Spring Bulbs in Marlene’s Garden

Today we’re headed to Westerville, Ohio, to see a beautiful display created by Marlene Suter. When she emailed in these photos, she introduced them by saying simply, “I love spring bulbs, and plant about 2,000 each year in my gardens.” Two thousand each year! That’s pretty incredible—and a LOT of work putting all of those bulbs in the ground each year. But as you’ll see, the results are worth it.

‘Pride Mix’ is made up of several colors of Darwin hybrid tulips (Tulipa hybrid, Zones 3–8), which is the group that tends to be the best at perennializing.

This bed includes ‘Crimson Queen’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Crimson Queen’, Zone 5–9), ‘Carnival’ hedge maple (Acer campestre ‘Carnival’, Zones 4–8), pink ‘Ollioules’ tulips (Tulipa ‘Ollioules’, Zones 3–8), and white ‘Thalia’ daffodils (Narcissus ‘Thalia’, Zones 3–8). I love the way the colors in the bed in the foreground are repeated in the beds behind it, drawing the eye into the garden and unifying the whole garden.

The bridge leads to beds with several Japanese maples and groups of daffodils.

The beds along the front walk are edged with ‘Sherwood Purple’ phlox (Phlox stolonifera ‘Sherwood Purple’, Zones 3–8) and clouds of blue forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica, Zones 3–8; often performs as a biennial or cool season annual), with white and yellow daffodils glowing behind them.

In the front beds, groups of 10 to 12 tulips and daffodils are scattered among perennials and shrubs. I love the way the clumps of flowering bulbs create points of color in the midst of the other plants.

Glowing ‘Spryng’ tulips, ‘Golden Echo’ daffodils, and Magic Carpet spirea (Spirea japonica ‘Walbuma’, Zones 3–8) with new orange foliage.

Woodland path with bluebells (Mertensia virginica, Zones 3–9), ferns, Epimedium, and spring bulbs.

Front of the woodland garden

‘Camargue’ and ‘Elegant Lady’ tulips, bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis, Zones 2–8), and fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii, Zones 5–8)

‘Queen of the Night’ tulips, and lancifolia hosta (Hosta lancifolia, Zones 3–8)

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