As summer draws to a close and the last flowers fade in autumn, the nature lover’s heart can weigh heavily in the face of a long winter that is now just around the corner. How good that there are early bloomers for the garden, meadow and forest, which have to be planted in the ground as flower bulbs in autumn. The horticultural creativity is in demand again and the anticipation is awakened for new blooms next spring. In the following, the most popular early bloomers are presented, some of which are already stretching out towards the sun while the snow is still on the ground, thus ushering in spring.
Table of Contents
Early bloomers in the garden and on the lawn
snowdrop
They are among the best-known early bloomers in the garden, in rock gardens, under trees and shrubs or even in the lawn and on the meadow. Its Latin name, Galanthus, translates to milky flower, which perfectly describes the appearance of these flowers. There are now more than 100 varieties of snowdrops, but basically they all look very similar. White, bell-shaped flowers dangle from their 15 cm to 20 cm tall stalks. Once planted, they will spread by themselves at lightning speed from year to year. Parents of young children should know that all parts of the snowdrop are poisonous.
Crocus
In addition to the snowdrop, the crocus is also known and popular in the local latitudes as an early bloomer in the garden. The more than 80 species of crocus offer a wide variety of colors, ranging from white to yellow to violet. Some species also conjure up multicolored flowers. This early bloomer loves a sunny spot and humus-rich soil. However, the plant can also cope with a partially shaded location and other soil. A flower bulb usually develops several flowers at the same time, which are robust and hardy, although they appear as early as February or March. Crocuses usually reproduce all by themselves or by separating the daughter bulb after flowering. Where voles could tamper with the flower bulbs, you should plant them in an appropriate wire basket.
Tulips
No, they do not originally come from Holland, but were brought to Europe from the Near East many hundreds of years ago. However, the Dutch have made a great contribution to the fact that there is now an almost immense variety of tulips. If you plant the varieties skillfully, you can enjoy flowering tulips in your garden from March to June. Tulips are hardy, hardy and keep reappearing for many years. They are just as beautiful to look at in flower beds as they are in planters, flower boxes and on graves. The smaller wild tulips are particularly suitable for rock gardens. They prefer a partially shaded to sunny location in well-drained soil. In early spring they will appreciate a good dose of fertilizer or mulch.
Märzenbrecher
They are often confused with the snowdrop because they closely resemble this early bloomer. However, the bell-shaped flowers of the Marchenbreaker are significantly larger and grow between 20 cm and 90 cm in height. In addition, unlike snowdrops, they develop a pleasant scent. In combination with crocuses and other early bloomers, they create a beautiful picture in beds, under shrubs and trees or in the lawn. The higher-growing species thrive very well at the edge of garden ponds, in planters or flower boxes. March crushers prefer humus-rich, moist and nutrient-rich soil in a sunny to partially shaded location.
Winterling
Together with the snowdrops and the crocuses, the winterling appears very early in the year; usually in February or March. Just like the crocuses, the bright yellow flowers of the winter cultivar come into their own when planted in groups. The hardy and robust plant does well in loamy and humus-rich soils, especially if they are also calcareous. In addition, it is an ecologically valuable flower because it offers native insects a welcome source of nectar early in the year.
daffodils
These early bloomers should not be missing in any garden, because they attract attention with their bright yellow colour. There are now thousands of varieties, of which those with the bell-shaped flowers, also known as daffodils, are the best known. Depending on the variety, they bloom from March to May, sometimes with double flowers and in the colors white, pink and orange. However, the most popular are still the yellow daffodils, the sight of which increases the anticipation of spring and Easter. In principle, they thrive in any garden soil where waterlogging cannot form. The experienced hobby gardener plants them in groups so that their rather long stems do not snap off so easily in the wind. They are propagated using daughter bulbs or seeds.
