For many people, the term Bulbs means Daffodils and Tulips. These are definitely worth all the attention they receive, and they are also two of the few true bulbs. A true bulb contains all the flower parts within it. But, did you know that there are enough different types of "bulbs" to supply blooms in every season of the year?

In this article, I am using the term "Bulb" very loosely. "Bulb" is commonly used to describe plants that have underground structures in which they store their nutrient reserves. There are actually five types of structures loosely referred to a "bulb". These include true bulbs, corms. rhizomes, tubers and tuberous roots. What difference does it make? It matters when you plant them to know exactly what you have. Bulbs want to go deep into the soil while corms should be covered with about three inches of soil. Rhizomes like to lay at the surface of the soil. Tubers have "eyes" with potato being the best example. Tubers can be cut into pieces to get more plants as long as each piece has an "eye". They are considered a swollen stem, while tuberous roots are considered swollen roots. Daylilies, peonies, and dahlias have tuberous roots.

In designing a garden that offers beauty for every season, I have learned to picture the face of a clock. If one o’clock is January, then twelve o’clock is December. Divide the face into four quadrants, and you have Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall in that order. My goal is to have beauty around the clock, and bulbs play a large part in reaching that goal.

Feeding and supporting pollinators and other beneficial insects in my garden is important to me. Bulbs, although most are not native, can offer value because of their diversity and varied bloom times which can supply pollen and nectar for pollinators at the extreme ends of the growing season. If pollinators cannot find enough pollen in the late fall before they enter hibernation, they may not live through the winter. Likewise, when they awake in early spring, (some as early as February) they are desperate for sustenance. At these times, bulbs are right there ready with their offerings. The beauty the bulbs supply is just an added bonus for us.

As a gardener, my favorite thing about bulbs is, once you go to the work to plant them, most of them just keep coming back year after year, expanding their numbers with each additional year. They enable you to look at the blank slate of your garden in the bleakness of winter, and know that soon it will be filled with beauty and color without you lifting a finger. There are some bulbs that need to be "lifted" in the fall because they cannot survive our freezing temperatures in the winter. I look at them as a small amount of work for some very beautiful returns.

It is true that early spring bulbs such as the Daffodils, become unsightly after they are done blooming, but still need to complete their photosynthesis, so you should not cut them off. The easy secret here is to find a later developing perennial (like Hosta in the shade or nepeta in the sun) to plant right over top of them. As the bulb leaves become unattractive, the perennial fills out and covers them right up.

Early spring-blooming bulbs need to be planted in the fall because they need a period of cold before they can bloom. My personal recommendation is to check the mail order catalogs and order as soon as they come out. They have a huge variety to choose from, and should include everything that you will see on my list, several of which are often hard to find in stores. The catalogs also include lots of great planting and growing tips, and they will answer any questions over the phone. Order very early because the reputable companies usually sell out of the favorite varieties very quickly. They will hold your order and ship it when the proper planting time arrives. Most mail-order catalogs are available on-line.

Here is my list of Blooming Bulbs To Reach Around The Clock. The list is certainly not intended to be complete…Just some suggestions of plants that will perform well in our area.

One O'clock to Three O'clock (January, February, March)

• Snow Drops (Galanthus)
• Glory in the Snow (Chionodoxa)
• Winter Aconite (Eranthus)
• Crocus
• Daffodils (Narcissus)
• Windflowers (Anemone) soak before you plant the corms.

Four O'clock to Six O'clock (April, May, June)

• Tulips
• Alliums
• Camassia
• Bearded Iris
• Asiatic Lilies
• Day lilies - Depending on the variety, may bloom anywhere between May and August.

Seven O'clock to Nine O'clock ((July, August, September)

• Gladiolas - some are hardy in the ground; others have to be dug each year.
• Oriental Lilies
• Dahlias - Must be dug each year in our area.
• Canna Lilies - Must be dug or winter-protected in our area.

Ten O'clock to Twelve O'clock (October, November, December)

• Fall Crocus
• Hardy Cyclamen
• Toad Lilies

I like to plant my bulbs in masses, and scatter the groups throughout my gardens. A group of one type of bulb is much more impressive than a single bulb mixed among other flowers. There’s a lot to love about bulbs. They keep the flower parade going for a very long time.