring bulbs for your garden
From types of tulips to stunning scillas, these are our top choices for spring blooms.
1. Tulipa 'Prinses Irene'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 14in (35cm)
- Spread: 6in (15cm)
- Best for: Containers
If you're planning on planting tulips this season, 'Prinses Irene’ is a fabulous orange type with coral and purple tones.
It works well in a mix. For instance, it features in the Tuscan Tulip Collection from Sarah Raven. ‘It’s our current favorite soft and warm palette: luscious, chalky ‘Apricot Foxx’ and sunset ‘Prinses Irene’, cut through with ‘Queen of Night’ to stop anything getting remotely too "sweetie pie",’ says Sarah.
- Buy Tulipa 'Prinses Irene' in the US: view at Burpee
- Buy Tulipa 'Prinses Irene' in the UK: view at Crocus
2. Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête'
- Hardiness: USDA 4-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 6in (15cm)
- Spread: 2in (5cm)
- Best for: Flower power
'Tête-à-tête' is an old variety bred by the founder of our company, but it’s still the best – very long-lived and free flowering,’ says Christine Skelmersdale at bulb supplier Broadleigh Gardens. ‘It can be grown in pots, borders, and rock gardens and is quite happy to naturalize in grass.’
Plant these daffodil bulbs in early fall in well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade.
- Buy Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' in the US: view at Amazon
- Buy Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' in the UK: view at Amazon
3. Scilla siberica
- Hardiness: USDA 2-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 6in (15cm)
- Spread: 2in (5cm)
- Best for: Naturalizing
The Siberian squill has glowing bright-blue flowers in early spring. It's a great bulb for naturalizing in a variety of situations: from a sunny gravel garden to grass under deciduous trees (such as flowering cherry).
Like bluebells, it looks breathtaking growing en masse in a carpet of blue. Plant in fall, 4in (10cm) deep, ideally in very well-drained soil.
4. Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra Maxima'
- Hardiness: USDA 5-8 (UK H7)
- Height: 3ft (90cm)
- Spread: 1ft (30cm)
- Best for: Extravagant blooms
This wonderfully unsubtle crown imperial produces a handful of red-orange bells topped with a punk-head of glossy green leaves, atop tall, sturdy, dark stems in mid to late spring.
Plant the large bulbs on their sides during fall, at four times their depth, in well-drained soil in sun, taking great care with them as they are fragile. They look great with magenta tulips.
- Buy Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra Maxima' in the US: view at Dutch Grown
- Buy Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra Maxima' in the UK: view at Dutch Grown
5. Crocus x luteus 'Golden Yellow'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 5in (12cm)
- Spread: 2in (5cm)
- Best for: Bee-friendly plants
The rich-yellow goblets of this large crocus light up the garden when they open in early spring. They will form attractive clumps in borders or can be naturalized in grass, and they work well for early container gardening displays, too.
Plant in fall, 4in (10cm) deep, in well-drained soil in sun. They look particularly lovely with white and lemon daffodils or in colorful drifts with other crocuses.
- Buy Crocus x luteus 'Golden Yellow' in the US: view at White Flower Farm
- Buy Crocus x luteus 'Golden Yellow' in the UK: view at Crocus
6. Tulipa 'Ballerina'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 2ft (60cm)
- Spread: 6in (15cm)
- Best for: Elegant flowers
A lily-flowered tulip as slender and curved as a champagne flute, this stunning, scented variety injects garden borders with elegance and color when it opens in mid to late spring.
Pair with cushion spurge (Euphorbia epithymoides) in well-drained soil in sun. Plant from mid to late fall, at least 4in (10cm) deep, with the pointy end of the bulb facing up.
- Buy 'Tulipa Ballerina' in the US: view at Dutch Grown
- Buy Tulipa 'Ballerina' in the UK: view at Amazon
7. Hyacinthus orientalis 'Jan Bos'
- Hardiness: USDA 4-8 (UK H4)
- Height: 10in (25cm)
- Spread: 4in (10cm)
- Best for: Scent
rb, old hyacinth variety with rich carmine-pink heads of waxy flowers that fill the air with heady scent in late spring.
Enjoy its vivid color in pots, at the front of borders, or as part of your spring window box ideas, alongside muscari.
Plant 4in (10cm) deep in fall, in well-drained humus-rich soil in sun or semi-shade. You can also force these bulbs indoors in time for Christmas.
