Just about every flower gardener will work with bulb plants at one time or another.  Bulbs are loved by gardeners for the ease with which they grow, their hardiness and the fact that they can bloom again and again for many consecutive seasons without the need to replant.  With all these advantages, it is no wonder that bulb plants are so popular among both new and experienced gardeners.
 
Choosing the right bulbs, however, is one thing that many beginning gardeners have trouble with.  After you develop and eye and feel for finding the best bulbs, however, you will be able to spot them from across the garden center.

When choosing bulbs for your garden, it is important to choose the firmest and largest bulbs.  The size of the bulb is important, since large bulbs are more likely to provide many blooms.  The firmness of the bulb is a good indication of its health, and bulbs that are soft or mushy are unlikely to bloom.  Bulbs are particularly susceptible to water damage.  It is important to choose a bulb that is not to soft, but it is also important to look for cracks or scars.  Bulbs with cracks or scars may have become too dry to bloom.  Likewise, any bulbs that have begun to spout roots should be avoided, as they are unlikely to bloom properly once planted.

How bulbs are planted in the garden is important as well.  Most bulbs are best planted in the fall, most commonly in early to mid October.  The goal is to get the bulbs into the ground six weeks before the ground begins to freeze, so obviously the best time to plant will vary from location to location. 

Bulbs should be planted in a well prepared soil, and the depth they should be planted will be determined by the type of bulb.  For example, crocus bulbs are generally planted four inches deep, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs six inches deep and tulip bulbs at a depth of eight inches.

A simple gardening tool called a bulb planter is great for achieving a more uniform look to the blooming garden.  Bulb planters can be used to easily prepare perfect looking rows of flowers.  Those gardneres who prefer a more wild and freewheeling look, on the other hand, often dig a single hole and plant several bulbs in it.  This approach can lead to spectacular, if somewhat unpredictable, patterns once the bulbs begin to bloom.

It is important to use a small amount of fertilizer at the bottom of each hole you dig when planting bulbs.  The fertilizer should then be topped with a thin layer of soil, and the bulb carefully placed on top of the soil.  It is important not to place the bulb directly on top of the fertilizer, as doing so could damage the bulb.  Bulbs are always planted with the pointed end stick up and the flat, rooted side lying on top of the layer of soil.  After the bulbs are in place, the rest of the hole should be filled with soil and the garden should be given a thorough watering.

Even though bulbs are among the hardiest of garden plants, there are a few important things to remember.  One important technique to become familiar with is deadheading.  The term deadheading should already be familiar to those gardeners who work with perennials.  Deadheading is simply removing spent blooms in order to encourage more blossoms to develop.  This process is important with bulb plants as well.  When working with bulbs, however, it is important not to remove the leaves from the plants until the leaves have begun turning brown.

Taking care of the bulbs over the winter is important as well.  In warmer climates, many bulbs can remain in the ground over winter.  It is important, however, to remove tender bulbs such as dahlias, even in warmer climates.  These bulbs should be stored over the winter in a cool, dry location.

Bulbs are wonderful plants for any gardener, from the newest to the most experienced.  Their combination of hardiness, color and beauty make them hard to beat for any flower enthusiast.

Bulbs are among the most interesting, most beautiful and easiest to grow of all flower varieties.  Tulip bulbs were once so prized in Holland that it led to one of the best known financial bubbles in history, and even today, tulips are a leading export from that part of the world.

Even though bulbs are not quite so highly prized today as they were in 17th century Holland, they are still loved for their scents, their colors and their shapes, and gardeners love the fact that most bulbs are hardy and easy to grow.

Many of the most popular varieties of flowers are actually grown from bulbs, including tulips, crocuses, daffodils, irises, lilies, daylilies, dahlias and snowdrops.

One thing all bulb based plants have in common is that they grow from structures located under the ground.  These underground structures provide the nutrients and energy the plants need to grow.

Even though bulb based plants are collectively known as “bulbs’, there are actually five distinct types of bulb plants – the true bulb, the corm, the tuber, the rhizome and the tuberous root.  This article will provide examples of each type.

