Combining Bulbs and Perennials Perennials and spring-flowering bulbs are a winning combination. Combine plants with similar or complimentary colors, shapes, and sizes.

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Although a bed of brightly colored tulips or daffodils is stunning, its stardom is fleeting. Why not extend the bloom season by mixing the bulbs in with perennials that bloom before, during, and after the bulbs are finished? Not only will perennials provide summer blooms, their foliage will also help hide the dying and yellowing foliage of the bulbs when they are finished blooming.

To get the best results, consider each plant's color, bloom season, and height to find plants that complement one another. Remember that all the plants won't be in bloom at the same time, though some may overlap, so keep in mind how the foliage of the various plants will look together. Here are some combinations to help you get started.

Lycoris squamigera

Campanula punctata 'Bowl of Cherries'

Tiarella 'Iron Butterfly'

Monarda didyma 'Petite Delight'

Allium sphaerocephalon

Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue'

Phlox paniculata 'Franz Schubert'

Geranium pratense 'Midnight Reiter'

'Beauty of Apeldoorn' Tulip

Papaver orientale 'Brilliant'

Fritillaria imperialis 'Lutea'

Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'

Daffodil 'Hawera'

Baptisia x 'Carolina Moonlight'

Kalmeris pinnatifida

Hemerocallis 'Candilla'

'Fortissimo' Daffodil

Trollus chinensis 'Gold Queen'

Hemerocallis 'Carefree Yellow'

Astilbe crispa 'Liliput'

'Lilac Wonder' tulip

Anemone blanda 'White Splendour'

Delphinium 'Magic Fountain Lavender'

Stokesia laevis 'Purple Parasols'

When you plant bulbs around existing plants, be careful not to damage the root systems of the perennials. Also, because the bulbs will be competing with the flowers for water and nutrients, keep the area well fertilized and watered, especially in spring and fall. Add compost to the soil at planting time, and fertilize the bulbs with a high-phosphorus and moderate- to low-nitrogen fertilizer. Perennials may need to be divided or thinned after a few years to leave room for planting tulips around them.

Published by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org, www.kidsgardening.com