Autumn is the moment to plant spring bulbs. An hour with a trowel now gives you snowdrops in February, daffodils in March and drifts of tulips by late April. Bulbs are among the cheapest and most forgiving ways to bring colour to a garden. Whether you have borders, a lawn or a few pots by the back door, this guide covers when to plant spring bulbs in the UK, which bulbs to plant now, and where to buy them in bulk.
When to Plant Spring Bulbs (UK)
Most spring bulbs go in between September and November, while the soil still holds some summer warmth. The order is worth knowing, because each bulb has its own window.
Daffodils, crocus, muscari and other small bulbs do best planted in September and October, so they have time to root before winter. Hyacinths and alliums are happy going in through October. Tulips are the exception. They prefer cooler soil and are best planted in November, which also reduces the risk of tulip fire, a fungal disease that thrives in warm, damp conditions.
As a rule, plant when the bulbs arrive and the ground is workable. Bulbs left in a shed for weeks dry out and lose vigour.
Spring Bulbs to Plant Now
Spring flowering bulbs fall into two camps. Some are bold border performers, planted fresh each year or two for maximum impact. Others are quiet spreaders that return and multiply with almost no help. The best planting schemes use both.
Tulips
No spring bulb offers more colour for the money. Tulips range from soft pastels to near-black burgundies, from simple single cups to frilled parrot and peony-flowered forms. Plant them deep, about 15–20cm, which helps them stand up to wind and return more reliably. A mixed collection is the easiest way to get a long season, with early and late varieties overlapping from April into May.
Peter Nyssen ~ £45
Tulip Flower Mix – 100 Bulbs
A generous mix of tulips in pink, purple, burgundy, peach, yellow and white, flowering in succession through spring. One bag fills one to two square metres or four medium pots, and makes an easy cutting bed.
- 100 bulbs
- Plant Oct–Dec
- Flowers Apr–May
- Great for cutting
Tulips are best planted in November, once the soil has cooled, and deeper than most bulbs at around 15–20cm. This short guide from Peter Nyssen shows the technique.
Daffodils and Narcissi
Daffodils are the backbone of a British spring. They are reliable, deer and squirrel resistant, and they come back year after year. Beyond the classic yellow trumpets, look for scented narcissi such as ‘Thalia’ (pure white) and ‘Geranium’ (white with orange cups), which are lovely cut for the house.
Daffodils go in early, ideally by the end of October, at two to three times the depth of the bulb with the pointed tip facing up. This short guide from Peter Nyssen shows how.
Peter Nyssen · £4.80 for 20 · £14.00 for 100
Miniature Daffodils & Narcissus Mixture
A mix of dwarf daffodils and narcissi in sunny yellow and creamy white, chosen to flower in succession from February to April. Compact enough for pots and window boxes, and charming at the front of a border alongside crocus and muscari.
- Packs of 20 or 100
- Plant Sept–Nov
- Flowers Feb–Apr
- Pots & borders
Crocus and Hyacinths
Peter Nyssen · £6.25 for 25 · £57.50 for 250
Dutch Crocus Mixture
A cheerful mix of large-flowered Dutch crocus in purple, white, yellow and striped lilac. They open on the first bright days of late winter and give bees an early source of pollen.
- Packs of 25 or 250
- Plant Sept–Nov
- Flowers Feb–Mar
- RHS Perfect for Pollinators
Crocus open on the first sunny days of late winter and are a valuable early food source for bees. Hyacinths bring scent like no other bulb. Plant them near a doorway or path where you will pass them often.
Peter Nyssen · £5.15 for 5 · £46.50 for 50
Hyacinth ‘Carnegie’
A pure white hyacinth with dense, upright spikes and a rich scent that carries on a mild spring day. Plant a group by a doorway or path, or pot up a few to bring indoors as the buds colour.
- Packs of 5 or 50
- Plant Sept–Nov
- Flowers Mar–Apr
- Borders & pots
Alliums
Alliums bridge the gap between spring and summer. Their globe-shaped heads float above borders in May and June, and the dried seed heads stand well into autumn.
Peter Nyssen · £6.75 for 15 · £26.25 for 75
Allium ‘Purple Sensation’
Rich violet globes on tall, slender stems that float above the border in May, just as the tulips fade. Reliable year after year, loved by bees and left alone by squirrels, with seed heads that stand well into summer.
- Packs of 15 or 75
- Plant Sept–Nov
- Flowers May
- RHS Perfect for Pollinators
Alliums go in deeper than most bulbs, at around three times the bulb’s diameter, which keeps tall stems steady in the wind. This short guide from Peter Nyssen shows how.
Blue Spring Bulbs
Blue spring bulbs bring a cool contrast to the yellows and whites of early spring, and most are small, tough and quick to spread.
- Muscari (grape hyacinth): dense cobalt spikes, ideal for edging paths and topping pots.
- Scilla bifolia: starry violet-blue flowers in early spring, an heirloom squill that spreads under trees and shrubs.
- Chionodoxa (glory of the snow): starry, white-eyed blue flowers in early spring.
- Anemone blanda: daisy-like flowers that carpet the ground. Soak the knobbly tubers overnight before planting.
Peter Nyssen · £6.50 for 50 · £27.50 for 250
Scilla bifolia
A dwarf squill with starry flowers in violet to gentian blue, first recorded in 1926. It naturalises happily under trees and shrubs or in a rockery, and planted in generous numbers it builds into pools of early blue.