The True Bulb
The true bulb is in reality an underground stem base containing an embryonic plant.  The embryonic plant contained within the steam base already contains the leaves, stems and flower buds, all ready to burst forth once optimal growing conditions are provided.  This setup allows the plant to lie dormant during adverse conditions, and thus to survive droughts and other environmental challenges.
The embryonic plant contained within the stem base is surrounded by scales (modified leaves that overlap in a manner reminiscent of reptile or fish scales).  At the bottom of the bulb is a basal plate; this basal plate holds the scales together and produces the roots of the plant. 
Examples of true bulbs are such popular flower varieties as daffodils, tulips and lilies.  True bulb varieties of plants are susceptible to dryness and must be handled carefully.  When properly cared for, however, individual bulbs can live for many years without being planted.
The Corm
A corm, like a true bulb, also contains a stem base, but the tissue of the base is solid, and it lacks the scales seen in true bulbs.  The roots grow from a basal plate which is located at the bottom of the corm, and the growth point is located at the top of the corm. 

Popular types of corms include gladiolas and crocus.  Each corm lasts for a single season, and as the corm shrinks away after blooming, a new corm forms on top of it.  In addition, small increases, called cormels, are produced around the base of the corm’s basal plate.

The Tuber
Like corm and true bulbs, a tuber is actually an underground stem base.  Unlike corms and a true bulbs, however, the tuber does not contain a basal plate.   Instead, the roots of the tuber grow from both the base and from the sides.  A tuber will have multiple growth points spread out over its top surface.

The Rhizome
The rhizome is actually a thickened stem that grows either partly or completely underneath the ground.  The largest growth point on a rhizome is located at one end, and additional growth points are located along the sides.  The most well known rhizome is the bearded iris.

Tuberous Roots
Unlike other types of bulbs, which are actually specially adapted stems, the tuberous root is not a true root.  Instead, fibrous roots designed to absorb nutrients and water grow from the sides and the tip of the tuberous root.  Most tuberous roots grow in a cluster, and swollen tuberous parts radiate out from a centralized point.  The growth points of a tuberous root are found on the bases of the old stems and not on the roots themselves.  Dahlias and daylilies are the best known examples of tuberous roots.

Roses have long been a favorite among all types of gardeners, and roses continue to enjoy great popularity today.  In addition to their beauty as cut flowers and in bouquets, roses are among the most useful and attractive flowers to grace the landscape of any home.

As a matter of fact, the exterior of any home can be made more graceful and more inviting through the use of wonderful landscape roses.  Choosing the right ones, and ensuring that they compliment the overall style of the home, is very important to the overall success of the landscape.

Fortunately, the number of ornamental landscape roses make finding them an easy task.  The difficulty consists of choosing the right ones from this variety.  There are a number of classes of roses whose characteristics make them great for use as landscape ornamentals.  For instance, the gardener who wants to grow roses up and over an archway or a trellis may want to use tall growing tea roses.  Tea roses are renowned for their nodding blooms, therefore all who pass under the arch would be treated to the beautiful sight of roses in full bloom.

To accent a wall or other permanent structure, a true climbing rose is often the best choice.  True climbing roses can be trained to many different effects, including climbing up the length of the structure, or accenting the tops and sides of a wall or building.

The Polyantha or modern day Floribunda rose is a great choice for gardeners looking for a vibrant splash of color for the background.  These popular varieties of roses have large sprays of blooms, and they are popular choices for providing color in the landscape. 

If roses are to be planted in front of other plants in the landscape, miniature or low growing China roses are a perfect choice.  Roses can even be used as hedges, with modern Shrub roses and Rugosa roses being excellent choices.

Of course, as with any aspect of gardening, color is an important consideration.  After all, every gardener’s goal is a garden full of colorful, vibrant and healthy plants.  Fortunately, roses come in so many shapes, sizes, textures and colors that there truly is a rose for every gardener. 

The goal of choosing the best color roses for the landscape should be to compliment the color of the surrounding landscape.  For instance, a spray of plain white tea roses can be striking against a dark red brick home, or an arrangement of pink roses can be the perfect compliment to a stone or marble entranceway.  With so many colors of roses to choose from, it should be easy to find colors that compliment and enhance any decorating scheme.

One popular trend in the world of landscaping is to use a variety of different plants and flowers in the landscape.  Whereas single species landscaping was in vogue a few years ago, most of today’s gardeners like to use a mix of different colors, species and styles of plants.  Doing so not only makes for a vibrant garden, but it is thought to enhance the health of the soil as well.

