Can you suggest bulbs for a beginner?

Well I found more places to plant bulbs ... oh no! I have the perfect spot for callas, shady and wet ... I'll let you know how the do! Rainy day here, so I'm heading out to shop for bulbs.

Well I bought about 250 bulbs this past weekend (at my favorite nursery) ... starting out slow. Here's what I bought:
(Daffodils) Narcissus tete-a-tete
Crocus 'jeanne d'arc'
(Glory of the Snow) Chionodoxa luciliae 'alba'
(Grape Hyacinths) Muscari Ast.
(Grape Hyacinths) Muscari Armeniacum
(Daffodils) Narcissus Spellbinder
Allium Mixed

They didn't have any callas ... oh well, I guess I'll have to checkout what's online. Who know what else I'll find ... :)

Can't wait to plant them this weekend. I scrapped the "under the weeping cherry tree" idea, found a better place. The garden I've been working on in my back yard is planted with mostly summer blooming and foliage plants ... needs some spring color. Besides, they will be in a spot with a perfect view from the deck and family room windows.

Planting them where you'll be able to see them... always a good call!

*sigh* Our work here is done. We have successfully started another Newbie onto ANOTHER plant addiction..

What's next ... dahlias or perhaps daylilies? I've seen some of your names in those forums.

Daylilies! They go very nicely over the daffodils.... :-)

Looks like you did a great job picking and are off to a real good start.
Dahlias, are wonderful, "but" you will need to dig them up each fall so you might what to plant them in an area where you will not disturb other plants.

Thanks HollyAnnS, I'll keep that in mind ... just what I need another excuse to play in the garden.

Michaeljo, callas will be easy to find in the spring. That would be a far better time to plant them. There's a whole 'nother world of spring planted bulbs like gladiolus, dahlias, callas, caladiums. Lilies are often easy to find in with the spring bulbs too.

Well I couldn't resist, I just ordered more bulbs (100 tulips and 100 crocus from Holland Bulb Farm). It's like opening a bag of chips -- you can't eat just one. Looking forward to spring already ... especially to buy the spring bulbs.

Happy planting everyone!!

SEE Michaeljo??? I warned you. Buy all you could afford and then buy more!!! LOL... I cracked up at your looking forward to spring to BUY spring planted bulbs! Ain't it the truth, us gardeners are ALWAYS buying more.

Maybe this is a good time to warn you that when you are done filling up your OWN flower beds you begin to see OTHER beds that need a "few bulbs". You know, your Mom's, your neighbor or someone else you care about. Don't say we didn't warn you...

I received my order from Holland Bulb Farm Friday. Planted 300 bulbs yesterday (daffodils, crocus, allium). Still need plant 100 mascari and the 100 tulips and 100 crocous I got in the mail Friday. I'll be busy today.

I was just eyeing a spot in between my yard and my neighbors, it needs something ,,,, hmmmmm?

yup, you're hooked.

Well back in December I planted 100 crocus bulbs (and tulips) in 7 large pots. I covered them with mulch and placed them in an unheated garage (temp stays about 10 degrees above the outside temp). The crocus are starting to sprout, some even have flower buds. It seems like it way too early to move the pots outside. Is there anything I can do to keep the crocus from blooming while they sitting in the corner of my garage?

I don't think so but hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along and tell you. It would not be too early to have them outside blooming here. Crocus have been known to bloom thru snow!

I have crocus bulbs coming up all over my side bed. Even in this weather they are doing find.. I now just have to figure out how some of them have moved from the bed into the yard....

I've never tried that. But it sounds to me as though they are right on time. My crocus and a few other bulbs are starting to push little green tips up. They are growing very slowly but they are coming. I wouldn't think the 10 degrees difference would put them in shock, but we have a serious cold spell coming. And I have no experience with potted bulbs maybe some one else will.

I pot up all my bulbs. Most don't mind the frost, like muscari / tulips / daffodils. Snowdrops survive a frost when in the ground but rot away when in a pot. Same goes for frittilaria. Alliums will flower in a pot, but not very well. Too wet, I guess.....

michaeljo- No. They are going to bloom. I am forcing a few crocus and hyacinths. My crocus are about to bloom too. Keep them cool as you can to slow them down but get them light so they can start to photosynthesize.

I have a major squirrel and chipmunk problem digging up my bulbs so I covered all the ones I planted in the fall with chicken wire. I can't imagine having to do that to 1000 bulbs!!!

Thanks for your input everyone. I'll make sure to keep the cool and give them plenty of light. I have the same problem with squirrels, that's why I chose to use containers, however, I did plant few hundred bulbs in my garden and covered them with chicken wire -- seems to have worked. None of the bulbs I planted outside are sprouting yet -- still have a few more weeks until SPRING!