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Nine bulbs to plant in autumn

Bulbs that are about to be placed in the soil by a trowel
  A well-planned planting scheme can give you a swathe of gorgeous blooms, year after year.

The beauty of bulbs

Plan to plant bulbs in autumn for a glorious display of wonderful flowers. Blooms emerge at various times from early winter, beginning with daffodils and jonquils, followed by tulips and freesias and finishing on a high with bluebells. Plant a variety of different bulbs so you can delight in the floral show for longer. Here are 9 of our favourites.

A gloved hand putting a bulb in a pot

Sparaxis (Sparaxis tricolor): This happy bloomer, with striking tri-coloured flowers in pink, purple, yellow, red, orange and white, pops up from spring and lasts for weeks. Grow in pots or spread throughout the garden, along borders, rockeries or mass planted in beds. Position in full sun and liquid feed weekly when flowering.

Ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus): One of the best cut flowers, with multi-petalled blooms in a variety of colours including white, red, pink, yellow and orange. It looks fabulous planted as a clumped mix in pots or flowerbeds. They grow 40–60cm tall, but dwarf specimens only reach 20cm. Plant in full sun and feed regularly during the growing season.

English bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta): Delicate blue-purple blooms (you can also find varieties in pink or white) sit atop the ends of stems. The reflexed petals give them a hanging lampshade-like appearance, adding to their engaging demeanour. Plant masses in multiple pots for a dramatic effect or allow them to naturalise under a tree. Position in filtered light and feed regularly with a liquid fertiliser once the leaves appear.

Close up of a row of daffodils with bright yellow petals and green stems.

Snowflake (Leocojum vernum): Clusters of dainty white blooms appear from late winter. The flowers hang like miniature petticoats, allowing them to dance and sway with the slightest breeze. It grows only 35cm tall and is ideal for pots or planted as drifts under a tree. Grows well in most climates in full sun or part shade. Feed weekly with a liquid fertiliser once foliage appears.

Daffodils (Narcissus spp.): The classic spring bulb, daffodils mark the incoming sunny seasons with their golden yellow petticoat-like blooms in single or bi-coloured forms. Plant in pots or mass plant them under a deciduous tree.

Jonquils (Narcissus hybrids): A close relative of daffodils, jonquils also flower early in the season and are available in miniature, single and double forms. Their beautiful fragrance can be overwhelming for some, but a delight for most.

Tulips (Tulipa spp.): With more than 3000 different varieties of tulips available, in varying flower colours and shapes, there is bound to be a tulip you will love. They look spectacular when planted in drifts or crowded in large pots.

Hyacinths (Hyacinth orientalis): Short spires of lilac, purple, pink, blue, and white flowers look fab planted en masse in pots and garden beds. Their perfume is intoxicating, so cut blooms and fill your home with their delicious scent. 

Pink and purple hyacinth flowers in a garden

For more on growing in pots…

If you want to pop your bulbs in a pot, make sure you pick one to suit with our guide to choosing the right plant pot.

 

Photo credit: Gap Photos/Robert Mabic, Getty Images, Alamy Stock Photo

 

Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.