Spring bulbs for a border

I am looking for any advice and experience concerning spring bulbs (or plants) to brighten up a border early in the year. The key is that it is a perennial border and later in the year the perennials will covered everything.

So far I have planted snowdrops, tulips, crocus and Iris reticulata. Today I bought more Iris reticulata in a pot - Cantab, George and Pauline. I hadn't realised how heavenly their scent is, until I brought them into the house. I also bought a small pot of anenome blanda.

Question - are these all suitable for a border, where they will be covered later? And what other good plants would fit the bill - Chionodoxa, Muscari etc?. Are there any Scilla, that are not thugs. I will be looking into small Narcissus, but my guru Christopher Lloyd wrote that most are not suitable for a border, like bluebells, because of their excessive leaves that take so long to decay.

 

For foliage, ligularias come up early, as do peonies and lupins. Another one of the bulb variety is Camassia.

I have Camassia leichtlinii and it is a stunning plant.

 

Thanks BM for the Cammasia - I have seen pictures of it in Christopher Lloyd's garden. And I am attempting to achieve a similar (but rather more modest)effect to him. I am planning to have Lupins as the next round of colour, but as you say its nice early foliage as well. The Ligularia is yellow which is a colour that I am currently avoiding.

Lovely pictures - again.

 

Camassia esculenta is smaller and just as good as its taller relations and a lot cheaper too.
I would avoid the common blue Muscari, like the plague. I have just dug out and burned a bundle of over a 1000 of them and have done likewise for quite a few years now. Muscari latifolia is better behaved.
Scilla sibirica is small, blue and well behaved as is S. mischtschenkoana (tubergeniana) is also rather nice.
Puschkinia scilloides is a good one too.
Frankly I would always fill a border with Crocus tommasinianus (pale lilac in its natural form).

 

How about some species tulips, some are similar in flower to crocus but are muti-stemmed and flower March to the end of April so the season is extended. I love them.
For some pics go to: http://shop.gee-tee.co.uk/Other-Species-----.htm

And here:
http://www.plantpress.com/plant-encyclopedia/plantdbatoz.php?letter=t&g=682

 

Eucomis again for foliage, comming up now.

Lasts in one form or another all the growing year for me.

 

My Eucomis is also about 3 inches high already BM, love them.
Other spring flowering bulbs are the Erythroniums or Dogs Tooth Violets, perennial plants include Dicentra Formosa, Epimediums, and cultivated froms of Celandine, like Brazen Hussey.

 

Another tall one is the nectaroscordium...... friends have got that and the Camassia leichtlinii - very effective! And I think it's the Camassia that has a twisted stem - rather nice!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2006-49,GGLD:en-GB&sa=N&resnum=0&q=nectaroscordium&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tab=wi

I would definitely second the dicentra suggestion - only trouble is it might still be rather in eveidence when your other plants are getting going. One of mine lasted for months last year!

 

Mine get a bit chilly in the pot. Until the bananahouse comes down they are a bit shady too. I was thinking today i should be on the look out for moist munchers already, especially with the ligularia. They really are a super bulb, and they have multiplied modestly over the last couple of years :D

 

Third the dicentra dendy. Surprised me last year how long it lasted.

 

Many thanks to you all for such a lot of ideas.

BM I love your pictures and Eucomis is quite new to me.

Palustris, I was very interested in your comments on Scilla and Muscari invasiveness - I was apprehensive of those, but would like to try your suggestions.

Blackthorn, I certainly intend to look into species tulips - that Gee Tee site is really reasonably priced. But I am afraid I am rather nervous of your brazen hussey - even though she was a friend of Christopher Lloyd.

Dendro, I am keeping my eyes out for Cammasia. I planted some nectaroscordium before Christmas and looking foreward to seeing what happens.

 

Thought of another small blue bulb, Brimeura fastigiata. Ours are just starting to show.
We cannot grow Eucomis outside at all. Ligularia likewise, they just disappear over winter.
If you want something really different for Summer flowering, how about a green flowered bulb? Galtonia viridflora.
White spring bulbs should always include Leucojum vernus (changed its name recently I think), the Spring Snowflake.

 

Cannot edit the above, but it should be Brimeura amethystina. Sorry!