If you plan carefully, the show of bulbs can last from late winter - when the first snowdrops and crocuses emerge - to June, when the lollipop flowers of ornamental onions (alliums) bloom.

Tulips for spring colour
The beauty of spring-flowering bulbs is their incredible variety, in size and shape, colour and bloom time.

If there's one bulb that seems to personify spring, it has to be tulips. These bulbs are the ultimate visual spring tonic, and there are scores of wonderful varieties to choose from.

Tulips may be the most popular spring bulbs, but there are many lovely, easy-to-grow, lesser-known bulbs.

They include windflowers ( Anemone blanda ), wild hyacinth ( Camassia ), Snake's-head fritillaria or guinea-hen flower ( Fritillaria meleagris ), Persian fritillaria, ( Fritillaria Persica ) and Bulgarian ornamental onion (Nectaroscordum siculum ).

Fortunately, most of them are unappealing to garden menaces such as deer and squirrels.

When to plant bulbs for spring?
Don't do it too early

New gardeners often ask when to plant bulbs for spring. Spring bulbs arrive in the stores before summer is even over, so should you plant them as soon as they're available? The answer: it's best to wait.

However, it is a good idea to buy bulbs as soon as they're in stores because if you don't get them right away, you may not find the varieties you want.

But according to the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center, a little procrastination is a good thing when it comes to planting your bulbs. About six weeks before the soil freezes hard is the best time to actually get your bulbs into the ground.

Soil needs to cool for bulbs. If your weather is still quite warm, wait to plant bulbs when soil temperatures drop to 55 degrees F (12 degrees C) or cooler.

Soil tends to reach this temperature when average night-time temperatures drop to around 50 degrees F (10 degree C) or cooler for about two weeks.

If you plant bulbs for spring before the soil cools down, you can have problems, especially in a wet fall. Since most flower bulbs come from areas where the winters are very cold, but summers are dry and hot, bulbs planted in warm, wet soil can succumb to rot or mildew.

If it's not wet, but still warm when you plant bulbs, they can also start making top growth, which you don't want to see until spring.

While waiting to plant, store your bulbs in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. After planting, water your bulbs thoroughly. Fall rains normally provide all the moisture necessary, helping bulbs grow strong, deep roots to give you lot of colorful flowers for spring.

The general care guidelines for Spring Bulbs

Spring Bulbs are generally quite simple and easy to grow because most have similar requirements so once you understand the basics you can grow nearly any Spring flowering bulb with ease.

Planting time:
For best results plant Spring bulbs in Autumn.

Depth & Spacing:
Most bulbs are planted twice as deep as the bulb is high and the same distance apart. In most cases, the pointed end of the bulb should be upwards.

(If in doubt, plant the bulb on it's side.)

Soil type:
Most Spring bulbs require a moisture retentive, well drained soil. If your soil is soggy you can raise the beds to improve drainage or plant in pots.

Position:
Most bulbs require full sun to light shade. Generally heavier shade produces taller (and softer) stems. In warmer climates, most bulbs tolerate greater levels of shade.

Watering:
Spring flowering bulbs in the garden will not usually require watering providing they are planted in moisture retentive soil. Bulbs planted in containers

(hanging baskets, tubs, window boxes, etc) should be kept moist but not wet.

Feeding:
Top dress all Spring flowering bulbs in Autumn with a bulb or general fertilizer. Many bulbs perform better if a second dressing is applied straight after flowering.

Spread the fertilizer over the top of the soil and water in.

Post flowering care:
Remove dead heads and allow foliage to die back naturally.

During this period the leaves are acting like solar panels, generating food which is stored in the bulb for generating next year's flower.

So it's important that the leaves are not removed prematurely or tied into knots.

Digging and storing your bulbs:
Allow the foliage to die down before lifting (or for at least 6 weeks after flowering). Firstly loosen the soil with a fork and gently pull up the bulbs by their stems.

Allow the bulbs to dry somewhere cool (but not in full sun). Once dry, clean off excess dirt and remove old flowering stalks.

Store the bulbs somewhere cool (less than 25 o C), dry and airy until replanting in Autumn.

To lift or not to lift?:
This is one of the most popular questions when it comes to bulb care.

There are many bulbs which can successfully be left in the ground from year to year without any detrimental impact on their floral performance.

Some bulbs however, especially tulips and hyacinths, are best lifted each year.