Spring flowering bulbs normally start blooming in February with snowdrops and end in June with the alliums. The summer bulbs extend the bloom period from July into the fall season. The great variety of bloom color, flowering time, plant height and shape makes bulbs a good addition to any landscape or garden. It is important to select good quality bulbs for planting. Factors to consider are size and firmness.
Larger bulbs produce larger blooms.
Select bulbs that are firm and free from soft or rotting spots or other signs of disease. Normally, there is a larger selection of bulb varieties through mail order catalogs. The disadvantage of mail order is that the buyer does not know what the bulb will look like until received. Therefore always buy from companies that have good reputations and that you or your friends have used in the past with good results. Once bulbs are obtained either locally or from a mail order source, they should be planted as soon as possible.