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It's Autumn Planting Time

© Carol Wallace

One of my personal favorite plants for this is the hellebore. Hellebores bloom even earlier than the crocus in some areas. In spring the foliage looks tattered, and so I cut it off - all the better for enjoying the beautiful blooms. But the new foliage soon emerges and spreads to cover a large area - hiding bulb foliage as it spreads. These, hostas, ferns, dicentra (bleeding heart), and digitalis (foxgloves) will help hide withered leaves in the shade garden, while dahlias, daylilies and gyposphilia (baby's breath) have all been used successfully in sunny areas. Utah Green gives some great ideas for maximizing your bulb display and then hiding the remains.

So what are you waiting for? Get that bulb order in, and start selecting perennials designed for the amount of shade or sun you get to plant over them. It may be all over but the shouting thi syear - but a bit of work now ill definitely give you something to shout about next year.

Want to have some fun with bulbs? Check out Tulip World. Their Bulb Explorer should help you find varieties of bulbs that work for you, both in your design and cultural needs - and it's fun!