UK gardening help and assistance


Bulb Planting Guide

When to plant and how to plant bulbs in the UK.

  Best month for planting Depth of top of bulb below surface (inches) Distance apart (inches)
Allium Oct 4 4
Anemone fulgens Oct 2 5
Anemone (St Brigid) Oct
or early spring
2 5
Anthericum Oct 4 6
Belladonna Lily Aug 6 6
Bluebells Aug 6 3 to 4
Bulbocodium Aug 4 4
Camassia Oct 4 4
Chionodoxa Aug 3 3
Colchicum Aug 4 3 to 6
Crinum Oct 6 18
Crocus (spring) Oct 2 to 3 3
Crocus (autumn) July 2 to 3 5
Daffodils Sept/Oct 4 to 6 6
Erythronium Aug 4 3
Fritillaria July/August 4 6 to 9
Galtonia Nov 6 9
Gladiolus April 4 9
Gladiolus (colvillei type) Nov 4 9
Hyacinths Oct 4 7
Iris (English) Sept 5 3 to 6
Iris (Spanish) Sept 4 4
Iris (reticulata) Sept 4 3
Ixia Sept 3 4
Leucojum Aug 3 4
Lilium auratum Oct 4 to 6 12
L candidum Aug 2 12
L bulbiferum Oct 4 to 6 12
L henryi Oct 4 to 6 12
L pardalinum Oct 4 12
L speciosum Oct 4 to 6 12
L tigrinum Oct 4 to 6 12
Lily of the Valley Nov 2 4
Montbretia March 3 6
Muscari Oct 3 3
Ornithogalum Oct 4 4
Scilla sibirice Aug 3 3
Snowdrops Aug 3 to 4 3
Stembergia July 3 4
Tigridia April 4 4
Trillium Oct 3 4
Tritonia March 4 4
Tulips (long stem) Nov 5 9
Tulips (short stem) Nov 4 6
Winter Aconite Aug 2 to 3 3 to 4