How to Naturalize a Grass Lawn With Flowering Bulbs

You can turn a plain grass lawn into a sea of beautiful spring flowers by planting bulbs that gradually naturalize and multiply year after year. Choose early-flowering varieties to provide much-needed pollen and nectar as the weather begins to warm.

You may also enjoy How to Replace Lawn With Wildflower Seed Mix for more options.

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Naturalizing Bulbs In Lawn

A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule.
~Michael Pollan

I first saw naturalized bulbs when we were driving through a small town in early spring many years ago. There was one massive yard with this stately home surrounded by old trees and a sea of low-growing blue flowering bulbs—most likely Siberian Squill or Azureum Muscari. It was breathtaking. I filed the image away in my mind thinking one day I want to do the same.

So what is naturalizing?

The term is used several ways but generally, with flowering bulbs, we “naturalize” a garden or lawn by planting suitable bulbs that will gradually spread throughout the area and bloom year after year. Left in their natural state, they should be low or no maintenance.

When shopping, you may notice certain bulb packets say “good for naturalizing’ or something similar.

The whole idea sounds rather dreamy but there are pros and cons.

One obvious good quality is the beauty—there is nothing quite like that sea of flowers in spring.

On the downside, once blooming is done, depending on the species, the remaining foliage can get pretty ratty looking while it goes through the essential phase of replenishing energy to the bulb for the next blooming cycle.

One small workaround is to choose bulbs that flower really early in spring so the replenishing phase finishes up a couple of weeks before you’d ever be out cutting the lawn. Or set your blades high enough that they avoid the bulb leaves.

It’s also important to know that some bulb species are thugs—either invasive or aggressive species that simply replace one mono-culture (grass lawn) with another (a sea of one type of bulb). Although the bulbs, at least, may provide some nectar and pollen.

So, before you do anything, confirm that your choices are suited to your region and will not cause future problems. This is not something unique to bulbs but to every plant you choose for your garden.

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Contents

• Getting Started
• 7 Tips For Naturalizing Lawn With Bulbs
• Blue Flowering Bulbs For Lawns
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Resources

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Getting Started

The bulb varieties you choose and where you plant them will depend on your growing conditions.

In general, most bulbs do not tolerate soggy conditions so well-draining soil is a must.

Light also matters. Some flowering bulbs will flower in part-shade, others won’t budge without full sun. But you may have enough light in early spring before tree leaves open and cast shade.

From there, you can choose based on things like color scheme, height, and bloom times.

As mentioned, you want hardy, perennial varieties known to be good at naturalizing.

For quantity, I say get as many bulbs as you can afford, keeping in mind that they will (of course) multiply as the years go by. The package will have spacing recommendation.

Some low-growing bulbs are so tiny it takes hundreds and hundreds to fill a relatively small area. For example, I fit 400 squill bulbs in a 10 x 15-foot area and it still took several growing seasons to fill in.

Bulb planting time is fall. The ideal time is after most leaves have fallen from the trees but before the ground is frozen.

And do take my advice to cover the areas you have planted with screens if you have squirrels like I do. They can have expensive appetites.

7 Tips for Naturalizing Lawn with Bulbs

As mentioned, before planting anything, check to be sure it will not cause environmental problems in your area. A handy tip is to always choose plants that play a beneficial role in your local eco-system.

1Use Low-Growing Bulbs

Choose low-to-the-ground bulbs that suit a meadow-like setting.

Most tulips, for example, are quite tall and not suitable for naturalizing although one exception is species tulips (botanical tulips) that grow in clumps.

Crocuses, bluebells, starflowers, and grape hyacinths are good options.

Daffodils that produce lots of offsets (which become more plants) are also a good choice if you want a splash of yellow.

This list of spring-flowering bulbs that attract pollinators may also have some selections you like.

2Pick a Color Theme

One color or a few colors close in value are key for a natural look. I chose a handful of blue flowering bulbs for mine. I’ve also seen it done in creams and whites and it was stunning.

This has more ideas for using color accents in the garden.

3Plant in Drifts

Swathes or drifts of color are also common in nature: think of wildflowers gradually spreading through a field or native plants in our forest floor.

4Pay Attention to Light and Soil Needs

My lawn is half full sun and half full shade so I chose bulbs that could handle one or both and planted them accordingly.

5Leave Room for Natural Growth

Bulbs spread by multiplying—that’s the naturalizing we’re hoping for. Leave room between them so they can provide lots of babies over the years to come.

The first few years may not look like much, but gradually, your lawn will become spectacular in spring.

6Protect Newly Planted Bulbs

After I first planted mine, I had squirrels lining up to dig them up. I used screens made from hardware cloth—look for lead-free or stainless steel (that keep them out of my raised veggie beds) directly on the ground to prevent digging. The winter snow soon covered them up—when we did manage to have some!

7Let Foliage Die Off Naturally

Do not cut your lawn until the foliage has died off.

This is crucial: flowering bulbs get their energy for the next flowering cycle through their foliage.

Do not mow your lawn in spring until they have completely withered away (which means they have refueled the bulbs) or you may not get flowers next year.

Blue Flowering Bulbs for Lawns

Here are some blue-flowering bulbs that will naturalize. Some of them are invasive in some areas, so check first. I picked a blue theme here but crocus and snowdrops are another good option.

If you crave the wildflower look, consider using a low-growing continuous bloom alternative lawn seed mix.

Siberian Squill (zones 4 to 9)

Iris x hollandica (zones 3 to 8)

Original English Bluebell (zones 3 to 9)

Azureum Muscari (zones 3 to 8)

Jessie Starflower (zones 5 to 9)

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

If you want to add bulbs that flower in fall, this lists some options including autumn crocus.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