The numerous spring bloomers can be further divided into sun worshipers and shade seekers. And since almost every garden has a shady spot to offer, these different preferences are definitely welcome. How is the shadowed existence optimally designed?
Which flower bulbs are suitable for shade?
Flower bulbs that are well suited to shady locations include harebells, dog's tooth, March cup, grape hyacinths and snowdrops. These early bloomers prefer moist soil and bloom in February or March when trees and shrubs have not yet sprouted leaves.
Bulbs for shade
The bad news: The popular tulips and hyacinths love sunshine so much that they would only survive in shady locations and perhaps even die.
The good news: There are still enough wonderful flower bulb varieties left that feel right at home under shady trees and bushes. For example:
- Harebells
- DogTooth
- Märzenbecher
- Grape Hyacinths
- Snowdrops
These varieties bloom early in February or March, when the trees and bushes have not yet sprouted their leaves. This way they get enough heat for their flowers and also have the whole stage to themselves.
Tip
These spring bloomers are not only suitable for shady places in the garden. Even areas of a balcony with little sunshine can be transformed into flower oases.
Moisture as a companion
Early bloomers that like shade also need moist soil. They get this moisture easily in the shade, because where the sun can hardly reach, the earth cannot dry out as quickly.
It may even be that they get more moisture than they would like in their shady location. Then they start to rot. This is particularly a concern with heavy soils. That's why it's important for their survival if the garden owner creates a 3 to 5 cm high drainage layer of gravel (€242.00 on Amazon) when planting.
Planting flower bulbs
Plant the flower bulbs in autumn. This means they have time to take root well until spring. This planting time applies to both the garden bed and the pot or balcony box. It is only important that the ground is not frozen and that potted specimens are protected from frost after planting.
- plant plump, undamaged flower bulbs
- group several onions for better effect
- plant each onion twice as deep as it is tall
- mix the soil with compost
- cover with some brushwood or leaves
Tip
Plant flower bulbs in the lawn to make shady areas more attractive. All of these flower bulb varieties are suitable for naturalization.
