So imagine what the bed will look like after the daffodils and tulips fade. It will probably look like a dark green sea and then it will turn brown. Many people plant annuals on top of their bulbs, but those only last a season. My plan this year was to plant Showy Primrose I wintersowed among the tulips so that it comes back every year and will leave something pretty growing when the tulips die back. Perennials for large areas: Yarrow-white, red, yellow, pink. Starts easily from seed or a few plant starts and it's a midplains native and grows well. Feathery foliage that's pretty and long-blooming. I have plant starts if you want some. Cushion Spurge. Some people like it, others don't. It's a plains native and it spreads quickly. It grows 12" high and blooms wonderful yellow blossoms. As the blossoms fade you have a green feathery foliage shorter than the yarrow. I have lots of plant starts if you want some. Daisies. As the tulips fade the Shasta/Becky Daisies come to life and bloom their little heads off. The white flowers dance in the breeze. If you deadhead they keep reblooming. Nice long bloom period. These grow stronger by the year. (You guessed it--I have some.) Phlox Subulata: Groundcover that blooms early spring. If you plant around your bulbs the bulbs come through it. Blooms purple, pink or white as a carpet of blooms. Rest of the year it's green and happy, very low to the ground. Low maintenance. I've only transplanted it, never done seeds. Yep, I have some. Columbine: Grow well from seed. It will take a couple years for them to gain some size, but you'll have beautiful blooms. I personally have trouble with Columbine. I think it's my soil. Mine get about 24" high, last about 3 years, and that's it. My aunt's got as big as a bush, but didn't make it through the 2014-15 winter. Sweet William grows well from seed. You'll have pink and white blossoms in mid spring. Gaillardia grows well from seeds. Bright orange and yellow blooms depending on which seed you get. Short-lived perennial so they are around a couple years before they disappear and you can keep planting more seed to keep the cycle going. Look at Craigslist or post on Craigslist for iris if you're interested. Many people have to divide roots of daylilies, iris or peonies and want someone to adopt their babies. They are usually unnamed, but if that doesn't bother you then you're in luck. They all come back like clockwork for years and years. This was probably too much information! Heidi

Probably neither and definitely not Virginia bluebells. I would guess Hyacinthoides hispanica or a hybrid of that. English bluebells are rarely sold. I purchased what was labeled that a few years ago but when they flowered, they were not Hyacinthoides non-scripta. The bulb supplier agreed it was not as advertised and sent me some other types of bulbs for their error.

Thanks! The originals came from my grandmother's house, which then became my parents'; and they were actually dormant when I moved them. The property was being sold and that was my only option. I was lucky any made it. So they have a lot of sentimental value. I even have a seedling all the way on the opposite side of the house. How a seed got there is a mystery, unless on my foot. I've never even noticed the seeds, or I'd collect them.

Nate, hello. I'm just on the other side of Tysons Corner off Rt 7. If you want to hop on over this way I can share some pulmonaria. Daylilly99@cox.net