Over the holiday break I finally found the time to plant my spring bulbs. I ordered over 3,500 this year, mainly tulips and daffodils. Since I live in the south (Zone 7b) I usually treat most of my tulips as annuals in order to have an abundance of huge blooms in the spring. Having planted over 2,000 bulbs last year, hand-troweled I might add, I decided to use an auger this year. Wow! What a difference it made. I saved alot of time, having finished most of my bulb planting in 2 days, but most importantly, my back and hamstrings definitely benefited from using the auger.
![2012 01 03_3886_edited-2](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-01-03_3886_edited-2-716x1024.jpg)
I bought this bulb auger at my local nursery. It attaches easily to a cordless drill and is long enough so you can stand while using it.
It saved my back while planting over 3,000 bulbs.
![2012 01 03_3884_edited-2](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-01-03_3884_edited-22-1024x439.jpg)
Here are some of my 2012 Bulb picks for my Garden ……
![Best Red Tulips](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1501_bestred_cwh1373.jpg)
‘Best Red’– a poppy red tulip that I plant every year in my front yard planting beds by the hundreds. Beautiful!
![French Blend Rose Tulips](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1411_frenchblendrose_cwh4969.jpg)
‘French Blend Rose’– Beautiful combo of pink, rose, and apricot that goes well with my apricot/orange roses in the spring.
![Mount Tacoma Double Tulips](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1622_mounttacoma_ebxxx.jpg)
‘Mt. Tacoma’- lovely double white late tulip. I love using these in containers and in my blue and white garden.
![](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1055_angelique_cwh2813.jpg)
‘Angelique’- considered as one of the most beautiful tulips. Double soft pink petals with silver edges. Absolutely stunning!
![Strike me Pink Tulips](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1405_strikemepink_cgc5797.jpg)
‘Strike Me Pink’- a blend of maroon and lavender. I love to plant this with yellow snapdragons around my ‘Lemon Twist’ Hinoki Cypress.
![Linifolia species Tulip](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1022_linifolia_cgc4687.jpg)
‘Linifolia’- a species tulip. Flowers open to scarlet with black centers. Great for rock gardens. Mine are planted around my Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and other conifers.
![ElNino Tulips](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1701_elnino_cgc9541.jpg)
‘El Nino’- Flowers red and rose, amber and rose, or all three at once. Beautiful in containers.
![Ice Follies Daffid](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/3040_icefollies_cwh0329.jpg)
‘Ice Follies’- Large, silvery white flowers with a lemon-yellow cup. Great daffodil for naturalizing. I have hundreds of daffodils; I like mixing these with the traditional yellow ones.
![Starflower](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/6006_starflower_cwh0915.jpg)
‘Starflower’- Blue flowers on low mats of foliage. Great for rock gardens and edge of border. I plant mine everywhere..containers ,around other bulbs, my conifer gardens, and my woodland area. Great bulb for the south.
![Maureen tulips](https://www.thegracefulgardener.com/wp-content/flagallery/my-bulb-picks-for-2012/1620_maureen_cgc_dsc_0248.jpg)
‘Maureen’-Classic tall white tulip, great for cutting. Looks lovely in my all white garden.
Now, if spring would just get here….I’m counting the days.
For the last several years I have ordered my bulbs from Colorblends. Love the selection and quality.
Credit for Bulb photo’s – Colorblends.