As an avid gardener, I adore the brightly colored bulbs that usher in spring – daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and more While hardy flowering bulbs certainly have their merits, there’s a whole world of gorgeous blooms out there that aren’t actually grown from bulbs. By expanding beyond traditional bulbs, you can add incredible early season charm, vivid hues, and fascinating textures to your garden.
In this article, I’ll highlight some of my favorite bulb-free flowers along with growing tips so you can incorporate them into your own landscape.
Perennials That Offer Vibrant Early Color
A number of carefree perennials emerge and flower early each year without needing to be planted as bulbs. Here are some top picks:
Hellebores
Also known as Lenten roses, hellebores produce elegant nodding blooms from late winter into early spring. They come in a range of colors like white, pink, purple and even almost black. Hellebores thrive in shade and aren’t bothered by deer or rabbits.
Bergenia
With its spikes of rosy pink or white blossoms, bergenia brings cheer to the spring garden. It reaches about 1-2 feet tall and does best with some afternoon shade and adequate moisture. The large, rubbery foliage remains attractive all season.
Creeping Phlox
Creeping phlox literally blankets itself with flowers come springtime. As a low mat-forming ground cover, it carpets areas with vibrant blooms of white, pink, purple or blue. It flourishes in full sun with sharp drainage.
Lungwort
Also called pulmonaria, lungwort delights with clusters of pink buds opening to lovely blue blooms. Its ornamental silver-spotted leaves continue providing interest after the flowers fade. Partial sun and moist soil suit it perfectly
Columbine
Columbines give a graceful touch with their elegant nodding blooms in just about every color. While some bloom in spring, most flower from late spring into early summer Columbines thrive in part shade and happily reseed themselves
Coral Bells
Varieties like ‘Palace Purple’ offer stunning dark purple foliage that makes a dramatic statement as temperatures warm. Clusters of tiny bell-shaped blooms add to the floral display. Grow coral bells in partial sun with sufficient moisture.
Cheerful Annuals That Aren’t Bulbs
Annual flowers grown from seed provide waves of color to spring gardens and containers without needing bulbs. Here are some top picks:
Pansies
Available in nearly every hue, pansies can be planted as early as late winter in some zones. They’ll produce cheerful blossoms well into spring and even summer in cooler climates. They prefer full sunlight and nutrient-rich, moist soil.
Snapdragons
The tubular blooms of snapdragons evoke springtime nostalgia. Varieties range from short 6-inch types to tall 3-4 foot stems great for cutting. Snapdragons relish full sun and bloom reliably from spring through fall frosts.
Dianthus
Also known as “pinks”, dianthus offer sweetly fragrant flowers in both single and double forms. They range in height from 6 inches to 3 feet depending on variety. Most want full sun and very well-drained soil.
California Poppies
California poppies bear satiny flowers in vivid shades of orange, red, yellow, purple and white. As cheerful self-seeders, they sprout in empty garden spots and flower all spring and summer. Be sure to grow them in full sunlight.
Forget-Me-Nots
Dainty forget-me-not blossoms blanket garden beds and borders in a sea of sky blue. They thrive in cool conditions and can reseed freely for years of delicate spring color. Partial sun boosts the profusion of blooms.
Flowering Shrubs and Vines
Beyond just bulbs and flowering perennials, certain shrubs and vines also burst into spectacular bloom early in spring without being grown from bulbs. Some top examples include:
Forsythia
Few things announce spring’s arrival better than the sunny display of buttery yellow forsythia flowers. As an easy large shrub, it brightens borders and mixed beds beautifully. Site in full sun to part shade and prune after flowering finishes.
Lilacs
The sweet, nostalgic fragrance of lilac blossoms heralds springtime’s return. Varieties offer blooms in shades of purple, white, pink and more. Prune soon after blooms fade to keep plants healthy and vigorous.
Clematis
While many large-flowered clematis bloom in early summer, a few varieties flower in spring. Fragrant Clematis armandii and Clematis alpina offer white or soft pink blooms on old wood early in the season.
Wisteria
A showstopper of a vine, wisteria erupts with foot-long, fragrant racemes, usually in purple or white. Ensure ample sunlight and prune to control its enthusiastic growth. It can get aggressive if left unpruned!
Spring is a magical time to reassess your garden and try new non-bulb flowers. Blend early bloomers like perennials, annuals, shrubs, and vines to create a dynamic landscape that evolves with the seasons. With so many possibilities, your garden can flourish beautifully each spring – no bulbs required!
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Reasons Your Daffodils Have Stopped Blooming
FAQ
What flowers do not grow from a bulb?
- Euphorbia, Yucca and Stipa. They look particularly psychedelic when combined with orangey stonecrop (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’) and purple creeping phlox (Phlox subulata).
- Sedum, Phlox and Euphorbia. …
- Hypericum, Ophiopogon and Chrysanthemum. …
- Thermopsis with Bee. …
- Phlox, Heuchera and Carex.
What type of flower grows from a bulb?
Some flower bulbs do well in hot climates: Lilies, Caladiums, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Narcissus (plant) and daffodils. To grow cold weather flower bulbs like Tulips and crocus in hot climates, gardeners must dig up the bulbs and store them in the cold for 3-4 months before replanting.
Which flower is propagated through bulbs?
Other examples of true bulbs include garlic, amaryllis, tulips, daffodils and lilies. The most well-known tuber is the potato.
What flowers grow on one stem?
Many flowers grow on a single stem. Some examples include dandelions, sunflowers (some varieties), and certain types of orchids.
Is it normal to see no flowers on Amaryllis plants?
To figure out when it is normal to see no flowers on amaryllis plants, you need a basic understanding of the garden life of an amaryllis bulb. When you first plant an amaryllis bulb, it has no flowers or foliage. It is simply a bulb, but it has potential for great things within its papery coating.
What is a non flowering plant?
Non-flowering plants exhibit diverse structures, such as mosses’ leafy structures or ferns’ fronds. They lack true roots, stems, and leaves like those found in flowering plants. These plants can thrive in various habitats, from moist forests and swamps to deserts and rocky areas. They have adapted to survive in different environmental conditions.
Do amaryllis bulbs have flowers?
Every amaryllis is a non-blooming amaryllis some of the time. To figure out when it is normal to see no flowers on amaryllis plants, you need a basic understanding of the garden life of an amaryllis bulb. When you first plant an amaryllis bulb, it has no flowers or foliage.
Why do hardy bulbs struggle to become permanent residents?
Often in the case of spring bulbs like tulips or hyacinth, we are trying to grow them in a landscape that is far different from their native habitat. This gives rise to many of the reasons why hardy bulbs may struggle to become permanent residents in the garden.
Why are there no bulbs in spring?
Another possible cause for the lack of bulbs in spring is animal damage. There are two primary ways animals can negatively affect bulbs: Digging or tunneling. Some small rodents such as squirrels, chipmunks and mice are known to dig up bulbs to eat or save in their winter stash.
Why do bulbs not come back year after year?
Some reasons why bulbs don’t come back year after year are within your control as a gardener, while others are not. Often in the case of spring bulbs like tulips or hyacinth, we are trying to grow them in a landscape that is far different from their native habitat.