Spring bulbs are the unsung stars of the garden

Pity the poor spring-planted bulbs. They get none of the fanfare of fall-planted bulbs, which are the beneficiaries of catalog mailing blitzes and spots on just about every fall gardening to-do list.

Perhaps it’s because there are more than enough jobs do to in spring, but there’s a whole world of bulbs, corms and tubers that can be planted that bring far more to the garden party than your average daffodil.

They are also easier to plant than anything in a pot.

Lilies are always an eye-catcher in the garden and require nothing more than planting a few bulbs — groupings of three or more are best — about 6 inches deep in early spring in a sunny spot. In addition to providing an excellent flower show, usually in the first year and for many years after, Oriental lilies have a heady scent that will call to you from all corners of the yard.

There’s very little care needed. A bit of mulch over the top can help protect them in winter. Just remember to pull it back to uncover the plant in spring. And, if you have deer, you’ll probably need to protect them because lily buds that are just about to open seem to be a delicacy with the hoofed menaces.

Gladiolas are an old-fashioned flower poised for a modern-day resurgence. Long stems produce large flowers in a wide variety of colors along their length, producing a great show in the garden for two to three weeks or a dramatic statement in bouquets.

For the best show, plant the corms every couple of weeks starting in late April and feel free to pack them in an area. Large corms should be planted 4 to 6 inches deep, or 3 inches deep for smaller corms. Gladiolas tend to need a little support, so packing them together can help create a self-supporting network.

Most gladiolas are not hardy in Wisconsin and will need to be treated as annuals or lifted and stored for winter, but dwarf Gladioli nanus varieties are hardier and can overwinter here.

And there are other, less well-known bulbs that will add a little something to the garden that your neighbors probably won’t have.

Peacock orchids (Gladiolus murielae), which were known as Acidenthera until a recent reclassification, have delightful 2-inch white flowers with dark throats that bloom atop delicate stems. I like to start several in a 6-inch nursery pot and then transplant them as a group in holes in the garden before they flower.

And last year I discovered summer hyacinth (Ornithogalum candicans), which produces attractive strappy leaves before tall spires sporting white bell flowers steal the show. Although the blooms come later and last for only a few weeks, the plant itself was good-looking enough to earn a spot in a container planting and the garden.

Inexpensive, beautiful and easy: spring bulbs have a lot to offer. They just need the same marketing push that their fall-planted brethren enjoy.