Growing Garden Bulbs

There are few delights as universal as spotting the first buds of spring. The appearance of a bold tulip or a shy daffodil heralds warmth and changing seasons. These plants, as well as others such as nerines, lilies, irises, and hyacinths, begin life as bulbs. While they require careful cultivation, they can brighten gardens year after year.

With the expert guidance in Growing Garden Bulbs, readers will have the confidence and inspiration they need to get started growing fantastic bulbs. This practical and highly illustrated guide focuses on growing temperate garden bulbs in the outdoor garden. It walks readers step-by-step through all aspects of bulb growing, covering everything from buying to blossom. Chapters address the when and how of buying bulbs, selecting the best specimens, planting both outdoors and in pots, naturalizing, keeping pests and diseases away, and, for the more adventurous, propagating plants. In addition, a detailed planting guide takes readers through every season, making it easier to plan gardens. Because the book draws on more than thiry years of experience from one of the leading experts on bulbs, readers can be sure they are getting accurate and practical information.

From tulips to snowdrops, fritillaries, daffodils, and many more, Growing Garden Bulbs looks at all the popular garden bulbs and their relatives, highlighting plants that can be easily found in garden centers and local nurseries. Thanks to the book's user-friendly style and rich illustrations, the hardest part will be choosing which bulbs to buy first.

Richard Wilford is the collections manager for the Hardy Display section at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and is responsible for alpines, bulbs, and hardy herbaceous perennials. He sits on the editorial panel of Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, the world’s oldest plant journal, and has written regularly for Kew magazine. His other books include Alpines, from Mountain to Garden and Tulips: Species and Hybrids for the Gardener.