Fall is the perfect time for Virginia gardeners to get their hands dirty and plant bulbs that will burst with color when spring arrives. The Commonwealth’s climate, with its moderately cold winters and warm springs, creates ideal conditions for many flowering bulbs to thrive.
I still remember the first daffodils I planted at my Charlottesville home years ago – their cheerful yellow faces greeting me in March made all that autumn digging worthwhile.
1. Daffodils: Virginia’s Golden Spring Heralds
Nothing says spring has arrived in Virginia like daffodils poking through the last patches of snow. These hardy bulbs naturalize beautifully in our climate and will multiply year after year with almost no care.
Plant them 6 inches deep in well-draining soil before the first hard frost. Squirrels and deer typically avoid them, making them perfect for rural Virginia gardens where wildlife visits are common.
For stunning displays, group at least 10-12 bulbs together rather than planting individually. The sight of a daffodil drift on a hillside is quintessential Virginia springtime.
2. Tulips: Elegant Cup-Shaped Showstoppers
Every Virginia garden deserves tulips, with their perfect cup-shaped blooms in nearly every color imaginable. While they may not always perennialize as well as other bulbs in our climate, their beauty makes them worth replanting.
October is ideal for planting tulips in Virginia soil. Give them a sunny spot with good drainage and plant about 8 inches deep – deeper than you might think!
Consider them annual investments in your garden’s beauty. My Alexandria garden’s Darwin tulips have surprised me by returning for several years when planted in well-draining raised beds.
3. Crocuses: First Signs Of Virginia Spring
When tiny crocuses push through February’s last frost, Virginia gardeners know winter’s grip is loosening. These diminutive beauties often bloom while snow still covers parts of the ground, creating magical purple, yellow, and white displays.
Plant crocus corms just 3-4 inches deep in fall, choosing spots that receive winter and early spring sunlight. They’re perfect for Virginia lawns, as they complete their cycle before the first mowing.
Last year, a patch of purple crocuses near my Richmond patio attracted the season’s first bumblebees – a welcome sight after winter’s quiet.
4. Hyacinths: Fragrant Favorites For Virginia Gardens
The sweet perfume of hyacinths can fill an entire Virginia garden with their intoxicating scent. Few spring bulbs offer such dramatic fragrance along with their tightly packed florets in jewel-tone colors.
Fall planting is essential – aim for October when Virginia soil is still workable but cooling down. Place bulbs about 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart in well-draining soil.
My favorite memory is walking through Williamsburg in April, where colonial garden beds filled with blue and purple hyacinths created a historical fragrance landscape that perfectly complemented the architecture.
5. Alliums: Architectural Wonders On Stems
Like purple fireworks frozen in time, alliums bring architectural interest to Virginia gardens in late spring. Their perfectly round flower heads stand on tall stems above most other plants, creating vertical drama when many spring bulbs are finishing.
Plant these members of the onion family 4-8 inches deep in fall, depending on variety size. They prefer full sun and well-draining soil typical of many Virginia gardens.
Even after blooming, their dried seedheads provide months of interest. In my Roanoke garden, they bridge the gap between spring’s tulips and summer’s perennials beautifully.
6. Snowdrops: Delicate Harbingers Of Warmth
Sometimes as early as January in Virginia’s milder regions, snowdrops push their tiny white bells through winter soil. Their appearance signals hope for gardeners eager to see life returning to dormant beds.
Fall planting allows these early bloomers to establish roots before winter sets in. Unlike most bulbs, snowdrops prefer being planted “in the green” – right after flowering when leaves are still visible.
Along woodland edges in my Shenandoah Valley garden, naturalized drifts have expanded yearly, creating a magical white carpet beneath deciduous trees before their leaves emerge.
7. Grape Hyacinths: Blue Carpets For Virginia Springs
Known botanically as Muscari, these diminutive blue beauties create stunning carpets of color in Virginia gardens. Their clustered blooms resemble tiny bunches of grapes in shades from powder blue to deep indigo.
Plant bulbs about 3 inches deep in fall, spacing them 3 inches apart. They’ll multiply enthusiastically in Virginia’s climate, sometimes too well – but their charm makes them worth the occasional thinning.
Walking through my Norfolk neighborhood last April, I noticed how grape hyacinths had naturalized along sidewalks and under trees, creating rivers of blue that connected different gardens into one flowing landscape.
8. Anemones: Poppy-Like Blooms For Virginia’s Mild Areas
Wind-loving anemones bring poppy-like blooms in vibrant blues, reds, and whites to Virginia gardens. These Mediterranean natives perform especially well in the eastern parts of Virginia where winters are milder.
Soak the strange-looking corms overnight before planting in fall, about 2 inches deep. They appreciate some afternoon shade in Virginia’s warmer regions to extend their blooming period.
My Virginia Beach garden features a patch of blue anemones that return reliably each year, their black centers creating striking contrast against their jewel-toned petals.
9. Fritillaria: Exotic Checkered Beauties
Fritillarias bring unusual patterns and forms to Virginia spring gardens. The checkered patterns of Fritillaria meleagris (snake’s head fritillary) or the dramatic crown-like flowers of Fritillaria imperialis (crown imperial) add exotic touches to traditional plantings.
Plant these unusual bulbs 6-8 inches deep in fall, choosing spots with excellent drainage. Many Virginia gardeners find success planting them on their sides to prevent water collecting in the bulb’s natural depression.
A small cluster in my Fredericksburg garden always draws visitors’ attention – their unusual appearance makes them conversation pieces among even non-gardening friends.
10. Scilla: Tiny Blue Stars For Virginia Woodland Gardens
Scillas create pools of intense blue in early spring, especially lovely in Virginia’s many woodland gardens. Their star-shaped flowers appear in great numbers, creating a blue haze under deciduous trees before the canopy leafs out.
Fall planting at about 3 inches deep will reward Virginia gardeners with years of increasing beauty. They naturalize readily in our climate, especially in slightly acidic woodland soils common throughout the state.
The native Virginia bluebells make perfect companions for these European imports. In my Charlottesville garden, the combination creates a blue symphony that celebrates spring’s arrival.
11. Iris Reticulata: Early Miniature Iris Magic
Before their taller cousins appear, these diminutive irises bring jewel-toned blooms to Virginia gardens in earliest spring. Their intricate patterned petals in blues, purples, and yellows belie their tough nature.
Plant these small bulbs just 4 inches deep in fall, choosing a spot with excellent drainage. In Virginia’s clay soils, consider adding grit or planting in raised areas to prevent rot.
Along my stone pathway in Staunton, these early bloomers signal the start of garden season, often appearing while I’m still wearing a winter coat during garden cleanup.
12. Lilies: Summer-Blooming Bulbs That Need Fall Planting
While many lilies bloom in summer, they require fall planting in Virginia to establish strong root systems before growth begins. Their tall stems and dramatic flowers become focal points in gardens throughout the Commonwealth.
Plant lily bulbs about 6 inches deep in well-draining soil amended with organic matter. Many Virginia gardeners find success with Asiatic and Oriental varieties, though species lilies also thrive in our climate.
The fragrance of Oriental lilies in my Lynchburg garden wafts through open windows on summer evenings – a delayed reward for fall planting efforts.
13. Camassia: Native American Beauty For Moist Virginia Sites
With tall spikes of star-shaped flowers in blue and white, camassia brings native American elegance to Virginia gardens. These bulbs appreciate the moisture-retentive soils found in many parts of our state.
Unlike most bulbs that demand sharp drainage, camassia tolerates Virginia’s clay soils and even occasional standing water. Plant them 4 inches deep in fall in areas that stay moist in spring.
My rain garden in Arlington features a stand of blue camassia that thrives with minimal care, attracting native pollinators and complementing the later-blooming iris perfectly.
14. Chionodoxa: Glory Of The Snow For Virginia Gardens
True to their name, these “glory of the snow” bulbs often bloom when patches of snow still linger in Virginia gardens. Their star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, pink, and white create carpets of early color.
Plant these small bulbs just 3 inches deep in fall, spacing them closely for the best display. They multiply readily in Virginia’s climate, both by bulb offsets and self-seeding.
Under deciduous trees in my Falls Church garden, chionodoxa has naturalized into a blue carpet that appears almost magically each February, sometimes poking through light snow.
15. Star Of Bethlehem: White Stars For Virginia’s Late Spring
Creating constellations of white blooms in Virginia gardens, Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) brings starry beauty to late spring. Their grass-like foliage is topped with clusters of pristine white flowers.
Fall planting at about 3 inches deep in well-draining soil will establish these bulbs for years of enjoyment. A word of caution to Virginia gardeners: they can spread enthusiastically in ideal conditions.
In my Hampton garden, I’ve contained them in a rock-edged bed where their exuberance is an asset, not a problem. Their long-lasting blooms bridge the gap between spring and summer flowering plants.
16. Leucojum: Snowflakes For Virginia’s Moist Areas
Often confused with snowdrops but blooming later, Leucojum (snowflakes) bring charming bell-shaped white flowers with green tips to Virginia gardens. These adaptable bulbs thrive in the moist conditions found in many parts of our state.
Plant them 4 inches deep in fall, choosing spots that remain consistently moist in spring. Unlike many bulbs, they tolerate partial shade, making them perfect for Virginia’s woodland edges.
Along a small seasonal stream in my Winchester property, snowflakes have multiplied into impressive drifts that require no care yet return more abundantly each year.
17. Eranthis: Winter Aconite’s Golden Glow
Among the very earliest bulbs to bloom in Virginia gardens, winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) brings golden buttercup-like flowers when most of the garden still sleeps. Their sunny disposition brightens February landscapes throughout the Commonwealth.
Plant these small tubers in fall, just 2-3 inches deep. They appreciate the leaf mold found in Virginia’s deciduous woodlands and will self-seed gently over time.
My Blacksburg garden features winter aconites that emerge through late snow, their bright yellow flowers and collar-like green bracts creating tiny sunbursts that signal winter’s end is approaching.