It was on a trip to Europe that I fell in love — with bulbs. It was April and I was in Paris. Then I went on to Holland, and somewhere between Monet’s garden and the beautiful bulb fields at Keukenof Gardens, I found myself in love with tulips.

While we don’t have gardens that will support the estimated 7 million bulbs in Keukenhof, everyone is capable of growing bulbs. Tulips are the most popular bulbs in the world, for both people and “pests.”

Deer and gophers love tulip bulbs as much as we do, but you can use a systemic to make them less tasty, or try your hand with other bulbs to enhance your garden. Allium, crocus, iris and narcissus are less-tasty options.

Choose bulbs as you would perennials. Choose complementary hues, using  a color wheel if necessary for a harmonious palette. Make sure the flower colors will complement your winter- blooming shrubs.

Be creative! Bulbs can be tucked in lawns, between stepping stones, in pots and window boxes, and in the traditional beds and borders.

Plant in mass for maximum visual appeal and minimize the color differences. Use perennials in combination with your bulbs to protect bare soil from weed seeds and to cover foliage die-back.

Combine tulips with narcissus and hyacinths and keep size and bloom times in mind. Snowdrops and crocus are among the first to bloom. If you don’t feel comfortable combining bulbs yourself, try purchasing a bulb collection.

For an added bonus, choose bulbs that will naturalize. Bulbs are self-contained units and the bulb size correlates with flower size, so choose large bulbs.

Be sure to chill the bulbs for a couple weeks and wait until the ground is cool — less than 50 degrees — before planting. Bulbs demand good drainage and will reward you for amending your soil with organic matter prior to planting them.

When planting your bulbs, place the large size down, 2-2.5 times as deep as the bulbs are high, or about 4 inches deep. If you are planting a large quantity of bulbs, excavate the soil, put all the bulbs in place, and cover with soil. This will be faster and easier than individual plantings.

After planting, water your bulbs thoroughly and fertilize once the bulbs break and their flower color is revealed.

Happy gardening!

Laurie Keit is a garden designer and florist who has been doing business on the coast through her company, Seasonal Celebrations, since 2001. An 18-year Pacifica resident, she can be contacted at 650-722-0091, by e-mail at keit@sbcglobal.net, or through her Web site, www.seasonalcelebrations.com.

It was on a trip to Europe that I fell in love — with bulbs. It was April and I was in Paris. Then I went on to Holland, and somewhere between Monet’s garden and the beautiful bulb fields at Keukenof Gardens, I found myself in love with tulips.

While we don’t have gardens that will support the estimated 7 million bulbs in Keukenhof, everyone is capable of growing bulbs. Tulips are the most popular bulbs in the world, for both people and “pests.”

Deer and gophers love tulip bulbs as much as we do, but you can use a systemic to make them less tasty, or try your hand with other bulbs to enhance your garden. Allium, crocus, iris and narcissus are less-tasty options.

Choose bulbs as you would perennials. Choose complementary hues, using  a color wheel if necessary for a harmonious palette. Make sure the flower colors will complement your winter- blooming shrubs.

Be creative! Bulbs can be tucked in lawns, between stepping stones, in pots and window boxes, and in the traditional beds and borders.

Plant in mass for maximum visual appeal and minimize the color differences. Use perennials in combination with your bulbs to protect bare soil from weed seeds and to cover foliage die-back.

Combine tulips with narcissus and hyacinths and keep size and bloom times in mind. Snowdrops and crocus are among the first to bloom. If you don’t feel comfortable combining bulbs yourself, try purchasing a bulb collection.

For an added bonus, choose bulbs that will naturalize. Bulbs are self-contained units and the bulb size correlates with flower size, so choose large bulbs.

Be sure to chill the bulbs for a couple weeks and wait until the ground is cool — less than 50 degrees — before planting. Bulbs demand good drainage and will reward you for amending your soil with organic matter prior to planting them.

When planting your bulbs, place the large size down, 2-2.5 times as deep as the bulbs are high, or about 4 inches deep. If you are planting a large quantity of bulbs, excavate the soil, put all the bulbs in place, and cover with soil. This will be faster and easier than individual plantings.

After planting, water your bulbs thoroughly and fertilize once the bulbs break and their flower color is revealed.

Happy gardening!