Tag Archives: bulbs

Seeing Snowdrops Soon

Posted on February 6, 2026 | Leave a comment

When all of this snow finally melts, I will be able to see snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) blooming in my garden. Although they bloom any time from January through March, I think this heavy snow and ice is preventing the show for now.

Easy to grow, these small bulbs are planted in the fall, in masses or drifts. Hardy to USDA Zone 4-7, they prefer cool weather, partial shade, and rich soil. Deer don’t bother them but squirrels may move them around in the garden. By late spring, the green, strap-like leaves die back and the bulbs become dormant during the summer.

Snowdrops are simple signs that spring will come soon. In Great Britain, snowdrops enjoy a cult status. The English have been breeding snowdrops extensively since the Victorian era, yielding over a thousand cultivars. There are judging events and snowdrop clubs, grand events and exhibits.

To me they are pretty but they look similar. To a galanthophile, each flower is distinct. Galanthophiles collect the cultivars, some of which can be costly. They may also collect other Galanthus species — there are about 20 species that vary in bloom time and size.

Here in this country, we are not able to access a wide variety but a good source for many snowdrop cultivars is Carolyn’s Shade Gardens in Pennsylvania. Another source is David Culp’s annual Galanthus Gala which will be on February 27 & 28, 2026, in Downingtown, PA. David, a well-known breeder, lecturer, and author, has a collection of snowdrops, among other plants, in his gorgeous gardens at Brandywine Cottage. The Galanthus Gala is open to the public, registration is required, and includes speakers and other plant vendors.

Purchase bulbs next fall and plant them in your garden. You will enjoy the breath of fresh air in the late winter/early spring and you can even cut a few blossoms to bring indoors in small vases.

Don’t Throw Out Your Easter Lily!

Posted on April 21, 2025 | 1 comment

Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum) are bulbs that have been forced to bloom during Easter. If you are given one as a gift, keep it in the house in bright, indirect light. Place it in a room with cool temperatures, 60 to 65 degrees, away from drafts and heating vents. Make sure the container has drainage holes. If it came in a decorative foil, remove the foil to allow the water to drain or cut the bottom out of the foil. Keep the soil consistently moist.

Pinching off the yellow anthers prevents pollen stains and makes the blossoms last longer. Once the flowers are past their prime, remove them.

Easter lilies are true lilies, hardy to zone 4. Here in the DC metro area, you can put your plants in your garden in May after the last frost. Plant them in full sun, in well-drained soil. Plant them at the same depth as they were in the pot. Ideally 3 inches deep with 12 to 18 inches between plants. Treat them like perennials — leave the foliage on until eventually the plants become dormant for the winter. In the spring, fertilize with a slow-release balanced fertilizer or use an organic fish fertilizer.

It may take a year or two for the bulbs to bloom again. However, they will not bloom at Easter, they will bloom in the summer. In nature these are summer bloomers, like other garden lilies.

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Tagged bulbs, Easter, Easter lilies, lilies

Pleasantly Scented Paperwhites

Posted on September 19, 2024 | 2 comments

Ariel

I placed my order of spring blooming bulbs with Brent and Becky’s Bulbs and expect to get them in late October. I ordered hyacinth, muscari, allium, paperwhites, tulips, and an amaryllis. In addition to the quality, part of the reason why I ordered from this family-owned bulb company in Virginia is that I wanted a better scented paperwhite than Ziva.

Ziva is the most common paperwhite that you will find in the local garden centers. Paperwhites are a type of daffodil that does not need a chilling period. The bulbs are grown indoors, usually in a glass with water and pebbles. In just 6 weeks, they bloom.

Winter Sun

But Ziva blossoms do not produce the “breath of fresh air” one imagines in the winter. Instead, you may be thinking you have a gas leak or worse — rotting meat. What causes this offensive odor? Indole. Indole exists in trace amounts in gardenias, jasmine, and tuberose (all of which I do like). In these trace amounts, indole becomes more floral and less offensive. It is not surprising that small amounts of indole are used in perfume, such as Chanel No. 5.

