Naturalizing Bulbs

Few cold hardy bulbs are native to North America; however our large variety of non-native species are such colorful harbingers of spring...

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Few cold hardy bulbs are native to North America; however our large variety of non-native species are such colorful harbingers of spring, they’re great additions in our plant palette, even in our native landscapes. Bulbs that bloom from late winter through early summer are mostly perennial and last for years. Many multiply readily increasing their floral display each year.

Bulbs are extremely low maintenance and grow in many types of soils. They can also be planted to look as if they’ve been part of the native landscape for a long time, thus the term naturalizing. Planted this way they give a great show in the spring, and each year the display will get better as the bulbs multiply.

Types of Bulbs

The assorted wildflower species (Puschkinia, Galanthus, Scilla), wildflower tulips, crocus, miniature iris and daffodils are some of the best bulbs for naturalizing.

Look through the High Country Garden catalog descriptions for bulbs that ‘naturalize’ or ‘multiply quickly’. This means the planting will get bigger year after year and your spring display will be more spectacular as the years go by.

Best Naturalizing Locales

Native grass lawns, wooded areas and wildflower meadows are perfect for naturalizing bulbs because these larger areas allow for spreading.

Planting

Plant the smaller bulbs into native grass lawns. After they bloom, their foliage will be ready to cut about the same time the lawn starts greening up.

Daffodils look spectacular in wooded areas. Use a single species or a mixture, including varieties that bloom in early, middle or late spring to extend the season. Daffodils, Scilla, Galanthus (and other wildflower species) also have the added benefit of repelling gophers, rabbits and deer so they are good choices if you have problems with these critters.

Creating That Natural Look

  • Plant bulbs in drifts or clumps; gently toss the bulbs onto the soil and plant where they land. Avoid unnatural straight lines.
  • Don’t plant too close together; they will increase and you’ll want room for the new bulblets that form.
  • Use a large enough number of bulbs to create a showy display.
    • For the smaller bulbs, use at least 50 to 100.
    • For larger bulbs, several dozen would work. For larger spaces, use even more.

Since bulbs will naturalize over time, the initial investment is actually quite small and they’ll continue adding beauty to your landscape for many more seasons.