Bee and Butterfly Garden Collection

These are fall-planted, spring-blooming bulbs. Get them in the ground after soil temperatures cool but before it freezes, and they will root over winter and bloom on their own schedule in spring.

Unboxing

• Open right away. Remove bulbs from the packaging and check them over; firm, dry bulbs with papery skins are healthy and ready to plant.
• Store cool if needed. If you cannot plant immediately, keep bulbs in a dry, dark spot between 45 and 60 degrees for up to a few weeks.

Planting

1. Pick your spot. Choose a site with full sun to part sun and soil that drains well; avoid low areas where water stands.
2. Loosen the soil. Work the bed 8 to 10 inches deep and mix in compost if your soil is heavy clay or very sandy.
3. Set the depth. Plant larger bulbs such as Tulips, Allium, and Camassia 5 to 6 inches deep, and smaller bulbs like Anemone and Scilla about 3 inches deep, pointed end up.
4. Space for drifts. Set bulbs 3 to 6 inches apart depending on size, planting in clusters of 10 or more for a natural look.
5. Backfill and water. Cover, firm the soil gently, and water once well to settle everything in.
6. Mulch lightly. Add 2 inches of mulch to moderate soil temperature and reduce winter heaving.

Watering

• Fall soak. Water once at planting, then only if fall is unusually dry.
• Spring moisture. Keep soil evenly moist while foliage and flowers are actively growing.
• Summer rest. Stop supplemental watering once foliage yellows; dormant bulbs prefer drier soil.

Feeding

• At planting. Mix a balanced bulb fertilizer or bone meal into the planting hole.
• Each spring. Scatter a light application of balanced fertilizer as shoots emerge to fuel next year's blooms.

After Bloom Care

• Deadhead spent flowers. Snip off faded blooms so energy goes back into the bulb, but leave Allium seed heads if you enjoy the look.
• Let leaves ripen. Allow foliage to yellow and die back naturally before removing it, usually 6 weeks after flowering.
• Let them spread. Camassia, Scilla, Anemone, and Allium naturalize well; divide crowded clumps in late summer if needed.

How many bulbs come in this collection?

120 bulbs, including a mix of Tulips, Alliums, Anemone, Scilla, and Camassia in assorted colors and forms.

When should I plant these bulbs?

Plant in fall, after the soil has cooled but at least a few weeks before the ground freezes. In most zones that means September through November.

Will these bulbs come back every year?

Alliums, Camassia, Scilla, and Anemone are strong perennializers and often multiply over time. Tulips return well in colder zones with good drainage, though they can be shorter-lived in warm, wet climates.

Do these bulbs really attract bees and butterflies?

Yes. Every variety in the mix is a nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators, and because they bloom in sequence they provide food across a long stretch of spring.

Are deer or rabbits a problem?

Alliums, Camassia, and Scilla are generally left alone by deer and rabbits. Tulips are the exception and may need a repellent or fencing where browsing pressure is heavy.

Can I plant these in containers?

Yes. Use a deep pot with drainage holes and quality potting mix, plant bulbs a bit closer together than in the ground, and in zones 6 and colder move the container to a sheltered spot for winter.