Bulb choices can be dizzying; here are the top picks

It’s time to buy bulbs for fall planting.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to, nor should you, plant them yet. You have months to do that, but you probably want to buy them soon.

That’s because bulbs have gotten so much more interesting than they used to be. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with some of the tried-and-true classics like Ice Follies and Dutch Master daffodils or Darwin tulips, but there is a whole world of excellent bulbs out there to make spring come alive in your garden.

In fact, there are so many interesting spring-flowering bulbs that choosing can get overwhelming. So I present my picks for some excellent bulbs.

Daffodils (Narcissus) are so easy to grow and, unlike many other bulbs, they are rarely eaten by any critters (although squirrels have been known to move them around from time to time).

The most important thing to note when choosing daffodils are the bloom time, which is generally broken down into early, mid and late spring. You can mix and match for a very long season of daffodil blooms, but keep in mind that late spring can push into June here, and you’ll need to leave the somewhat unattractive bulb foliage standing for a few weeks after they are done flowering, which can run into peak perennial season.

I like to focus on early and mid-spring bloomers that include Jetfire, with its bold orange cup and blown-back petals; the small Tete a Tete for areas close to walkways and the house; and Tahiti, a wonderful double in butter yellow with a hint of orange. Mix in some unusual forms like the split cup Cassata or the delicate white Thalia make for a bulb display that is sure to be different than the neighbors’.

Tulips, of course, are the most colorful of all spring bloomers, but if they are grown within reach of rabbits, deer, chipmunks or squirrels, they can be a heartbreaker. If you’re able to grow them in a protected spot, then the world is your oyster, especially if you are content with growing them as annuals or are OK with only sporadic rebloom in following years.

Some of the most exotic tulips bloom late in spring but are worth the wait. Parrot tulips have bold colors, crimped, feathery petals and great size. Other double forms resemble roses when they open fully.

Alliums should not be overlooked in the spring bulb show, particularly because they are excellent at bridging the gap into early summer. Three varieties that I find to be particulary good garden plants are the semi-short firework-like Christophii, the late flowering Nigrum, with its white, dome-shaped flowers that play well with early bloomers, and the stately Ambassador, which is, in my opinion, the best of the tall ball-shaped alliums, with seedheads that look great all season.

There’s a good chance you won’t be able to find many of these varieties locally, so you’ll have to order from a reputable online bulb supplier.

Plant anytime from mid-October until the ground is frozen and you’ll enjoy a beautiful, and definitely not boring, spring garden.