From BZ/dpa
Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths are beautiful, no question. But there are many more pretty bulb flowers that will bloom from the transition from winter to spring. Now is the time to set them.
Are you looking for nice alternatives to tulips, daffodils and the like? We looked around in the trade and found some nice ideas for your garden design in spring.
You have to put the bulbs and tubers in the garden soil or in pots now – until the first frosts.
The Imperial Crown
The early-flowering perennial forms inflorescences up to 120 centimeters high, which allows them to hover over the not yet full borders in April. The flowers are also something special: Several individual flowers in the shape of a bell hang around the stem, with a tuft of leaves on top. One could almost think that the crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) is crowned with it.
A smaller alternative is the dwarf crown imperial (Fritillaria raddeana), which is up to 80 centimeters high. They like a location in full sun with humus-rich and at the same time well-drained soil.
The Bluestar
Caucasian squill (Scilla mischtschenkoana, Scilla tubergeniana) Photo: picture alliance / blickwinkel/A. jagel
The Caucasian squill bears white flowers with a touch of light blue from February to March – when little else blooms in the garden. The squill (Scilla mischtschenkoana) is about ten centimeters high and should find a place in the semi-shade.
It can be followed by the completely blue Siberian squill (Scilla siberica): it blooms from March to April and is around 15 centimeters high.
The Fingered Larkspur
Fingered larkspur Photo: picture alliance / blickwinkel/AGAMI
Its flowers range from delicate rose to purple, appearing very delicate on their long stems. The small tuberous plants come in the penumbra, for example under shrubs and trees. They grow 15 to 20 centimeters high there.
The dog tooth
Erythronium revolutum, Pink Dog Tooth Photo: picture alliance / Zoonar |
It blooms a little later, from April to May – but then it catches the eye. The bright yellow, pink or white flowers of the dog’s tooth (Erythronium) rise up to 30 centimeters in height.
The plants need partial to full shade.
The milk star
Nodding milk star (Ornithogalum nutans, Syn. Honorius nutans) Photo: picture alliance/visualeasy
The nodding milk star (Ornithogalum nutans) only colors its flowers white on the inside, leaving a green border on the outside. The plant is around 30 to 40 centimeters high and blooms from March to April.
It is something for many locations, because the milk star tolerates full sun exposure to partial shade.