Fantastic Early Bloomers Kick Off the Garden Year with Color

After a long, cold winter, we practically crave the first green and, most of all, the first colorful blooms. It's no wonder many gardeners diligently plant bulb flowers like crocuses, snowdrops, tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths the previous year to enjoy the first blossoms early on.

However, you can also catch up on planting flower bulbs from the first frost-free days. It's crucial to plant the bulbs with their roots facing down into loose, humus-rich soil. The planting depth should be about twice the size of the bulb. Within 2-3 weeks, depending on the species, the first flowers should bloom.

But it's not just bulb and tuber plants that manage to get a head start. Other flowers have their tricks too. Some plants protect themselves from low temperatures by storing salts, while others do so by closing their blossoms or growing unevenly.

Especially prolific crocuses are often planted in lawns and beds, where they multiply year after year, eventually forming lush carpets of flowers. Of course, the first lawn mowing has to wait until their bloom has faded. But once planted, you don't have to worry about crocuses anymore; just enjoy them.

If you're impatient, you can also pre-force bulbs indoors in a bright spot and then plant them out in the garden. However, it's important not to fully bury these bulbs; about 2 cm should remain exposed above the soil.

The versatile tulips look most elegant when planted in groups of 10-15 plants of the same color. Whether you love classic tulips, striking parrot tulips, or double varieties, you can skillfully play with their different blooming times and heights to ignite true color explosions in your tulip beds.

If you're looking to design your garden beds differently, you can also plant spring snowflakes, primroses, lesser celandine, or wood anemones. And for those who enjoy fine cuisine, consider hosting white-flowering wild garlic in your garden. This way, you can prepare the delicious herb for tasty sauces and pastes or simply freeze it for immediate use. For safety, however, wild garlic enthusiasts should avoid planting the very similar but poisonous lily of the valley.