Hello! I'm located in Nashville, TN, zone 7. My poor lawn is mostly clay soil, so all of my plantings have additions to the soil to help lovely things grow. I know it's getting to be that time of the year and I'd like to add some spring blooming bulbs to my garden. I'm looking for suggestions on what will grow best in my clay soil in zone 7. Any tips appreciated. I've never started anything straight from a bulb. I've been in my home for a little over 2 years now and have various annuals, baby shrubs, and perennial spring & summer flowers and I want to shake it up with some early spring color.

I'm not sure which bulbs would do best in clay soil, but I would choose a variety of the cheaper and hardier ones and have fun.

I am fond of tulips, common crocus and daffodils because they come in a wide variety of colors and are easy to find. If you have rodent problems, tulips seem to be squirrel and rabbit magnets but nothing eats daffodils (they are poisonous). Bulbs can be planted in the middle of everything else, if you dig one up by accident in the summer, just plant it back. If you take it slow and add a little more each year, you have a chance to figure out which make you happiest in terms of color, season and survival rate.

Thanks sumire! I am also very fond of Crocus, but I read somewhere they will tolerate just about everything excluding soil... I'll give it the college try with the mixture I've used previously for my successful perennials - with an assortment of inexpensive bulbs as suggested, and report back on what does the best.

We look forward to your updates!