The fresh white blooms of summer snowflake are a charming addition to any garden. Photo: Michelle Gervais
Spring-flowering bulbs are still readily available in November, and this is a great time to plant them in our region. Daffodils, tulips, summer snowflakes, and Spanish bluebells all need as much chilling as they can get in this part of the country, so planting them early is essential for spring flowers. Plant bulbs with a nice scoop of compost to help them make roots while the ground is still warm. With new roots in place, they will be ready to collect chill hours when the temperatures drop into the 40s.
Early-blooming daffodils (Narcissus spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8) are a great choice for Southern gardens. The window between early-blooming daffodils and everything else blooming can be short, so late-season daffodil flowers are often lost in the spring rush of everything else flowering. Here are a few of our favorite early bloomers.
‘February Gold’ daffodil is reliably the first to bloom in our garden. Midsize yellow trumpet daffodils arise in showy clusters that grow 14 to 16 inches tall. Photo: courtesy of Meneerke bloem via Wikimedia Commons‘Erlicheer’ bears 6 to 12 showy double flowers per stem and has an amazing fragrance. Photo: Shelley Powell‘Twinkling Stars’ produces good-sized bunches tiny, fragrant jonquil flowers. It grows 8 to 12 inches tall and blooms for a long time. Photo: Shelley Powell‘Ice Follies’ is a large white daffodil with a yellow flat cup. It gets about 18 inches tall and is a great grower and a reliable bloomer. Photo: Steve Aitken
While typical tulips require some chilling and finagling to bloom in the South, many of the species tulips are reliable perennials here. These midspring bloomers may be smaller than traditional tulips, but they are charming and showy. Make sure they have plenty of sun and good drainage.
‘Lady Jane’ lady tulip (Tulipa clusiana ‘Lady Jane’, Zones 3–7) has white petals that are colored pink on the outside. It grows about a foot tall and blooms over a period of two or three weeks. Photo: Steve AitkenFlorentine tulip (Tulipa sylvestris, Zones 3–8) is a bright yellow tulip that usually grows about 10 inches tall. It spreads by underground stolons to form a beautiful, long-lived colony. Make sure it gets lots of sun and excellent drainage. Photo: courtesy of Agnieszka Kwiecień via Wikimedia CommonsSummer snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum and cvs., Zones 4–8) are the South’s version of snowdrops (Galanthus spp. and cvs., Zones 3–7), which refuse to bloom here. Leucojum begin blooming early and keep flowering. They occasionally still have flowers in late April. Often found at old home sites, these survivors form large clumps over time. Photo: Shelley PowellSpanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica, Zones 3–8) bloom a little later in spring. They form large clumps of blue, white, or pink flowers that last for two to three weeks. They are less heat sensitive than English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Zones 5–8), with foliage that persists into the summer. They are surprisingly drought tolerant and will even flower in some shade. Photo: Steve Aitken
Time to get planting! Remember, it never hurts to try something out even if “it won’t grow here.” Microclimates are a thing, and most bulbs are a bargain. There are so many great spring-flowering bulbs, you might never run out of new varieties to try.
—Jason and Shelley Powell own and manage Petals from the Past, a garden center in Jemison, Alabama.
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National Wildlife Federation®: Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition (Creative Homeowner) 17 Projects & Step-by-Step Instructions to Give Back to Nature
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From the National Wildlife Federation, the largest U.S. nonprofit conservation organization, with 6 million members and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations. 17 step-by-step projects that everyone can do together make getting your family back to nature easy, educational, and fun. Over 200 color photos of backyard wildlife habitats and the wide variety of creatures they attract, plus step-by-step photos and illustrations for family projects. Learn wildlife-friendly practices for gardening, landscape design, supplemental feeders, birdbaths, nesting places, and more. Learn how to attract backyard pollinators, from bees and butterflies to beetles, bats, and hummingbirds
Get your garden certified by the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife(TM) program by following the included certification application checklist.
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Thoughtful Combo: You will receive a bee feeder and 30 glass marbles. This thoughtful combo can provide clean water for the bees, you just need to put the marbles into the bee watering station, add water (note: the water level should not exceed the height of the marbles) and hang them in the right place. The round, colored marbles can provide a place for the bees to stand and prevent them from falling into the water, effectively keeping the bees safe. Fine Material: This exquisite bee bath is made of high quality iron material, smooth surface, rust and weather resistant, not easy to fade, sturdy and reliable. Bee cups for garden can well meet the drinking water needs of lovely bees, and it can also provide food for bees, such as sugar water, nectar, etc., attracting more bees to your outdoor area and making your garden full of vitality. Perfect Size: The butterfly watering station has an overall height of 13.4 inches, a bowl diameter of 9.4 inches, and a weight of 0.44 pounds. The bee cup serves the needs of the bees well without plunging them into dangerously deep water or taking up unnecessary space in your garden, and this compact and efficient design makes it a practical addition to any outdoor space. Elegant Design: Our bee watering cups are designed in unique flower shapes with vibrant and realistic colours to attract lovely bees to your garden and patio, bee feeders for outside are not only functional but can also be used as a landscaping element, their vibrant floral patterns enhance the beauty of your garden. Multicolored Decoration: Colorful bee water stations look like flowers in a garden, flower bed or pot and attract bees and butterflies. They can drink or bathe in bee feeders, which are highly decorative and practical.
Wagner's 52003 Classic Blend Wild Bird Food, 6-Pound Bag
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Classic wild bird food uses the highest quality grains to attract backyard wild Birds. A high-quality mix containing Millet, milo, cracked corn and Sunflower for a wide range of wild birds to enjoy. Perfect for tube, hopper, or platform feeders. Great to feed in all seasons! Perfect for the winter, when seeds are scarce; spring and summer for hatchlings; and autumn to give energy to migrating birds. This seed will help you fill your yard with birds such as Jays, cardinals, doves, Juncos, finches, goosebeaks, any many more.
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