However, Ziva has a higher level of indole than others. I do not care for it so I was looking for paperwhites with lower levels and thus better scents. I purchased Wintersun because I like the contrast of the dark yellow cup against the white petals. Others to try are Inball (white flowers), Ariel (white), Nir (white), and Grand Soleil d’Or (yellow with orange cup).

Grand Soleil d’Or

For a better fragrance, try growing something other than Ziva this year. They may not be available in your local garden center but they are available from specialty bulb companies.

All photos courtesy of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.

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Tagged bulbs, daffodils, forcing bulbs, holiday bulbs, paperwhites

Amaryllis: Easy, Holiday Cheer

Posted on November 3, 2023 | 2 comments

Red Pearl amaryllis, photo courtesy of Longfield Gardens.

Growing an amaryllis is easy, just plant and water. Unlike the spring blooming bulbs, an amaryllis bulb does not need a chilling period. It is a tropical plant, hardy to Zones 9-12. Once planted, these large bulbs can bloom in time for the holidays, depending on the bulb. They are pricey, but you can coax the bulb to rebloom the following year.

Now is the time to purchase bulbs in garden centers or order online. An amaryllis can be bought as a single, large bulb for you to pot up; as a gift box of a ‘pre-planted’ bulb (in a plastic container); already planted in a ceramic container as a gift; as a gift box of a glass container with a bulb and pebbles (without soil); and as a waxed bulb.

When the amaryllis blooms depend on several factors: when you plant it, the environment (light, heat), and the type you purchase. To obtain flowers for Christmas, purchase the early blooming bulbs that have been grown in the Southern hemisphere. They take 4 to 6 weeks to bloom so if you plant in November, you may get Christmas blooms. These are labeled “early” or “Christmas blooming.”

If you are not targeting Christmas, try bulbs from Holland (grown in the Northern hemisphere). They take 8 to 12 weeks and bloom from January through March. These are labeled “Dutch grown” or “winter blooming.”

Apple Blossom, photo courtesy of Longfield Gardens

You cannot tell from the bulb which is which so look at the label if the bloom time is important to you. You can also plant several types for months of flowers. For example, you can plant early blooming Bolero, Charisma, Denver, Ice Queen, Mandela or Olaf; then early winter blooming Minerva, Cherry Nymph, Magic Green, or Evergreen; then mid-winter blooming Apple Blossom, Splash, Double King, Exotica, or White Nymph; and then late winter blooming Red Pearl, Red Lion, Spartacus, Nymph, Christmas Gift or Lagoon.

Regardless of the bloom date, amaryllis bulbs (the non-waxed types) can be grown in potting mix or in a vase of water with pebbles. If you plant the bulb in potting mix, make sure the container has drainage holes or put in plastic pots with drainage holes and then into a decorative container or lined basket. Pick a pot 2 inches wider than the diameter of the bulb. For a single bulb, try using a container that is 7 to 8 inches deep and 5 to 6 inches wide. Use a well-drained potting mix, not the soil from your garden. The upper half of the bulb should remain above the soil surface. Water and put in a warm place, around 70 to 75 degrees. Then water sparingly until you see new growth. When growth appears, water more frequently but only to keep the potting mix barely moist, never wet. Place in a sunny window.

Amaryllis stake, photo courtesy of Brecks Gifts

Keep an eye on the flower stalks. If they lean, give more light or rotate the pot to balance or stake so they do not topple over. There are special amaryllis stakes that you can insert in the soil to tie to the stalk. Brecks Gifts sells “ladders” as stakes, which little Santa Clause or gnome figures can climb on. Once the flower buds appear, move the plant out of direct sun and into a slightly cooler location.

To grow in a vase of water, place about 5 inches of pebbles, marbles, or glass rocks in the glass, depending on the height of the glass. Place the bulb on top so that the top third is exposed and add a few more pebbles to anchor the bulb. Water enough so the water line is below the base of the bulb. You do not want the bulb to sit in water, but the roots need to be in water. Follow the same directions as above concerning light and temperature. With this method, you need to keep an eye on the water level so the roots always have water.

