Bulb bed plan, autumn to summer?

JoeX

Has anyone planned out bulbs in a medium sized bed 4m2 so you get flower most months up to June?

I was listening to Chris Beardshaw on GQT suggest for a woodland bed;

Aconite -> Snowdrop -> Early Crocus -> Early daffs -> Muscari -> Bluebells -> Leucojum -> Alliums

Mine is centre of a lawn, clay soil and Im removing grass for it.

Ta.

JennyJ

It sounds as if it's going to be in a prominent position, so bear in mind that the leaves of most bulbs will get tatty-looking after they've flowered (except the alliums,whose foliage gets tatty before they flower) so you might want to think about interplanting with perennials (maybe something for summer/autumn interest) so their developing foliage masks the dying bulb foliage. And some people find that muscari is a thuggy spreader (not here, but it depends on conditions).

purplerallim

Oh muscari is a spreader true, but its leaves are the eye sore as they flop everywhere. I have a bulb section,  looks lovely from April till June, when its full of daffs, tulips and alliums. Then agapanthus and aconite take over at the back and in front I put pots of plants, as there is no room to plant anything else.

JoeX

purplerallim said:

Oh muscari is a spreader true, but its leaves are the eye sore as they flop everywhere. I have a bulb section,  looks lovely from April till June, when its full of daffs, tulips and alliums. Then agapanthus and aconite take over at the back and in front I put pots of plants, as there is no room to plant anything else.

So for yours its daffs- tulips - alliums - agapanthus - aconite?

JoeX

JennyJ said:

It sounds as if it's going to be in a prominent position, so bear in mind that the leaves of most bulbs will get tatty-looking after they've flowered (except the alliums,whose foliage gets tatty before they flower) so you might want to think about interplanting with perennials (maybe something for summer/autumn interest) so their developing foliage masks the dying bulb foliage. And some people find that muscari is a thuggy spreader (not here, but it depends on conditions).

I dont know what plan to use yet. My bulbs have always been confused with crocus and daffs flowering together, or tulips and daffs getting in each others way.

I want to give snowdrops a go but I think theyre happier in the front garden with trees and bushes. These should be gone before the daffs come up there.

In this particular bed the only bulbs Im set on are narcissus actea (white/red, late spring), and red tulips. Not sure what else yet.

purplerallim

Yes. Mine too is a central bed, but oblong, cut in half by an apple tree. So for a  2×2 meter part of the bed its those bulbs/plants. If I try to add small bulbs they get swamped by the others, so I only tend to add pansy or short lasting winter things on top as its not long before the green shoots start to show. I have just removed the pots that have been on there this summer and have now dressed the bed with new compost.

SueAtoo

Problem with tulips among other things is digging them up when they no longer flower well, unless they're species ones that continue.

purplerallim

My bed is now 5years old and I haven't had to pull or replant yet . All I do is top dress, and water with tomato feed a couple of times during late spring/early summer.
Edit. I have standard red, yellow and white tulips, plus queen of the night in another bed which is a very good producer.

JoeX

One problem Ive had in layered pots and planters is having one set still dying back while the other are coming out - it either looks bad and spoils the new blooms or you have to pick in between to cut out the die back.

Can you plan for a gap, and if so how much?  Snowdrops in feb, muscari in april seems too much, for example.

D0rdogne_Damsel

I've got some nice little ornamental grasses that hide dying bulb foliage well and nepata. I also have lilies and their growth also detracts from that and extends the flowering time well into June. Agapanthus are good but I've lost a couple last winter.  I also have gladiolus which follow on from lilies. Aquilegia also in same bed covers a lot of stuff and keeps colour and self seeds. 

purplerallim

I have a raised bed in which the snowdrops come first ( under a standard rose) then daffodil,  and as they go the queen of the night tulip flowers. I don't mind the leaves, as I hate bare soil, and as long as they have died back so the summer bedding can go in its fine. I wouldn't want to cut the leaves, or I wouldn't get such a good display of flowers next year. The bulb bed is separate,  and is again allowed to die back, yes it looks a little messy in May, but I don't mind that.