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Complement your crocuses in spring
In early spring, there is no other flower that says “winter is over — there is hope”, like the common crocus does. I plant them everywhere in my garden, even in my lawn. And I am always excited to see the first crocuses in bloom, sometimes as early as February for those planted by my front steps where the radiant heat coming off the brick of the house encourages early blooming.
But after the excitement of seeing the first one in bloom, the crocuses always seemed a bit lonely in the garden, braving those blustery early spring days by themselves. So I looked around for other early blooming bulbs and soon found several companion flowers for my crocuses, including some that bloom even earlier than they do.
Here are five spring flowering bulbs you should consider planting with crocuses:
Glory of the Snow – Chionodoxia sardensis • Blue, star-shaped flowers
Dwarf Iris – Iris danfordiea and Iris reticulata • Yellow (I. danfordiea) and blue (I. reticulata) iris blooms
Snowdrops – Galanthus • Small, white, nodding, bell-shaped flowers
Star Flower – Ipheion uniflora • Light blue, star-shaped flowers
Striped Squill – Puschkinia scilloides • White to light blue blooms.
Since these plants are usually less than six inches tall with small, delicate flowers, plant them near a walkway or in a rock garden where you are more likely to notice them as you pass. Follow the planting instructions on the package, and for best show, plant them in groups, not individually or in straight rows.
Local garden centers may not carry some of these bulbs, but I always ask if they have them before buying through mail order. My theory is that if enough people ask for them, they might get the idea to stock them with crocuses. Some of the mail-order bulb companies that generally do have them include Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com; and John Scheeper’s Inc., www.johnscheepers.com.
Plant these bulbs this fall, and after a long Indiana winter, you’ll be delighted to see them blooming in your garden with the crocuses early next spring.
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