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Disguising Bulb Foliage

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After the spring bloomers' flowers faded, I used to have day lily plants that grew up in my beds to disguise the decaying and unsightly bulb foliage. All that changed once the deer in my neighborhood came by in droves and ate all of the day lily foliage.

I had, then, to find another perennial to be a companion for the daffodils. Here are some that work for me among my daffodils:

Lady's mantle
Columbine
Astilbe
Bleeding heart
Heuchera
Siberian iris

I grow these under trees that have not fully leafed-out and in semi-shaded locations.

Ostrich fern also does well in locations that will be shady when other plants leaf out.

Euphorbia corollata, broom, and Veronica prostrata are companion plants that work well in some summer shade.

In areas that will be in full sun all summer, over-plant your spring bulbs with good sized annuals such as marigold plants purchased from a nursery. If you grow them from seed or get smaller marigolds the rabbits may eat them, I have found! So, if you grow smaller plants you will need to protect them at first.

I also sprinkle zinnia seeds around my daffodil plants…but not until the ground warms up in late May/early June, as zinnias do not like to be cold. Small bushy zinnia plants, as well as the tall ones for cutting, will then provide continuous color in your daffodil beds long after the unsightly bulb foliage has decayed and died back.

This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on disguising bulb foliage.

Tired daffodil

(AdobeStock)

After the spring bloomers' flowers faded, I used to have day lily plants that grew up in my beds to disguise the decaying and unsightly bulb foliage. All that changed once the deer in my neighborhood came by in droves and ate all of the day lily foliage.

I had, then, to find another perennial to be a companion for the daffodils. Here are some that work for me among my daffodils:

Lady's mantle
Columbine
Astilbe
Bleeding heart
Heuchera
Siberian iris

I grow these under trees that have not fully leafed-out and in semi-shaded locations.

Ostrich fern also does well in locations that will be shady when other plants leaf out.

Euphorbia corollata, broom, and Veronica prostrata are companion plants that work well in some summer shade.

In areas that will be in full sun all summer, over-plant your spring bulbs with good sized annuals such as marigold plants purchased from a nursery. If you grow them from seed or get smaller marigolds the rabbits may eat them, I have found! So, if you grow smaller plants you will need to protect them at first.

I also sprinkle zinnia seeds around my daffodil plants…but not until the ground warms up in late May/early June, as zinnias do not like to be cold. Small bushy zinnia plants, as well as the tall ones for cutting, will then provide continuous color in your daffodil beds long after the unsightly bulb foliage has decayed and died back.

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