Bulbs make excellent cut flowers, and a couple of hours spent planting in autumn will result in several months’ worth of blooms for cutting come spring.
The three best spring bulbs for cutting are hyacinths, daffodils and tulips. You can incorporate them into your borders, grow them in pots, or grow them in a dedicated cutting bed.
All of the bulbs recommended below can be grown in a cutting patch that is just 1m square. Divide the bed into 25cm squares using string, and plant different varieties in each one: four hyacinth bulbs in one square, nine tulip bulbs in another and up to 12 narcissus bulbs in another, and so on.
Watch Monty Don plant spring bulbs for cut flowers:
More advice on growing spring bulbs:
- Discover cut flowers for every season
- Spring bulb pot for bees (video)
- Nine spring bulbs to force in autumn
For more advice on growing spring flowers from bulb and from seed, take a look at 20 best spring flowers.
Here are 10 of the loveliest bulbs to grow.
Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’
Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’ is a dwarf daffodil with highly cut tissue-paper petals. It looks lovely in a small jar or glass.
Flowers: February to March.
Narcissus ‘Elka’
Narcissus ‘Elka’ is a classic trumpet-flowered daffodil in pure cream, and lightly scented.
Flowers: Late February to early April.
Hyacinth ‘Spring Field’
An amazing indigo-blue hyacinth with a rich scent. Display singly or in bunches.
Flowers: March to April.
Hyacinth ‘Woodstock’
Delicately scented, the deep magenta-pink Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’ positively glows on dull days.
Flowers: March to April.
Narcissus ‘Cheerfulness’
A late-flowering double daffodil with highly fragrant blooms, in clusters of three or four.
Flowers: March to April.
Tulipa ‘Orange Emperor’
‘Orange Emperor’ is an early tulip with deep orange flowers, tinged with green and lightly scented.
Flowers: March to April.
Tulipa ‘Antraciet’
Emerging from deep red buds, the large double flowers of this tulip are velvety plum-pink.
Flowers: April to May.
Tulipa ‘Chato’
A stunning, bright pink frilly double tulip with satiny, peony-like flowers.
Flowers: Late April to May.
Tulipa ‘Temple’s Favourite’
A tall, elegant tulip with rosy-orange petals splashed with yellow at the base.
Flowers: Late April to May.
Tulipa ‘Black Hero’
‘Black Hero’ has rich, maroon-black double flowers that open into frilly bowls.
Flowers: May.
How to plant
Plant bulbs at at least three times their depth. If your soil is heavy clay, add some horticultural grit at the base of the planting hole – this will help prevent the bulbs rotting in very wet weather.
