Hello. I am a beginning gardener and I just had an idea. I want to mix spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips and annuals. My goal is to keep having color in an area. Here's what I'm working with. I have a Rhodo. Its big but its shaped like a tree now. So, there's space underneath. Every year, I buy annuals and put it underneath the Rhodo. It looks great because there's enough sun. But around Feb-April, its pretty dull. I was thinking of putting in daffodils underneath it. So, when spring arrives, the daffodils will be blooming. By around Mother's Day, I am hoping the leaves on the daffodils will be brown and I can remove them. So, then I will plant the annuals like geraniums, marigolds and dahlias. My idea is that the bulbs will be around 6 inches under the ground and the annuals will be sort of on the 'surface' of the soil and won't be too damaging to teh bulbs. What do you think? Is this a good idea? I just want to have color most of the year. Thank you for any advice.
I like Leopard's Bane (Doronicum orientate) It's easy to grow for beginners and blooms early just following your crocuses and has a bright yellow flower similar to an aster. Seems to like most soils and propagates from self sown seed, but is not invasive like some bluebells which spread from rhizomes. Great for boarders or grown in clumps.
Do not dig into the sod-like roots of rhododendrons, they don't like it. Good bulbous companions are lilies (Lilium sp.).