Hyazinthe
It is one of the most magnificent early bloomers in the garden, thanks to its dense inflorescences with many individual flowers. Although their variety of colors is not as great as that of tulips, the hyacinth exudes an intoxicating scent in beds, in pots and as grave plants. This flower will grow to about 25cm to 30cm tall in well drained, humus rich soil in a partially shaded to sunny spot. Propagation is possible using onion bulbs. Good to know is that it is toxic to pets and can cause skin irritation in humans. It is therefore advisable to wear gloves during maintenance work.
snow shine
This early flowering plant belongs to the hyacinth family, but grows to a maximum of 10cm to 15cm. It flowers in blue and pink from March to April. It is robust, hardy and very easy to care for. Snow shine is just as common in rock gardens as it is in beds, under trees or in meadows and lawns. Any garden soil is actually fine with her, as long as it is in partial shade or in the sun. The plant takes care of the propagation itself and appears anew every spring.
The following care tips apply to all early bloomers in the garden:
- partially shaded to sunny location;
- nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil that is not too heavy;
- Flower bulbs do not tolerate waterlogging;
- in the fall, plant bulbs in the ground between 8 cm to 15 cm;
- if there are voles, plant the bulbs in wire baskets;
- fertilize and mulch tulips and hyacinths in early spring;
- only mow the lawn or meadow when the leaves have changed colour;
- plant long-stemmed early bloomers in groups so they don’t snap off.
Plant spring flowering bulbs correctly
Although flower bulbs are in principle very easy to care for, there are still a few tips to keep in mind so that they really develop into the desired flowering splendor. The bulbs of the first early bloomers, such as snowdrops, crocuses and March crushers, are planted as early as September and October. This way they have enough time to anchor themselves in the ground, grow and gather strength for beautiful blooms in the spring. Late early bloomers such as tulips, daffodils or hyacinths should not be planted until November. They need the cold shock of winter to thrive in spring.
- The soil is loosened as crumbly as possible using a rake or a hand shovel.
- If the soil is loamy or clayey, loosen it up with sand.
- The planting hole for the flower bulb is now dug twice as deep as the bulb is thick. There the onion is inserted with the point upwards.
- Finally, the flower bulb is covered with humus-rich soil, which is then pressed firmly.
Popular early bloomers in the forest
If you own a forest on your property, you can beautify it with a carpet of flowers in spring. In the following, some of the best-known early bloomers are presented, which in early spring light up a dark forest with their colorful splendor.
wood anemone
Right at the beginning of spring, their white-blue, small flowers often cover huge areas of ground in the wild. Although wood anemones are actually a species of wildflower, they have been cultivated over the past few decades. The young plants are planted in autumn and can then be left to their own devices without hesitation. They require no fertilizer and hardly any water; instead, they spread all by themselves and conquer the forest area. After hibernating, they bloom from March to May and add color to the forest.
wild garlic
It is the ideal forest plant because the less light it gets, the better it grows. Wild garlic seeds can be purchased at any garden center. Autumn is the best time to sow seeds. In order for these to germinate, they urgently need frosty temperatures. Then, from March or April, the white flowers of the herbaceous plant appear, which can grow to a height of around 20 to 50 cm. Since wild garlic is also related to chives, garlic and onions, the plant is valued as a wild vegetable and used in the kitchen to flavor dishes. However, there is a high risk of confusion with the poisonous lily of the valley, which can lead to fatal poisoning if consumed.
Lesser Celandine
This spring bloomer is usually the first plant to appear in the forest after winter. Lesser celandine belongs to the buttercup family, whose spring-green leaves contain a lot of vitamin C. First, large green carpets form on the forest floor, followed shortly afterwards by the bright yellow flowers. Hobby gardeners who want to enrich their own forest with lesser celandine get the bulbs of the plant from a neighboring forest and plant them in the ground in autumn. Lesser celandine reproduces less by seed and more by means of small buds that grow in the leaf axils. Once planted, the lesser celandine takes care of further propagation in the forest.
Conclusion
As the beautiful season draws to a close, hobby gardeners can look forward to one last planting event. Those who plant the flower bulbs for the popular early bloomers such as snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, tulips and many more in the period from September to November will be richly rewarded in spring. The first heralds of spring are looking for the sun in flower beds, on the lawn and meadow, at the edge of the garden pond, in planters and flower boxes. The first colorful blossoms can also be seen in the forest and arouse anticipation of the most beautiful time of the year. It doesn’t take much effort to transform the garden, meadow and forest into a carpet of flowers in early spring. Once planted, most of these hardworking, hardy and hardy flowers will even take care of propagating themselves.
