Gardening Long returns from perennial spring bulbs It’s always a surprise to receive autumn bulb catalogues when we’re just into the best weeks of summer. There’s a leap of faith in selecting autumn-planted spring bulbs, with our hopes pinned on these brilliant catalogue pictures. They are costly displays, and how many years of return blooming can we expect? Return blooming is encouraged by good care. All bulbs benefit from at least three hours of sun. Deadheading seed heads promptly after the blossoms are finished and the green foliage remains standing also prolongs bulb viability. But the best results come from planting genuinely perennial bulbs. With good care, perennial bulbs will potentially deliver flowers for several years, and possibly for a decade. It seems too good to be true, but there are autumn-planted spring bulbs with true perennial potential. It’s not a full list of spring flowers, but there is enough choice and colour potential to make an impressive spring display. Look for the category of Darwin tulips with recognized natural longevity. Darwins are tall tulips with classic large flower heads, and their colours include warm yellow and orange, light to rich pink, bold red and a selection of fancy bicolours. They bloom in mid-spring, from early to late May. You can expect them to return for several years – possibly for a decade, and even longer. Darwin tulips are easy to find and will be identified in bulb catalogues. Smaller bulbs producing early spring flowers in April include the bright yellow-and-white mini tulip Daisystemon Tarda, growing four inches high and producing multiple flowers per bulb. Glory of the Snow, or Chionodoxa luciliae, with bright cornflower-blue flowers and white up-facing throats sparkle in frosty temperatures and clusters each year. They are followed by the down-facing dark blue heads of Siberian squills, or Scilla siberica. Siberian squills are low-growing bulbs that will return for decades and may spread, but are not considered invasive. Because of their ephemeral nature, the green foliage dies down shortly after flowering. The large group of flowering onions, known as ornamental alliums, contains two beautiful perennial specimens. Allium Purple Sensation is a dense globe of electric purple petals held high on 18-inch stems. Planted in groups, they make a striking image, emerging above plants such as hostas. Allium bulgaricum is a one-of-a-kind flower unlike any other. Individual purple-and-white bells hang in loose umbels from a central 36-inch stem. Just three planted in a cluster makes an intriguing statement. A good strategy for planting bulbs in fall is to consider these perennial spring bloomers as the backbone planting that can be counted on to bloom for many years. Each year, a few desirable favourites can be added – such as narcissus – and novelties, such as parrot tulips. The cost will be lower and the rewards will continue to be high. CSANews | SUMMER 2025 | 47
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx