• early, bulb late March
• sweet prolific multiplier
• naturalizes
• tough
• provides a blue spring carpet
• can be underplanted anywhere, shrubs, perennials
• deer resistant to date
• requires a friable loam
• little to no care

This sweet little bulb is no trouble, and gives freely. It will naturalize and even pop up in lawns. After Snowdrops it is one of the earliest spring bulbs. Like a miniature bluebell, once naturalized it will make a blue carpet under trees, shrubs and perennials. The green leaves which follow also make a fine carpet which will gradually fade away as the they die down, allowing the perennials and leafing out shrubs to take over the show. The beauty of this tiny little bulb is that it can be planted almost anywhere, shade, sun, under trees. It’s root system takes advantage of the spring wet and then as summer comes on the bulb goes dormant, the leaves die down and compost themselves into the ground.

Chionodoxa (Chionodoxa luciliae), Glory of the Snow is a very similar little bulb that blooms a similar, March and April, maybe a little later depending on location. Chionodoxa flowers vary in colour from pale blue to purplish and the flowers open facing up as opposed to down in the Squills. It is not quite so aggressive in its naturalization but is another welcome addition to the spring garden. It too has grass like leaves which will die down and disappear.

I like combining my bulbs with Hellebores, other bulbs Hyacinths, Daffodils and Tulips and small Iris. The shrubs above them take over as spring moves on and the area becomes quite shaded.