9 Winter Flower Bulbs to Plant in Your Green Garden

Winter flower bulbs are one of the easiest and most rewarding things you can plant to brighten your garden throughout the colder months. Planting bulb flowers in the fall is the easiest way to fill your home and yard with a beautiful winter color.

This article covers the best winter flowering bulbs to plant this year that will reward you with vibrant blooms after a short period of dormancy, from classic grape hyacinths and crocuses to more unusual options like snowdrops and winter aconites. Whether you want pops of color dotting your lawn or a bouquet on your table, these easy bulb plants are a simple way to add lasting natural beauty to your winter garden!

Winter Flower Bulbs Choices to Pop up Your Garden This Fall

1. Snowdrop

Snowdrops emerge early in the winter flowering bulb season, often pushing through the ground when snow still covers the landscape. Their six to eight delicate white petals, sometimes tinged with green, point downward to resemble little snowballs. Snowdrops often naturalize and spread in the garden, self-seeding to return year after year with little care. The cheery blooms signal that winter is passing and spring is coming.

Plant snowdrop bulbs around two to four inches deep in the fall and space them four to six inches apart. Snowdrops thrive when naturalized under trees or in grassy areas. Planting in drifts or large groups creates the biggest visual impact. Bulbs flowering indoors in pots provide an early winter bloom.

Snowdrops prefer partial shade and consistently moist but well-draining soil. Add a layer of organic mulch in the fall to insulate roots and protect the bulbs from heaving out of the ground during frost cycles. Little other care is needed.

Once established, snowdrops spread generously from self-sown seeds. Clumps that become too crowded can be divided in early spring before new growth begins. Lift entire clumps and separate individual bulbs, replanting the largest bulbs at the desired spacing.

After blooming finishes in late winter to early spring, thin grassy foliage emerges. Leave foliage intact to feed the bulbs over the summer before it dies back naturally in fall. Allowing leaves to turn yellow gradually prepares the bulbs for dormancy. Periodically removing excess bulbs maintains a balanced spread that doesn’t compete for nutrients. Smaller bulbs from the clumps can be replanted in other garden areas to expand plantings.

2. Crocus

Crocus are classic spring bulbs, flowering early with color in shades of purple, white, and yellow. Plant the small bulbs around two inches deep in the fall and space them six to eight inches apart. Crocuses thrive in rock gardens and spread easily from self-sown bulbs. Planting in large drifts or groups creates the biggest visual impact.

Each flower possesses three petal-like tepals surrounding golden stamens and a central stigma. Bloom colors include white, cream, yellow, lilac, purple, and bicolor. Some have vivid stripes or picotee edges. The sweet fragrance attracts beneficial insects that help pollinate other early flowers.

Crocus need a dry dormant period in summer, so leave foliage intact until it naturally dies back. Allowing foliage to turn yellow gradually signals the bulbs to prepare for dormancy.

Crocus that self-sow generously can form dense patches that compete with each other over nutrients and water. Dig up established clumps to thin and divide in early spring before new growth begins. Separate bulbs and replant the largest at the proper depth and spacing. Replant smaller bulbs closer together to fill in more quickly.

Once established, crocus emerges reliably each fall but may skip years of blooming. Drought or excess rain during summer dormancy can prevent roots from replenishing the bulbs sufficiently. The periodic division helps maintain vigor.

3. Winter Aconite

Winter aconite produces sunny yellow flowers as one of the first blooming bulbs in late winter to welcome spring. The cheerful display adds color to winter gardens and thrives when naturalized or planted in rock gardens.

Winter aconite spreads quickly from self-sown seeds and divides easily for larger plantings. The bulbs bloom indoors in pots, bringing cheer and greenery during the coldest months.

The bright yellow flowers appear atop naked stems just above the ground in early spring. Each flower is less than one inch wide with five slightly ruffled petals enclosing a cluster of yellow stamens. The small petals close up at night and reopen in daylight. It prefers moist but well-draining soil. Add a layer of mulch before the ground freezes to insulate roots.

4. Cyclamen

Cyclamen are oddball winter flowering bulbs that bloom in fall or early winter, adding vibrant pink, purple, and white flowers before typical spring bulbs emerge. Plant cyclamen tubers in fall for winter bloom indoors or outdoors.

They thrive in partly shaded areas with consistent moisture through well-draining soil. The heart-shaped leaves stay green year-round, covering the tubers and protecting them from temperature fluctuations.

Cyclamen spread naturally from self-sown seed, but repotting is eventually needed to refresh the tubers. Look for seedlings forming next to mother plants and transplant carefully with a portion of the tubers. 

