Locations for Planting Narcissus Bulbs

Beds and Borders

• Any full-sun garden bed provides a suitable location for narcissus bulbs, as long as the soil drains well and doesn't suffer from standing water after rain or snow melt. Consider planting the bulbs in building or walkway borders. The foliage emerges in early spring, providing a bit of greenery to the otherwise dormant landscape. Set the bulbs back from the front of the bed so you can plant a row of bright annual flowers in front of the bulbs after the narcissus flowers fade. The annuals camouflage the dying foliage of the narcissus plants once they begin to decline in late spring or early summer.

Shaded Locations

• Though narcissi require full sun, they need the sunlight only in the spring months when they are actively flowering and producing foliage. Narcissi don't require sunlight once the bulbs are dormant in summer, fall and winter. Beds underneath deciduous shade trees aren't fully shaded in late winter and early spring before the branches leaf out. Planting narcissi in these sites allows you to take advantage of the temporary sunshine beneath the tree by planting the short-lived but perennial bulbs. Fallen leaves provide a natural mulch over the narcissus bulbs during the winter months.

Outdoor Containers

• Most bulbs, including narcissus, grow well in outdoor containers when provided with a bit more care. Use large containers, such as a half whiskey barrel, to ensure there is enough room for the bulbs to grow. You can space the narcissi closer in the container than you would in a bed, but leave at least 3 inches of space between the bulbs so they don't become overcrowded and flower poorly. Container-grown bulbs may require more water than bed-grown narcissi, since soil in a container dries out more quickly. The narcissus plants will also benefit from monthly fertilization during the growing season. Divide the bulbs every two years so they don't overcrowd the container.

Naturalized Planting

• Narcissus flowers naturalize well in meadows, wildflower beds or lawn areas. Plant early-blooming varieties in lawn areas so the foliage has already died back by the time the lawn grass requires its first mowing in late spring. Bulbs planted in meadows and wildflower gardens aren't in danger of lawn mowing, so you can grow mid- and late-season varieties in those areas. Meadow grasses and summer wildflower foliage hide the wilting narcissus foliage later in the year.