Naturalizing bulbs is one of the easiest ways to create a beautiful, colorful display in your garden without much maintenance. They are ideal for both beginners and experienced gardeners. But what is the meaning of bulb naturalisation? In this article, we will explain everything to you.
What Does Naturalizing Mean In Gardening
Naturalizing refers to making something appear or become natural, inherent, or part of the natural order. So, naturalizing bulbs are bulbs that return every year. Those bulbs self-seed and propagate themselves naturally. Once you have planted them, you don’t have to do anything; leave the bulbs in their position after flowering to allow them to naturalize themselves. You can enjoy the flowers year after year.
The Benefits Of Naturalizing Bulbs
- Low maintenance: Naturalizing bulbs require very little maintenance. You don't need to replant them every year, as they will thrive on their own (in the right conditions).
- Loved by pollinators: These bulbs attract bees and other insects, providing lots of nectar and encouraging biodiversity.
- Seasonal blooms: Naturalizing bulbs often produce spring flowers, bringing life and color to the garden when other plants remain dormant.
- Versatile planting options: Naturalized plantings can be planted in various settings, from lawns and meadows in dappled shade to woodland and rock gardens, under trees, or along paths.
- Wide collection: There is a wide range of flower bulbs to choose from. Whether you prefer Snowdrops or Daffodils.
The Best Bulbs That Naturalize
Several types of bulbs are suitable for naturalizing. At first glance, selecting the right bulbs can seem like a challenge. But don't worry. We have put together a top 10 list of our best choices for naturalizing bulbs and some examples of each variety:
- Snowdrops: Galanthus Nivalis
- Crocus: All Crocus varieties
- Mini Daffodils: Golden Echo, Tete a Tete, Jetfire, Quail and Thalia
- Blue or white Grape Hyacinths (Muscari): Armeniacum, White Magic and Latifolium
- Botanical Tulips: Stresa
- Darwin Hybrid Tulips: Golden Parade and Fire Parade, Pink Darwin Hybrid, Salmon Darwin Hybrid, Red Impression, Apeldoorn’s Elite
- Dwarf Iris: Reticulata Harmony and Reticulata Cantab
- Crown Imperial: Fritillaria Imp. Rubra and Fritillaria Imp. Lutea
- Checkered Fritillary: Meleagris
- Short Ornamental Onions: Roseum, Ostrowskianum, Azureum and Cowanii
Read more: Top 10 Naturalizing Flower Bulbs For Easy Gardening
Do Tulips Naturalize
In the wild, Tulips are perennials, which means they bloom year after year. Unfortunately, our gardens rarely provide the harsh and often dry conditions they prefer. If you want to plant returning Tulips in your garden, consider botanical Tulips and certain hybrids - particularly the Darwin Hybrids. See the list above for some examples.
When To Plant Naturalizing Bulbs
For a beautiful spring garden, you need to plant your flower bulbs in the fall. All (early) spring-flowering bulbs must be planted when the soil is still slightly warm and moist; this will help the bulbs take root before the ground freezes.
What Is The Best Place For Naturalizing Bulbs
Naturalized bulbs are suitable for gardens and public landscapes. However, it is important to choose a place where they are not disturbed by spading or mowing during and after blooming. Good spots for these returning flowers are lawns with short grass or under deciduous trees and shrubs in full sun to partial shade.
How To Naturalize Bulbs
When planting bulbs for naturalization, picking a spot in your garden with plenty of space is essential to allow the flowers to return in greater numbers each year. To give your garden a natural look, follow these steps:
- Choose bulbs for the conditions in your garden.
- Scatter the bulbs over your chosen area (with enough sunlight and well-drained soil) and plant them in the places where they fall for a natural-looking pattern. Avoid overcrowding. If some bulbs are too close together, you can move them around.
- When all the bulbs have the right spot, dig a hole and plant bulbs individually in each planting hole. When planting large and small bulbs, follow the general rule of thumb and give them at least 2 times the height of the soil above them.
- Drop the bulb into the hole and cover it with soil. Make sure you place the bulb the right way up.
- After planting, water well so the soil above the bulbs settles.
- Allow the leaves to die back naturally after flowering. To help these plants multiply, leave them completely undisturbed: no raking or weeding, and no raking of bulb foliage in the fall.
Tip: Some bulbs require a different way of planting and caring than other bulbs. You can find many growing guides on our blog, such as ‘How To Grow Daffodils’.
Explore A High-quality Collection Of Naturalizing Bulbs At DutchGrown
DutchGrown offers a wide range of top-sized (early) flowering bulbs for naturalizing, from beautiful Snowdrops to the impressive Grape Hyacinth. Discover our collection of flower bulbs now and start planting during the fall. We ship the bulbs from the Netherlands to all over the US.
