When the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, we all know it's autumn. This is the perfect time to plant different types of bulbs so you can enjoy a colourful garden in the spring. Are you wondering what the bloom time is of autumn-planted bulbs? We have selected the most popular flowers and will tell you the bloom time for the spring flowering bulbs.
Quick guide:
- Snowdrop: Late winter and early spring
- Crocus: Late winter and early spring
- Daffodil: Spring, depending on the variety
- Scilla: Spring
- Muscari: Early spring
- Tulip: Early spring to the end of the season
- Allium: Spring
Snowdrop Bloom Time
Snowdrops (Galanthus Elwesii) are usually the first sign of spring, making them a welcome sight in the garden. The pretty little bell-shaped flowers make a nice contrast with the grassy foliage. Planted in well-drained soil in the autumn, Snowdrops will bloom in the late winter and early spring.
Growing guide: How to grow Galanthus (Snowdrops)
Crocus Blooming Time
The Crocus is an early-blooming flower that can often be seen poking through the snow and hard, icy soil. The colourful flowers are a welcome sign of the end of the winter. Plant the Crocus bulbs in full sun or partial shade, and they will bloom after four months. The flowers bloom between late winter and early spring, depending on the area where you live.
Growing guide: How to grow Crocus bulbs
Daffodils Bloom Time
Another well-known autumn-planted bulb is the Daffodil (Narcissus). Daffodils are very easy to grow and come in different shades of yellow. Pick a sunny spot or dappled shade place, and Daffodils will bloom in spring. You can extend the Daffodil season over two or even three months by selecting a combination of early, mid, and late varieties.
Growing guide: How to grow Daffodils and Narcissus
Scilla Bloom Time
Scilla (Squill) will give your spring garden a beautiful look. Yes, this flower blooms in the spring. Scilla plants look wonderful if you plant the bulbs in the autumn on a lawn, under a tree or at the edge of a wood. The common blue Scilla flowers (white, pink, and purple are also available) look stunning with other spring flowers, such as Daffodils or Crocuses. Another lovely variety is the Striped Squill (Puschkinia).
Growing guide: How to grow Scilla (Siberian Squill)
Muscari Bloom Time
Muscari, also known as “Grape Hyacinth”, is a very popular flower that blooms in early spring. It is easy to grow, easy to naturalise and will return year after year. You can plant autumn bulbs of the Muscari in a rock garden, under trees or on a lawn, adding a splash of blue, pink, or white to your own garden. Fun fact: The name “Muscari” comes from the Greek word for musk, which refers to the musky, sweet scent of the flowers.
Growing guide: How to grow Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
Tulip Blooming Time
With over 3,000 registered varieties and 150 different species, Tulips are one of the most popular spring flower bulbs in the world. While the original Tulips come in a limited range of colours, you can now buy the flower in many colours, including lavender, green, pink, and even rainbow or ice cream. By choosing early, mid and late spring flowering varieties, you can have Tulips in your garden from early spring right through to the end of the season.
Growing guide: How to grow Tulips
Allium Bloom Time
Last, but not least, we have the Allium. Also known as the “ornamental onion”, this flower will create a spectacular display in your garden. Although an Allium looks like a single large flower, it is actually made up of hundreds of densely packed florets. Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects love this plant. Allium blooms for several weeks in spring, but even after the flowers have dried up, they remain attractive for several more weeks. Fun fact: There are more than 700 varieties of Allium flowers worldwide.
Growing guide: How to grow Allium
More Beautiful Autumn Planting Flower Bulbs
In this blog article, we have introduced you to the most popular autumn bulbs. But, of course, there are other autumn bulbs that you can plant throughout the season. Such as Ranunculus, Fritillaria, and Ixias. You can discover them all in our post of the best flower bulbs to plant in autumn in the UK.