Then there are the waxed amaryllis bulbs. These are great fun because you don’t water them, you don’t plant them, you just watch them grow. And they do very well. The plant has all the nourishment and moisture it needs from the bulb. With these though, you cannot coax them to bloom again, and you cannot put them in the compost pile because the wax will not decompose. But they are a great holiday gift, especially for kids and the brown thumbs. What is even more fun is that now there are wax designs, like swirls and different colors. Jackson and Perkins and Holland Bulb Farms sell waxed bulbs with colored swirls, heart shapes, and cute tags. Plus there are “sweaters” or “socks” you can buy to cover the waxed bulb. Brecks Gifts sells sweater designs with an image of a polar bear or a reindeer; Viva Terra has Nordic sweaters; and Wind and Weather has a Santa Clause sweater.

For an easy way to decorate the home for the holidays, purchase amaryllis bulbs now. They are guaranteed to put a smile on faces. Here are additional bulb resources.

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Tagged amaryllis, amaryllis bulbs, bulbs, holiday bulbs, waxed amaryllis bulbs

Early Spring Bloomers: Dwarf Irises

Posted on December 31, 2022 | Leave a comment

Harmony

It is January and already I can see the green spikes emerging from the mass of dead, brown leaves. Dwarf irises are one of the earliest bloomers in my zone 7 Virginia garden. These irises are only 4-5 inches tall and bloom solitary flowers in February and March. Mine have been in my garden for a long time, nothing bothers them.

J.S. Dijt

Also known as netted iris, dwarf irises (Iris reticulata) are very small bulbs, covered with a fibrous netting. There are many cultivars; flower colors range from light to dark blue or light to dark purple. Preferring full sun and well-drained soil, they thrive in rock gardens, on steps and terraces, in containers, and can be forced to bloom indoors in pots. The flowers can be cut for small desk top vases, bringing early spring cheer to the office or home.

They are available to plant in the fall, along with other bulbs, at local garden centers or through bulb companies. Because they are so small though, buy at least a handful. Plant with roots pointing down, spike pointing up, three inches deep and three inches apart. Hardy to zone 5, they die back in the summer and come back in the spring every year. In my garden, ‘J.S. Dijt’ and ‘Harmony’ have thrived for years with no pests or diseases.

You Too Can Force Hyacinths To Bloom Indoors

Posted on November 12, 2022 | Leave a comment

Hyacinth Blue Pearl

It is easy to force hyacinths to bloom early indoors. Hyacinths are relatively cheap bulbs that come in a variety of flower colors: pink, blue, purple, yellow and white. Typically people purchase them in the fall to plant in the garden so they can enjoy their spring bloom. But you can also purchase them in the fall and mimic winter’s cold period by placing in the refrigerator for a few months. They need the cold period in order to bloom. Continue reading →

Pleasantly Scented Paperwhites

Posted on October 12, 2022 | 2 comments

Ariel

I love growing paperwhites. Paperwhites are a type of daffodil that does not need a chilling period. You can easily find the small bulbs at the garden center now. Most likely you are purchasing a white flowering cultivar known as Ziva. These are relatively inexpensive and easy to grow indoors. Just put a few bulbs in a glass with water and pebbles and voila! You have beautiful flowers in about 6 weeks.

Winter Sun

What’s the problem? The scent. These are not the “breath of fresh air” one imagines in the winter. Instead, you may be thinking you have a gas leak or worse — rotting meat or old diapers. Like cilantro, the fragrance of paperwhites is a “love it” or “leave it” affair.

The culprit? Indole. The fragrance is caused by a chemical called indole, which also exists in trace amounts in gardenias, jasmine, and tuberose (all of which I do like). In these trace amounts, indole becomes more floral and less offensive. It is not surprising that small amounts of indole are used in perfume, such as Chanel No. 5.

Some paperwhites, like Ziva, have a higher level of indole than others. If you find this fragrance offensive, try growing cultivars with lower levels such as Inball (white flowers), Ariel (white), Nir (white), and Wintersun (white with dark yellow cup). Yellow flowering paperwhites are supposed to be low in indole but the only one I have seen for sale is Grand Soleil d’Or from this list of bulb companies.

Grand Soleil d’Or

Try growing Inball, Ariel, Nir, Wintersun, or Grand Soleil d’Or this year. They may not be available in your local garden center but they are available from specialty bulb companies.

All photos courtesy of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.

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Tagged bulbs, daffodils, forcing bulbs, holiday bulbs, paperwhites, tazetta

Nurseries Specializing in Bulbs for Spring Flowers

Posted on September 21, 2022 | 1 comment

Fall is the time to plant bulbs for spring flowers. Here is a list of companies that sell bulbs — some specialize in the fall-planted, spring-blooming bulbs like daffodils, while others focus on the summer plants like dahlias and caladiums. If you have recommendations of other companies, enter them in the comments section so I can add to this list.

Amaryllis and Caladium Bulb Company, Florida, has catalog and can order online. Sells amaryllis, caladiums, and spring and summer bulbs.

Brecks, Ohio, has a catalog and can order online, states that it ships bulbs directly from Holland

Bluestone Perennials, sells bulbs as well as perennials.

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Virginia, has a catalog, can order online, can visit display garden and shop in Gloucester, VA.

Colorblends, Connecticut. Although “wholesale” is in their title and on their website, they do sell bulbs to home gardeners. They have an annual print catalog and an online site for ordering. Specializes in spring blooming bulbs.

Dan’s Dahlias, Washington company that specializes in dahlias.

David Burdick Daffodils and More, Massachusetts, has catalog and website but not able to order online. Has daffodils, trollius, colchicums, and a few other bulbs

Dutch Gardens, Illinois, has catalog and can order online, sells bulbs and perennials

Dutch Grown, Pennsylvania, order bulbs online.

Easy to Grow Bulbs, California, can order online, no catalog. Sells bulbs, succulents, and houseplants.

John Scheepers Beauty from Bulbs, Connecticut, can order online and has catalog. Also has sister company Van Engelen for wholesale bulb orders and a sister company, Kitchen Garden Seeds, for vegetable, herb, flower seeds

Longfield Gardens, New Jersey, can order online but no catalog, sells bulbs and perennials

McClure and Zimmerman, Wisconsin, has a digital catalog and can order online, sells bulbs

Odyssey Bulbs, Massachusetts, online, no catalog, sells unusual bulbs and perennials

Old House Gardens, Michigan, can order online and has a print catalog, known for heirloom bulbs

Plant Addicts is a family owned, online plant store in Nebraska that sells bulbs as well as other types of plants and garden décor. Their website also offers gardening information and resources.

RoozenGaarde and Washington Bulb Company, Washington, has a mailorder and internet division called Tulips.com. There is a retail gift shop in WA. Also ships flowers and promotes bulbs as wedding favors.

Telos Rare Bulbs, California, sells bulbs from South Africa, South America, and western U.S., online, no catalog

White Flower Farm, Connecticut, can order online and obtain catalog, wide range of bulbs, perennials, holiday plants, and gardening tools. Has display gardens and store in CT.

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Tagged bulbs, corms, plants, rhizomes, tubers

Nurseries that Specialize in Bulbs, Rhizomes, Corms, Tubers, Etc.

Posted on February 4, 2022 | 2 comments

A few weeks ago, I shared my list of companies that specialize in seed and asked you to send me companies I did not have so I could expand my list. I received many new companies (thank you!) so I now have 86 seed companies on my website. I thought I would do this for my list of companies that sell ornamental bulbs. These can be the spring blooming bulbs as well as summer plants that are sold by bulbs, tubers, corms, rhizomes, etc. Those that are edible, i.e., seed potato and garlic, are on the seed list. So send me your suggestions in the comments section so we can expand this list from 19 to 30 at least!

Amaryllis and Caladium Bulb Company, Florida, has catalog and can order online. Sells amaryllis, caladiums, and spring and summer bulbs.

Brecks, Ohio, has a catalog and can order online, states that it ships bulbs directly from Holland

Bluestone Perennials, sells bulbs as well as perennials.

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Virginia, has a catalog, can order online, can visit display garden and shop in Gloucester, VA.

Colorblends, Connecticut. Although “wholesale” is in their title and on their website, they do sell bulbs to home gardeners. There is a $60 minimum order. They have an annual print catalog and an online site for ordering. Specializes in spring blooming bulbs.

Dan’s Dahlias, Washington state company that specializes in dahlias.