Guide to Planting Bulbs: A Layered Container for Sequential Bloom

To plant spring-flowering bulbs is to witness a miraculous transformation. You go to the nursery in fall, pluck homely lumps from bins, drop them into brown paper bags. Glossy color photos promise beautiful spring blooms—elegant cup-shaped tulips in hot pink and orange, soft pink and lavender; cheerful yellow daffodils; voluptuous blue hyacinths. Still, it's hard to imagine these hard, brown things with bristly bottoms pushing out such incredible blooms.

But plant them well, either by type en masse or with other bulbs, and they'll surprise you. Plant in large beds or smaller containers—either way, results are spectacular come spring.

Planting in a Pot

In fall, after everything planted, poke grape hyacinth bulbs into spaces between heather and pansies. In April, 'Princess Irene' tulips bloom 3–4 weeks. Chartreuse flowers behind are Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'.

Tina Dixon of Plants à la Cart in Bothell, Washington, and Marsha Davis-Thomsen of Seattle aren't easily discouraged by short days, rain, and chilly weather. Each fall, when everyone else gives up on gardening, they whip up winter-into-spring plantings in containers.

Take the sumptuous mix of perennials, grasses, heathers, and spring-blooming bulbs they planted last fall in the sandstone urn pictured. It looked good almost instantly—heather foliage and pansy blooms provided color on a front porch through winter. Then in spring, successive bursts of daffodil, grape hyacinth, and tulip flowers heightened the show.

Winter weather near Lake Washington didn't faze this collection; New Zealand flax, the most tender plant, is hardy to ~20°F. Throughout cool season, plants needed no supplemental feeding, and weekly watering only during dry spells between rains.

Costs (soil, bulbs, perennials, fertilizer) ~$110. Sandstone urn costs more, but any large container works, including terra-cotta.

Plant List

• 5-gallon (1 plant): New Zealand flax (Phormium 'Amazing Red')
• 4-inch pots (1 each unless noted): Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia); English ivy (Hedera helix 'Gold Dust'); Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' (2); Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana Delta Tapestry mix, 4); Pansy (V. x w. Clear Sky Orange, 3); Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris 'Firefly'); Scotch heather (C.v. 'Wickwar Flame'); Tassel fern (Polystichum polyblepharum); Variegated Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus')
• 2-inch pot (1 plant): Variegated Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii expallida)
• Bulbs (12 each; in mild climates, chill tulips 6 weeks before planting): Daffodil (Narcissus 'Fortissimo'); Grape hyacinth (Muscari latifolium); Tulip (Tulipa 'Princess Irene')

1. Fill bottom of 21-inch urn/pot with commercial potting soil.
2. Knock largest plant from nursery pot, rough up rootball, plant in center/back of large container.
3. Set smaller plants (still in nursery pots) atop soil around first plant. Move to fine-tune design, then remove.
4. Mix 9-9-6 bulb fertilizer into soil (follow label), plant tulip and daffodil bulbs around container periphery.
5. Remove rest of plants from nursery pots, rough up rootballs, plant over bulbs per plan. Fill spaces with potting soil; tuck in tiny grape hyacinth bulbs.
6. Water thoroughly.