Bulb garden

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Life offers few promises, but one thing you can depend on is spring-blooming bulbs. They're brilliant, they're dependable and you can have them growing in your yard if you act now.

There are hundreds of bulbs you can plant, try to plant them all -- that's the fun of bulb gardening. Here are some basic things to keep in mind when you plant your bulb garden.

It's your job to show your bulbs off to their best advantage, and it only makes sense to include the tall bloomers in the back of a border or bed and the short bloomers up front, where their cheery flowers will have the biggest impact.

Bulbs require a rich, fast-draining soil. If your soil is not up to snuff, amend it with compost, river sand or peat moss (use peat only if your soil isn't overly acidic). A soil test is good insurance too; it will tell you the soil's pH level -- how acidic or alkaline it is -- and how to correct it as well as reveal any nutrient deficiencies.

Place taller varieties and later-blooming bulbs -- for example, tall late tulips and camassia -- near the back of the planting bed. In the middle, plant midseason tulips and hyacinths. Shorter selections and earlier bloomers such as crocus and muscari should be planted toward the front.

Lay the bulbs on top of the soil in the order they appear on the plan to see whether the plan works. After everything is spaced the way you want, it's time to plant.

Use a bulb-planting tool, available at garden centers, to install the larger bulbs. Presuming the soil is loose and friable, you can plant smaller bulbs with the aid of a stick: poke a hole about 3" deep, place a crocus in the hole, and cover it up.

Mulch the planted bed with a 2" to 3" layer of leaves, composted bark or pine needles. This will keep weeds down, slow moisture loss and stabilize the soil temperature.