- Buy Hyacinthus orientalis 'Jan Bos' in the US: view at Burpee
- Buy Hyacinthus orientalis 'Jan Bos' in the UK: view at Amazon
8. Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 2ft (60cm)
- Spread: 1ft (15cm)
- Best for: Cheering color
Producing bright yellow flowers on tall stems, this Darwin hybrid is a delight in mid-spring.
It's reliably perennial and tolerant of semi-shade, where its flowers will not fade in the sun. Plant between mid and late fall, 4-6in (10-15cm) deep, in well-drained soil in sheltered sun or semi-shade. Alternatively, grow for spring container displays.
- Buy Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn' in the US: view at Dutch Flower Bulbs
- Buy Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn' in the UK: view at Crocus
9. Muscari latifolium
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 8in (20cm)
- Spread: 2in (5cm)
- Best for: Early spring
This striking, large grape hyacinth hails from the forest groves of Turkey. It produces two-tone heads of cobalt and damson flowers, which look spectacular with white crocuses.
Plant in fall in well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. Clumps can be lifted, divided, and replanted in summer if they become congested and lacking in flower power.
- Buy Muscari latifolium in the US: view at Dutch Grown
- Buy Muscari latifolium in the UK: view at Amazon
10. Tulipa 'Red Riding Hood'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 8in (20cm)
- Spread: 2in (5cm)
- Best for: Window boxes
A dwarf tulip with intense red flowers above attractive striped leaves, this is perfect for growing in pots around a doorway, in window boxes, or in patio planters to brighten up a courtyard or balcony.
Plant 4in (10cm) deep in mid to late fall in well-drained soil or well-drained containers in sun. It is reliably perennial and pairs well with burgundy hellebores and copper-hued types of ornamental grasses.
- Buy Tulipa 'Red Riding Hood' in the US: view at Breck's
- Buy Tulipa 'Red Riding Hood' in the UK: view at Crocus
11. Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus
- Hardiness: USDA 7-10 (UK H5)
- Height: 2ft (60cm)
- Spread: 4in (10cm)
- Best for: Late spring
The Byzantine gladiolus has spikes of vibrant, magenta-pink, funnel-shaped flowers with sword-shaped leaves in late spring. It will spread, providing a reliable mass of superb color through borders or areas of long grass.
Plant gladioli corms in fall, 4-6in (10-15cm) deep, in very well-drained soil in full sun. Try pairing it with Stachys byzantina for a textural mix.
- Buy Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus in the US: view at Burpee
- Buy Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus in the UK: view at Crocus
12. Iris 'Harmony'
- Hardiness: USDA 5-9 (UK H7)
- Height: 5in (13cm)
- Spread: 3in (8cm)
- Best for: Entranceways
A gorgeous reticulata iris to lift the spirits during late winter and early spring, this has elegant purple-blue flowers with a golden band on its falls.
They're perfect for planting in troughs beside the front door or alongside a garden path leading to an entrance. Dress these regal dwarf irises with pale gravel to show them off.
Plant in fall in well-drained neutral to alkaline soil in sun.
13. Tulipa 'Doll's Minuet'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 20in (55cm)
- Spread: 6in (15cm)
- Best for: Color
The sculptural flowers of this glorious tulip resemble hot-pink flames, ablaze in the border. Their sides are marked with a dark pink-green stripe, making them even more striking.
Pair with bronze carex grasses in well-drained soil in full sun. Plant the bulbs at least 4in (10cm) deep, with the pointed ends facing up.
14. Tulipa 'Queen of Night'
- Hardiness: USDA 3-8 (UK H6)
- Height: 2ft (60cm)
- Spread: 5in (12cm)
- Best for: Dark flowers
Another show-stopping tulip, this glossy dark-claret variety is excellent for mixing with orange and magenta flowers, bleeding hearts, and spurges to add sophistication and drama.
Plant 5in (12cm) deep, between mid and late fall, in well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. It is reliably perennial and can be grown in pots.
- Buy Tulipa 'Queen of Night' in the US: view at Burpee
- Buy Tulipa 'Queen on Night' in the UK: view at Amazon
Which spring bulbs last the longest?
Some of the most reliably perennial bulbs (meaning they flower every spring for many years) include daffodils, scillas, and crocuses – many of which flower early so are perfect for brightening up the late winter garden.
In terms of length of flowering, crocuses, scillas, daffodils, and tulips can bloom for two months each spring.
