Five best May-flowering bulbs
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Published: Friday, 10 May 2019 at 12:50 pm
Discover five beautiful bulbs that are blooming in May, including camassia and dog's tooth violets.
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As well as hinting at the warmth in store over summer, May also brings stunning spring bulbs, from giants like nectaroscordum, to dainty dog's tooth violets.
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While May is the last month to enjoy tulips and dog's tooth violets, nectaroscordum, camassia and bearded irises can be relied upon to amp up the spring-summer colour, with plenty of vivid shades to choose from.
When planting your May-flowering bulbs, consider their native habitat and aim to replicate these growing conditions. For example, tulips and bearded irises enjoy full sun and free-draining soil, while erythroniums like partial shade and rich, moist soil.
- What to plant in May
Discover five of the best May-flowering bulbs, below.
Tulips
Yellow tulips with long, pointed petals
Tulips are masters at providing a hit of spring colour. Try planting them to create stunning tulip combinations, or, if you have trouble with tulips, try growing tougher and more reliable species tulips.
Nectaroscordum
A cluster of buds and opening peach flowers of nectaroscordum
These stately perennials produce tall stems topped by pretty, peach-coloured blooms. Nectaroscordum siculum and Nectaroscordum tripedale are two beautiful species you could grow.
Bearded irises
An indigo and white bearded iris
Bearded irises are grown from rhizomes and are extremely robust plants, in a very unrestricted colour palette. Blooms range from the deepest purple, to warm, burnt oranges. Here are 10 bearded irises to grow.
Dog's tooth violets
Pink dog's tooth violets
Dog's tooth violets, or erythroniums, are ideal plants for damp shade. The species dog's tooth violet, Erythronium dens-canis has nodding violet blooms, while those of 'Citronella' are a lovely warm yellow.
Camassia
Light blue camassia flowers
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These North American natives were originally grown as a food crop. The range of colours available is similar to that of agapanthus – from white to dark purple – and they look wonderful naturalised in wildflower meadows.
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