Fall Bulbs ? Unexpected Treasures

For me, surprises are what I enjoy most about gardening. Surprises can come in many forms. It might be a collection of plants or flower colors that you didn't expect to work together so well. It might be the large and magnificent plant that grew from a relatively small and dormant bareroot clump. Or it might be the sudden appearance of wildlife attracted to the garden by a flower's nectar. The best surprise, though, are plants that bloom when you are least expecting them to.

Saffron Crocus, Autumn Daffodil and Colchicum are three great choices for late-season gardens. Their colorful, spring-like flowers always come as a surprise in fall. Interplanted with other plants in the yard, they'll extend the blooming time and color interest of your flower beds.

Each plant is unique in its own way. As the name implies, Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus) is the source of the pricey cooking spice. The orange-red stigmas are harvested as soon as the flowers open, then dried and stored in glass or plastic vials. It takes about a dozen flowers to produce enough stigmas to season a good-size paella or similar dish. That's why saffron spice is so expensive! I prefer to enjoy these unique, lavender-purple flowers with their interesting filamentous stigmas attached. Saffron Crocus are attractive planted en masse, in drifts, or as accents in rock gardens and between stepping stones.

Autumn Daffodil (Sternbergia lutea) is a very interesting addition to gardens. While it blooms in early fall, it isn't really a daffodil ? it actually looks more like a Crocus. A member of the Amaryllis family and native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, Sternbergia are well suited to warm southern gardens. In cold northern climes they can be grown in pots. Happily, Sternbergia tend to bloom more profusely when they are somewhat pot-bound, so they don't need to be repotted very often. Their bright, sunny-yellow blooms are a delightful surprise in borders and rock gardens.

Colchicums are another fall delight. In the spring, their 6"-12" long leaves come up and last for a few months before dying back. Then, as if by magic, their vibrant lavender-pink blooms pop out of the ground in September. Because they come up 'naked', so to speak, they work well planted with low, ground covering plants or even in a lawn. They also naturalize well under tall trees in woodland settings. Even though the Colchicum's common name is Autumn Crocus, it isn't related to Crocus at all (Crocus belongs to the Iris family, Colchicum to the Lily family). Another common name for Colchicum is Meadow Saffron, but please do not confuse these with Saffron Crocus. All parts of Colchicums are poisonous if ingested.

Like most bulbs, these fall bloomers adapt to many types of soil, but do best in loose, porous, well-drained soil. Additions of compost, humus or other organic matter will help improve drainage. If your soil is really heavy and poor draining, raised beds are a good solution. While not heavy feeders, autumn bulbs will be more robust and naturalize better if a bulb food such as Bulb Boost Plus is added at the time of planting.

The window of opportunity for planting Saffron Crocus, Autumn Daffodil and Colchicum is short. They should be put in the ground as soon as they arrive. If planted by early September, they will even bloom this year. Colchicum bulbs often bloom indoors potted and placed on a windowsill or directly on a shallow tray filled with pebbles and water. If you wish to enjoy any of these fall-flowering bulbs this autumn, don't delay! You have just a few weeks left in which to order them.

Fall is also the planting season for spring-flowering bulbs. When considering what to add, I usually begin by closing my eyes and recalling the fabulous displays of flowering bulbs from last spring, then visualize where a splash or two of early spring color will look best. I do enjoy planting the spring garden stalwarts such as daffodils, tulips, and iris that bloom consistently year after year. They give the gardener the satisfaction of knowing that with a little patience and a little effort spent on soil preparation and planting now, a glorious display of fresh spring color will be the reward. While I couldn't do without these "headliner" spring performers in my garden, it's the less known, fall-blooming "surprise" bulbs that make gardening fun.