After a long winter, spring-blooming bulbs provide a treat for the eyes. However, the bulbs themselves have to go in the ground during the fall so that they are ready to bloom the following spring. As your perennials start to turn brown, it’s time to get digging. Consider some of the beautiful blooms below to help bring your spring garden to life.

Snowdrops

Snowdrop flowers are among the first to bloom, breaking through the late winter or early spring ground and blanketing it with a white floral layer to replace the snow. Even a bit of freshly fallen snow won’t dampen their strong resolve to grow. The elegant, bell-like flowers look lovely in a rock garden or at the forefront of a border, and rodents tend to leave these white beauties alone.

Crocus

Crocus is another early-blooming bulb that you can start enjoying after the first touches of spring sunshine. They typically appear while there is still snow on the ground, punctuating the white with bright bursts of colour. Crocuses come in delightful shades of yellow, white, and purple, as well as in striped varieties. They only grow around four to six inches tall, making them an excellent choice for garden borders.

Daffodils

Daffodils are the quintessential spring flower, blooming in a gorgeous golden colour in the early to mid-spring. You can also find daffodils that are a pretty pale pink or a pure white. In addition to their visual appeal, daffodils enjoy great popularity because they are easy to grow and maintain, long-lived, and left alone by rodents and deer. Plant them in groundcover beds or under hosts.

Tulips

Tulips are another spring bulb that enjoys considerable popularity due to their fantastic variations. They bloom after daffodils and are available in a veritable rainbow of colours. Tulips do take some extra work to maintain, as they are quite attractive to rodents and tend not to last for the following season, requiring replanting. However, the beauty of these flowers is very much worth the effort.

Hyacinth

Hyacinth blooms around the same time as tulips and daffodils in small clusters of delicate bell-shaped flowers. These flowers are usually a bright blue but can come in shades of yellow, white, pale pink, and light blue as well. They look their best in the first spring following planting, so many gardeners plant new bulbs each fall. Hyacinths are also known for their incredible fragrance.

Allium

Carefree allium is a stunning ornamental plant that grows a graceful stem and a globe of flowers in purple, pink, and reddish hues. The flowers typically bloom in May and June and can stay in bloom for as long as five weeks. Alliums are also very easy to grow and maintain, offering great rewards for your efforts. As they are a member of the onion family, rodents and deer usually leave them alone.

Gardening can sometimes require delayed gratification, but the resulting treat is highly worth it. With the fall fast approaching, make sure you plan which bulbs you want to plant at the end of the season.