Bulbs

Flower Bulbs at Gardeners Dream

Flower bulbs may look dull, but they are incredibly diverse and will quickly shoot up into healthy plants with attractive flowers. Dormant for most of the year, they will naturally live under the ground and pop up in dappled shade or full sun when it is time to flower. Once the flower bulb has finished flowering, the blooms and foliage will die back and disappear as the plant becomes dormant again.

Unlike annual seeds, once a bulb is planted it should continue to thrive in your garden each year with minimal assistance. Adding compost to beds to create fertile soil, and deadheading when appropriate, is all you need to do.

Bulbs are popular not just in beds but also in pots and other containers. They don't need a greenhouse either, being suited to the climate of UK gardens. Many popular bulbs are fully or half hardy too. At Gardeners Dream, our collection of plants are typically split between season - you can find bulbs for spring, autumn, and summer.

Spring Flowering Bulbs

Flower bulbs for the spring months are the most well known. These flowering plant varieties include:

• Hyacinths,

• Daffodils,

• Tulips,

• Crocuses.

Snowdrops are also often banded among the extensive range of spring garden bulbs, however they will often bloom in the late winter, to add some crisp cool colour before spring arrives.

Crocus and hyacinth bulbs, in particular, are well-suited to growing in pots and containers. With the right temperature, moisture and partial shade, they will burst into life with rapid growth in spring. These hardy bulbs will also last through winter with no trouble.

The best time to plant spring bulbs is in the dormant period - the autumn before you want them to grow. You can find many flowering spring bulbs available in our shop around that time of year at a great price! You can also reach out to our horticulturalists for more helpful advice on planting flower bulb varieties at this time of year.

Autumn Flowering Bulbs

Autumn flowering bulbs add shades of yellow, pink, purple and blue to brighten your outdoor space after summer fades away. During this time in your garden, much of the colour comes from trees rather than flowers, so planting autumnal flower bulbs are a good way to bring colour closer to the earth.

Examples of flower bulb varieties that come to life in October include:

• Crocuses (autumnal varieties),

• Cyclamen,

• Winter daffodil,

• Alstroemerias,

Typically, these plants will flower until the first frosts of winter. You should also be careful when selecting exotic autumn flowering plant types - their bulbs or tubers may not have the hardiness to survive the British frost!

At Gardeners Dream, you can explore our full collection of high-quality autumn bulbs all year round. The best time to plant these bulbs is when they are dormant, so choose a time in the spring or summer when the ground is easy to dig. Warm, sunny locations are typically best, but you can reach out to our customer support team if you need additional advice for your chosen flowers.

Summer Flowering Bulbs

Flower bulbs that flourish in the summer season can easily rival even the highest quality tulips! Some customer-favourite flowers for summer include:

• Dahlias,

• Lilies,

• Freesias,

• Alliums,

• Begonias (technically tubers).

Plant these sun-loving plants in the early spring to give each bulb enough time to establish once planted. Hardy varieties will come back each year, while tender summer garden bulbs may need to be dug up and stored over winter.

Flowering bulbs are not just attractive garden plants. They are also quite hardy and will emerge with vigorous growth in all soil types (even sand) so long as it is fertile and the roots are watered regularly.

Click on any bulb for summer, spring or autumn in the Gardeners Dream collection to find the price, optimal growing conditions, planting times, and flowering times.

Free Delivery on All Garden Bulbs!

Flower bulbs are the easy way to add colour to your garden all year round. Bulbs and tubers, from dahlias to hyacinths, flower with minimal effort. Planting them is simply as easy as choosing the right season and digging in the right spot!

Keeping your flowers blooming all season requires water and fertiliser as needed, plus deadheading for some plants too. It's super easy to grow flowering plants from bulb. All you have to do is pick the variety and colour, from sunny yellows to deep purple shades. You can find a wide range of high-quality flowers at Gardeners Dream.

All our customers are treated to the best price on all our products, plus free delivery thrown in too. Our free delivery guarantee covers all our bulbs as well as our vegetable seeds, compost, garden plants, and everything else you need to bring your garden to life this year.

Perennials and Annuals

Along with bulbs and tubers, you can also find numerous annuals and perennials at Gardeners Dream that flower after planting in your garden. Annuals will flower for a single year and then die back, while perennials will flower year after year just like a bulb.

You have many colour options when it comes to annual and perennial flower plants! All our customers need to do to find the perfect flowering alpine, rose bush or garden plant is to shop at Gardeners Dream. Our free delivery guarantee applies no matter the price of your order.

Trees and Shrubs Too

Small flowers aren't the only garden plants adding some colour to the UK. Planting trees and shrubs can also be an effective way to add height and colour while supporting local wildlife. Planting naturally blossoming fruit trees, for example, is a great way to feed nature - from birds to squirrels to all manner of insects.

We also recommend looking at our range of flowering hedging plants. They are customer-rated for providing good screening while also blooming in spring or summer. Many will also produce fruits to harvest as well!

FAQs

What is the best month to plant bulbs?

The best month to plant bulbs or tubers in your garden depends when they flower. For spring bulbs, plant in the previous autumn. For summer bulbs, plant in the early spring. For autumn and winter bulbs, late spring or early summer is ideal. This gives your bulbs enough time to establish in your garden before blooming.

What bulbs to plant in the UK?

There are a great range of native bulbs that flower in the UK. Plants such as daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses are some of the most well-known and widely available for spring. At Gardeners Dream, you can also find bulbs that flower at different times of year.

When is it too late to plant bulbs in the UK?

For spring bulbs, the ideal time for to plant these flower varieties is in autumn the year before. However, you can also plant them in the winter if the ground isn't frozen solid! Typically, bulbs should be planted a season or two before they flower.

Which bulbs come back each year?

Perennial bulbs, like daffodils, will come back each year. But not all bulbs will do this - only hardy plants that are accustomed to the UK climate will survive. More delicate bulbs (typically non-native varieties) may need to be stored over winter instead.

When should I buy spring flowering bulbs?

The best time to buy these bulbs is from September to November, as this is when the plants should be planted for blooms in time for the next season. Storing bulbs for too long, or storing them incorrectly, can prevent them from flourishing in time for the first flowering season.

What is the best way to plant flower bulbs?

First, ensure your soil is fertile and mix in any compost needed. Then, dig holes deep enough to plant your bulbs. Typically, you need to dig a hole that is deep enough that it could fit three bulbs stacked up below the surface. One bulb per hole, of course! These plants do well in sunny or slightly shaded spots, but otherwise are blissfully low maintenance. For tips on replacing bulbs, moving and storing bulbs, as well as propagation, read our blog at Gardeners Dream or reach out to our horticulturalists today for personal advice.