- Packs of 50 or 250
- Plant Sept–Nov
- Flowers Feb–Mar
- Sun or light shade
Spring Bulbs for Shade
A shady corner need not miss out. Many woodland bulbs flower before trees come into leaf, so they thrive in dappled light.
- Snowdrops: the first flowers of the year, happiest in moist, shady ground.
- Winter aconites: bright yellow cups in January and February.
- Wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa): white carpets under deciduous trees.
- Erythronium (dog’s tooth violet): elegant, swept-back petals over mottled leaves.
- English bluebells: buy only from cultivated stock and avoid the invasive Spanish bluebell, which hybridises with the native species.
Peter Nyssen · £7.00 for 25 · £65.00 for 250
Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone)
A native woodland flower with dainty white blooms, often flushed pink, that spreads into a carpet under deciduous trees and shrubs. Lightly scented, and just as happy at the front of a sunny border. Soak the rhizomes overnight before planting.
- Packs of 25 or 250
- Plant Sept–Nov
- Flowers Mar–Apr
- Shade or sun
How to Plant Spring Bulbs
- Choose a spot with good drainage. Bulbs rot in waterlogged soil, so add grit to heavy clay.
- Dig a hole two to three times the depth of the bulb. Tulips can go deeper.
- Set the bulb pointed end up. If you cannot tell which end is which, plant it on its side and it will find its way.
- Space bulbs about two bulb-widths apart. Plant in generous groups of odd numbers rather than single rows, for a natural look.
- Backfill, firm gently and water in if the soil is dry.
Mark where you have planted, so you don’t dig through the bulbs when adding plants in winter. Squirrels love freshly planted tulips and crocus, so a sheet of chicken wire laid over the soil until shoots appear stops them digging.
Spring Bulbs in Pots
Spring bulbs in pots are perfect for small gardens, patios and front steps. A bulb lasagne layers several types in one container, so it flowers in succession from early spring to late spring.
Use a pot at least 30cm deep with drainage holes. Add a layer of crocks or grit, then peat-free compost.
- Bottom layer: tulips or large daffodils, about 20cm down.
- Middle layer: hyacinths or smaller narcissi.
- Top layer: crocus, muscari or Iris reticulata.
Cover each layer with compost before adding the next. Finish with a topping of winter violas or pansies, and the pot will look good from the day it is planted.
Get the Look
Orange tulips and blue muscari in a half barrel
Pot Recipe: Plum and White
Fringed burgundy tulips over ruffled ivory doubles, for a late spring pot
Pot Recipe: Terracotta and Citrus
Scented orange tulips with snow-white narcissi, for an April pot
Naturalising Bulbs in Grass
Few sights match a lawn or orchard threaded with spring flowers. The trick to a natural look is to scatter handfuls of bulbs and plant them where they land. A long-handled bulb planter makes the job far quicker.
The best bulbs for naturalising are daffodils, Crocus tommasinianus, snowdrops, camassia and snake’s head fritillary, which loves damp grass. Tulips rarely naturalise, with the exception of some species tulips.
Leave the grass unmown for about six weeks after flowering. The leaves feed the bulb for next year, and cutting too soon weakens the display. Meadow-style mowing paths through the longer grass keep it looking intentional.
Where to Buy Spring Bulbs
Spring bulbs for sale are everywhere in autumn, but quality varies. Look for bulbs that are firm and heavy for their size, with no mould or soft patches. Bigger bulbs produce bigger flowers, so specialist suppliers usually beat bargain bags from the supermarket.
Buying Spring Bulbs in Bulk
Buying in bulk is the most economical way to plant at scale, whether for a drift through a lawn or a border packed with tulips. Specialist bulb suppliers such as Peter Nyssen sell in larger quantities at prices well below garden centre packs. That makes it far easier to plant in the generous numbers that give real impact.
Peter Nyssen ~ £45
Tulip Flower Mix – 100 Bulbs
A generous mix of tulips in pink, purple, burgundy, peach, yellow and white, flowering in succession through spring. One bag fills one to two square metres or four medium pots, and makes an easy cutting bed.
- 100 bulbs
- Plant Oct–Dec
- Flowers Apr–May
- Great for cutting
Clearance Spring Bulbs (UK Bargains)
From November, many UK suppliers reduce remaining stock to clear before winter. Clearance spring bulbs are a good deal, especially tulips, which happily go in late. Order early for the widest choice, and watch for end-of-season offers if you have space to fill.
Spring Bulbs FAQs
Is it too late to plant spring bulbs?
Usually not. Tulips can be planted into December, and most other bulbs will still flower if planted by the end of December, as long as the ground isn’t frozen. They may simply flower a little later in their first year.
When should I plant spring bulbs in the UK?
Plant daffodils and small bulbs in September and October, and tulips in November.
How deep should spring bulbs be planted?
Plant them at two to three times the bulb’s height, and slightly deeper for tulips.
Do spring bulbs come back every year?
Daffodils, crocus, snowdrops, muscari and alliums return reliably. Many hybrid tulips fade after the first year, so treat them as annuals or plant them deep to encourage them to return.
Can I leave bulbs in pots over summer?
Yes, if the pot drains well. Let the foliage die back, then move the pot somewhere out of the way. Refresh the top layer of compost in autumn.