5. Chincherinchee

Chincherinchee produces clusters of blue, purple, or white star-shaped flowers in late winter and early spring. These unusual flowering bulbs, called the Star of Bethlehem, originate from the Mediterranean region.

Plant chincherinchee bulbs shallowly in the fall for winter bloom. Chincherinchee spreads easily from self-sown seeds and naturalizes well in rock gardens and along lawn edges. Once established, they reliably return for years with minimal care.

The star-shaped flowers droop gracefully in clusters atop naked stems that rise four to eight inches from the ground. Individual flowers measure one to two inches wide with six petal-like tepals radiating from a central cone. Bloom colors range from soft lilac to deep indigo and occasionally pure white.

After blooming finishes in early spring, thin strappy leaves emerge. Leave the foliage intact throughout the spring and summer to fuel growth for next year’s display. Periodically thin clumps to contain the spread.

6. Grape Hyacinth

Grape hyacinth produces charming clusters of violet, blue, or white bell-shaped blooms in early spring, adding beautiful winter color to gardens with little effort. The fragrant flowering bulbs are easy to grow and require minimal care.

Plant hyacinth bulbs in the fall around four inches deep and space them four to six inches apart to produce carpets of color the following spring. Grape hyacinth spreads quickly from self-sown seeds and naturalizes easily in grass, woodland gardens, or planters.

Once established, grape hyacinth persists for years with minimal care, re-emerging reliably each winter bulb season. The bell-shaped blossoms droop gracefully in dense clusters of six to twelve flowers on each upright stem. The sweet fragrance permeates the garden as they bloom, attracting beneficial insects and pollinators.

After blooming finishes, thin strappy leaves emerge from the bulbs to fuel growth. Leave the foliage intact throughout summer to replenish the bulbs for next year’s display. The periodic division may be needed every few years to maintain vigor and prevent overcrowding.

7. Striped Squill

Striped squill produces blue, white, or purple flowers with contrasting central stripes during late winter. These flowering bulbs, commonly called frog squill, bloom shortly after snowdrops and crocuses blossom, signaling the start of the spring bulb season. Plant the bulbs between three to five inches deep in soil that drains well during autumn for winter flowers.

Striped squill multiply rapidly from self-sown seeds and are well-suited for naturalizing in grass lawns and rockeries. The striped markings and colorful blooms make striped squill appear prominently among other bulbs flowering during winter. Once established, striped squill returns reliably for many years, spreading more established bulbs that produce even more flowers.

8. Winter Daffodil

Winter daffodils, or jonquils, produce cheerful yellow blooms during winter and early spring. These tough flowering bulbs thrive in cold temperatures and require minimal care once established.

Plant the bulbs between four to six inches deep and space them around six to eight inches apart in the fall for blooms the following winter. Winter flowering daffodil cultivars spread rapidly from self-sown seeds and easily naturalize in lawns and other winter-blooming bulbs.

The bright golden flowers of winter daffodils add sunshine to an otherwise dull winter landscape. Their cheery blooms appear from late fall through early spring, providing a splash of color when little else is in flower.

9. Colchicum

Colchicum, also known as autumn crocus or naked ladies, blooms in late summer or early fall instead of during the traditional winter bulb season. This unusual flowering time makes these bulbous plants a curiosity in the garden.

Plant colchicum corms in spring or summer for colorful fall blooms. The cheerful purple, pink, or white flowers emerge directly from the ground before any foliage appears, living up to their ‘naked ladies’ name. Once established, colchicum spreads quickly through self-sown seeds and easily naturalizes in grassy areas or partly shaded spots.

The unusual blooms add a surprising burst of late-season color to perennial borders and wildflower gardens just as other summer flowers are fading. Each stem typically carries one to three bell-shaped blossoms around two to three inches across. The flowers smell faintly of decaying meat to attract pollinating flies.

Conclusion

With just a few bulbs planted in fall, you can enjoy months of natural bloom with minimal work or weeding. Fill your garden and home with the sweet fragrance and charming blooms of winter-flowering bulbs, they’re well worth the short investment of time and effort come autumn.

• Grape hyacinths are classic winter flowering bulbs with clusters of cheerful blooms.

• Cyclamen offer unique patterns and stripes among their winter flowers.

• Striped squill produces blue, white, or purple flowers with contrasting central stripes during late winter.

Winter flower bulbs provide an easy, effective, and affordable way to bring the joy and uplift of living color into your life during the coldest, darkest months. Plant a few this fall — you won’t regret the brightness they’ll lend your winter next year!