The Most Popular Bulbs
Among flowering plants, bulbs are
certainly some of the most popular, mainly due to
their hardiness, low price and beauty. It's hard to beat the
color variety of a garden bed full of bulbs and planting bulbs
that bloom in different seasons will
usually guarantee a season full of beautiful
flowers.
Here
we focus on a few of the most popular varieties of
bulbs available to the home gardener,
which includes:
 Hyacinths (Dutch
Hyacinth)
The Dutch hyacinth is one of the most
instantly recognizable and most popular of all the varieties
of bulb plants. The Dutch hyacinth blooms in the spring and
features the well known foot high spires with their small bell
shaped and very fragrant flowers. Hyacinths
come in a wide varieties of colors, including red, pink, buff,
white, blue and purple. The Dutch hyacinth grows best
in colder areas, and it can last from year to year.
In these cold water climates, the hyacinth is best planted in
September of October.
In areas where the
weather is milder, hyacinth bulbs will not last from one year
to the next. In these more temperate areas, hyacinths
are best treated as an annual and replanted each year,
preferably in October, November or December. It's best to
plant hyacinth bulbs 4 – 5 inches deep and to space
them from 4 – 5 inches apart as well. Hyacinths grow
best in full sunlight, and they benefit from regular watering,
especially during their blooming and growth
periods.
Iris
The most
frequently seen variety of irises are the bearded varieties.
Bearded irises are striking plants, and they appear in a
dazzling array of colors and combinations of colors. Irises
appear in a variety of sizes as well, with very small
varieties and very large ones as well.
Irises should be
planted in July or August in cold climates and in September or
October in warmer areas. Irises are actually
rhizomes, and they should be spaced from 1 –
2 feet apart, with the tops placed right below the
surface of the soil. Irises grow best in full sunlight or
light shade, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule
during their growing
season.
Lilium
The lillium
is the scientific name given to the Asiatic and oriental
hybrid lily, and they are very popular bulb plants. These
Asiatic lilies bloom early in the summer and range in
height from a mere 6 inches to a towering 4 1/2 feet.
These lilies feature blossoms ranging in size from 4 –
6 inches and in their colors include white, yellow,
orange, pink and red.
Oriental lilies bloom later in the
year, usually in midsummer or early autumn. Oriental
lilies have stems from 2 – 6 feet in height and they
feature large and fragrant flowers up to nine inches in
length. These beautiful flowers feature pink
and white petals with stripes and speckles and they provide a
striking addition to any garden.
Lilly bulbs should be
planted as quickly as possible after they're bought, since
these particular bulbs don't keep well. If it's necessary to
delay planting, the bulbs should be stored in a cool
place. Always examine the bulbs carefully before they're
planted. Shriveled
bulbs should be placed in peat moss or moist sand until
they've recovered.
Asiatic and oriental lily
bulbs are best planted spaced about a foot apart. Smaller
bulbs should be covered with a layer of soil 2 –
3 inches thick, which medium sized bulbs need a layer
of 3 – 4 inches and large bulbs should be
covered with 4 – 6 inches of soil.
The most
common problem encountered when growing bulbs is a viral
infection and, unfortunately, this type of infection
is incurable. The best way to avoid infection is to
buy only the healthiest bulbs from the best sources. Any
lilies showing mottled or very stunted leaves should be
destroyed.
Lilies tend to do best in full sun
or partial shade, and like other bulbs they benefit from
regular watering during
their growth and blooming phases.
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