Fortunately, roses lend themselves well to this mixture, and roses can be a beautiful part of an overall landscape of plants and flowers.  In addition, there are roses suitable for a variety of climates.  Choosing the best rose varieties for your specific climate should mean fewer pesticides, few disease issues and an overall healthier garden.

Trying to grow healthy, vibrant flowers without proper soil chemistry is definitely a case of putting the cart before the horse.  Good soil is the cornerstone of successful gardening, and it is important to make sure that your soil will meet the needs of your plants before the first seed is planted.

While soil chemistry is important no matter what types of plants or flowers you grow, it is particularly critical when it comes to working with bulbs, perennials or other plants that remain in the ground for than one season.  The reason is that the chemistry of the soil can change from year to year.  Therefore, if a formerly well blooming patch of the garden is looking a bit haggard, the first place to look is at the condition of the soil.  Erosion, overuse of pesticides and fertilizers and a number of other factors can impact the quality of the soil, so it is important to test the soil if you suspect a problem.

Of course the soil should be tested anytime a new flower bed is prepared as well.  It would be a mistake to assume that the soil chemistry is the same everywhere on your property, since the makeup of different patches of soil can be markedly different, due to past use, chemicals or residue in the ground, etc.

It is a good idea to have a thorough soil analysis done prior to planting a bed of flowers.  Most major cities have several laboratories that do soil testing, so be sure to contact such a lab to have the soil analyzed for pH level, and for levels of important plant nutrients.  If you are unsure where to get the soil tested, be sure to ask the staff at your local nursery or garden center for a recommendation.

After the present condition of the soil is known, you will be in a much better position to know how to amend the soil and make the changes that are needed.  Once you know the pH level, the level of organic material in the soil, the amount of clay, amount of sand, etc., you will be able to choose the right additives to provide your plants with what they need to thrive.

The pH level of the soil can be a particularly critical factor when deciding what types of plants will work best.  Most varieties of annuals, perennials and bulbs will grow well in a wide range of soil pH, but some plants have specific needs, and prefer soils that are either very alkaline or very acidic.  If your pH range is outside the norm, or if it needs to be amended, there are a number of ways to accomplish this goal.  For instance, limestone can be used to make acidic soil more alkaline, while sulfur is often used to make very alkaline soil more acidic.  A pH level that is out of balance can also be helped by adding humus. This rich soil can be created at home by using a compost bin, or it can be purchased ready made from a garden center or nursery.

After you know the baseline content of your flower bed, it will be easier to track chemistry changes from year to year, and to make amendments as needed.  The more you know about the quality of your soil, the more confident you can be that the plants you buy will thrive in your home garden.

Could your home do with a little more garden landscaping? Probably so, and that is a good thing. In fact you should be very excited about it because there is nothing more fun than garden landscaping, it will get your imagination working overtime and you will have a ball planting and rearranging your plants and flowers.

By layering your garden landscaping beds you will be able to add a whole other level of beauty to your landscaping design. Your yard is the first thing that people will see when they come to your house and giving a grand tour that includes a fabulous garden is always fun and exciting. You will be the talk of the neighborhood, and for all the right reasons this time, when you do some really good garden landscaping.

Layering your garden landscaping design is easy to do. You need to know the flowers that you are going to plant first however. The choices that you make as far as the flowers and other plants will affect just how your garden landscaping is laid out. For example you do not want to have the taller plants in front of the shorter ones. This is obvious but you should still make a rough sketch of where you want things laud out for your garden landscaping before you begin. This will help you to keep thins as simple as possible. Your garden landscaping will go a lot faster this way and you will run into fewer problems as you go.

When layering you should have about three layers. Your back row should face north, if it can, and the back row should have the tallest plants and as the rows descend so should the heights of the plants and flowers. The trick of this kind of garden landscaping is that oftentimes the plants we buy are baby plants. So you will need to talk to those working at your local gardening store about how large the plants will grow to be. This is key to successful garden landscaping. If the front or middle row of your garden landscaping design is going to grow much higher than the last row, then you will have to do some rearranging.

The layering affect of your garden landscaping design will add depth and make your garden much more interesting to look at. This is what will make your garden landscaping a success.