Preparation
Winter hasn’t arrived yet; the time seems ripe for cocooning. Still, it is nice to end the outdoor season properly by getting your garden, terrace or balcony ready for winter. This includes preparing for spring. If you plant flower bulbs now, you will be rewarded with cheerful spring flowers early next year. In fact, you are giving yourself an early gift of happiness, which you will be able to enjoy in spring. What could be better?
The best spring flowers
There are dozens of different bulbous plants that bloom in the spring. They are categorised into all sorts of shapes, colours and sizes. To help you see the proverbial wood for the trees, we have selected five spring flowers that will put a smile on your face, mainly because of the fresh colours and large flowers. They are the tulip (Tulipa), daffodil (Narcissus), hyacinth (Hyacinthus), crocus (Crocus) and crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis).
Tulip
Tulips are world-famous for their beauty. They score high on the cheerfulness scale. Once this spring bloomer starts to flower, you cannot ignore it. Their diversity is enormous: did you know that there are fifteen different groups? There’s something for everyone, in other words.
Daffodil
The daffodil is a real harbinger of spring and, like the tulip, is diverse: there are twelve different groups. One excellent benefit of the daffodil is that this spring bloomer can be left in the ground to bloom again year after year. This makes them perfectly suitable for naturalising.
Hyacinth
If you are looking for beautiful and cheerful colours as well as fragrance in your garden, hyacinths are just the ticket! Combined, their dozens of flowers offer an overwhelming colour boost. The best known colours are white, pink and blue. Did you know that the flower is used to make perfume because of its scent?
Crocus
This early spring bloomer symbolises spring and joy. The flower buds burst open at the first sign of the spring sun. And did you know that crocuses make bees very happy? As soon as they get the opportunity, they will flock to the flowers to feast on the delicious nectar.
Crown Imperial
The majestic crown imperial shows off its beautiful flowers in the garden. These flowers give off a musky scent that keeps moles, field voles and water voles at bay. They also release large drops of nectar, which bees and butterflies love.
Interested? Choose your favourite spring flowers and get started.