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08 Jan 2024

Best bulbs for naturalising

Find out how to achieve a lawn studded with early spring blooms.

Adelaide GraySenior researcher & writer

Many of us dream of having carpets of flowers drifting through our lawn and providing early spring colour. Finding bulbs that will compete with grass and establish quickly make getting the look much easier.

There are lots to choose from – including early snowdrops, the yellow cups of winter aconites or the cheerful mixes of crocuses.

The Which? Gardening magazine researchers tried out 18 types of bulbs sold as suitable for naturalising in a lawn to discover the best ones.

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Best Buy bulbs for naturalising in your lawn

	Overall rating	Flower impact	Display	Flowering duration	Suitability for naturalising	Pests & diseases
Anemone blanda
Crocus collection (botanical)
Crocus collection
Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete'
Narcissus 'Thalia'
Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane'
Tulipa clusiana 'Peppermint Stick'

The more stars the better. Overall rating ignores price and is based on: flowering impact 10%, display 20%, flowering duration 20% suitability for naturalising 40% and pests & diseases 10%

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Getting the best from naturalised bulbs

Planting

Buy in bulk to guarantee a good display. It might be worth investing in a small auger that takes a core of soil out of the ground to make planting easier. Plant as deep as possible to prevent the bulbs being attacked by squirrels and other pests. Plant in clumps for a strong display or singly for a more subtle look. Some bulbs, such as anemones and winter aconites, will not compete well with grass so plant these under trees or on border edges.

Identify your plants with Best Buy plastic-free labels

Caring for your plants

Leave mowing as late as possible but if you must cut before the leaves of your bulbs have died back, mow on the highest setting. Use spot weedkillers (rather than a weed and feed product) to prevent poisoning your bulbs. You can feed your lawn as usual. Native bulbs such as snowdrops and crocus will naturally spread but non-native species such as tulips may struggle through a British winter so be prepared to plant more to keep the effect.

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