14 Bulbs To Plant This Fall For Beautiful Blooms Next Spring

Want a gorgeous spring garden? Plant These 14 Bulbs In Fall for a riot of color and fragrance when winter fades! From classics like tulips to unique alliums and more.

The arrival of fall means one thing for eager gardeners – time to start planting spring-blooming bulbs! By taking time to get some bulbs into the ground before winter, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular display of flowers once the warm days of spring arrive.

Flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and more are living underground storehouses packed with everything they need to sprout, bloom and nurture the growth cycle to come. All they require from you is the simple task of planting them properly in fall before the ground freezes.

Ready to get started? Here are 14 top bulb choices that are perfect for making your spring garden burst with cheerful color and fragrance:

1. Tulips

Botanical name : Tulipa

No spring bulb garden would be complete without showy tulips! These classics put on a big display in mid-spring with their large, bold blooms.

• Darwin Hybrid Tulips – Tall, sturdy tulips in bright solids
• Parrot Tulips – Ruffled, striped flowers in zany hues
• Greigii Tulips – Brilliant colored cups with striped leaves
• Fringed Tulips – Whimsical, ragged-edged blooms Plant Attributes: Upright flowers in spring, strappy leaves

2. Daffodils

Botanical name : Narcissus

Daffodils are well-known for their cheerful yellow hues and reliability, blooming as some of the first harbingers of spring.

• King Alfred – Classic large-cupped golden yellow daffodil
• Cheerfulness – Fragrant double blooms with creamy white petals
• Rijnveld’s Early Sensation – Very early daffodil, bright yellow
• Jetfire – Unique fiery reddish-orange petals and red cup Plant Attributes: Clump-forming, long-lasting blooms in early spring

3. Hyacinths

Botanical name : Hyacinthus

Grape hyacinths are prized for their intense, long-lasting spring fragrance that will make you weak in the knees!

• Delft Blue – Rich sky blue spikes beloved for their scent
• Woodstock – Sweet-smelling deep burgundy florets
• Aiolos – Large, plump rosy-purple flower heads
• Carnegie – Pure white hyacinth blooms with strong fragrance Plant Attributes: Dense flowers on thick spikes, aromatic blossoms

4. Alliums

Botanical name : Allium

Often called ornamental onions, alliums make fantastic accent bulbs with their big, spherical blooms held high on tall, sturdy stems.

• Purple Sensation – Vivid 4-inch violet-purple flower heads
• Globemaster – Giant 10-inch globe of rich violet florets
• Moly – Bright yellow lollipop-like flowers, reblooming type
• Hair – Unique look with thin green stamens forming “hair” Plant Attributes: Large round blooms on tall, slender stems

5. Crocus

Botanical name : Crocus sativus L.

One of the first blooms you’ll see popping up in very early spring! Crocuses are tiny but mighty bursts of color after winter’s drab.

• Pickwick – Silvery lavender petals with golden centers
• Cream Beauty – large creamy white blooms with purple stripes
• Ruby Giant – Vibrant deep red blooms in very early spring
• Goldilocks – Classic sunny golden yellow crocuses Plant Attributes: Low-growing small flowers, grasslike foliage

6. Iris

Botanical name : genus Iris

Prized for their tall bearded displays, irises come in virtually every color combination and pattern imaginable.

• Superstition – Ruffled smoky violet falls, rich black velvet beards
• Batik – Patterned like Indonesian fabric in maroon and gold
• Immortality – Re-blooming iris with pure white ruffled petals
• Caribbean Calypso – Tropical tangerine and deep blue iris Plant Attributes: Tall bearded blooms, thick sword-like foliage

7. Fritillaria

Botanical name : Fritillaria 

Fritillaria bulbs like snake’s head and crown imperials are coveted for their quirky, checkered blooms in subdued hues.

• Michailovski – Nodding purple bells with maroon-black checkering
• Persica – Tall stems with green bells and unique blue skirts
• Crown Imperial – Flaming red-orange blooms, very showy
• Lutea – Golden capped bells amid a whorl of lush green leaves Plant Attributes: Nodding bell blooms, interesting color patterns

8. Grape Hyacinths

Botanical name : Muscari

These diminutive bulbs form waterfall-like clusters of teeny blossoms in mid to late spring for a delightful accent.

• Muscari armeniacum – Deep cobalt blue, named for the color of grape must
• Muscari Saffier – Brilliant sapphire blue selections
• Muscari White Magic – White form of this small, long-blooming hyacinth
• Muscari Valerie Finnis – Two-toned light and dark blue florets Plant Attributes: Low growing, tiny bell-like blooms

9. Winter Aconites

Botanical name : Eranthis

One of the earliest and most cheerful harbingers of spring, their bright yellow buttercup blooms make a sunny carpet.

• Eranthis hyemalis – Very early golden yellow flowers, green ruffled collars
• Eranthis Cilicica – Pale buttery yellow flowers with darker nectary cups Plant Attributes: Low mats of bright yellow flowers

10. Anemones

Botanical name : Anemone

With their pretty poppy-like flowers, anemones are tough bulbs that naturalize readily in the garden.

• St. Brigid – Semi-double blooms in mixed colors of red, white, blue
• De Caen – Single poppy flowers in wide color range
• Lord Lieutenant – Sumptuous double ruffled violet-purple blooms
  Plant Attributes: Daisy-like flowers with black center eye

11. Snowflakes

Botanical name : Leucojum

As their name implies, snowflakes produce dainty nodding white blooms that flutter in the spring breeze.

• Leucojum aestivum – Classic spring snowflake with bell-shaped flowers
• Leucojum vernum – Taller stems with white flowers marked green Plant Attributes: Nodding white bell-shaped blooms, grassy foliage

12. Ranunculus

Botanical name : Ranunculus

These brilliantly hued, rose or peony-like bloomers add pizazz to a spring garden with layers of delicate petals.

• Tecolote Red – Huge 5-inch fiery red semi-double blooms
• Persian Buttercup Mix – Mix of vibrant single and double flowers
• Bloomingdale – Rose-like yellow and orange ruffled doubles Plant Attributes: Double or single poppy-like rose blooms

13. Camassias

Botanical name : Camassia scilloides

If you have a partly shaded or woodland area, plant bulbs of native Camassia for spikes of violet-blue star flowers.

• Camassia leichtlinii – Tall purple star flowers on 4ft spikes
• Camassia quamash – Shorter deep blue starry spikes, 2ft tall Plant Attributes: Grassy foliage, tall spires of purple/blue stars

14. Cannas

Botanical name : Canna

These tall-growing bulbs make a bold impact with huge green or striped leaves and showy flowers all summer.

• Tropicanna – Orange flowers amid black foliage splashed with hot pink
• Lucifer – Dwarf canna with rich red blooms and bronze leaves
• Wyoming – Huge tangerine flowers on tall 5ft green plants Plant Attributes: Large tropical-look leaves, orchid-like flowers

With so many fabulous options, you’re sure to find some bulbs suitable for your region and garden design. Buy now and get them planted before winter, and in just a few months, your garden will burst into a kaleidoscope of floral color!