Hardy bulbs provide some of the earliest bloom in spring gardens.
Growing and using them successfully requires a knowledge of life cycle, cultural requirements, and use. A true bulb is defined as a modified, underground stem, usually surrounded by scalelike, modified leaves, and containing stored food for the shoots enclosed within. Tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, and lilies are examples of true bulbs. Crocus, thought by many to be a bulb, is actually a corm. This is a mass of fleshy tissue with a bud on the top surface.