How to plant bulbs in layers: the “lasagna” effect for longer flowering

Would you like your balcony or garden to be bursting with color for as long as possible? Try planting spring bulbs in layers this season—a technique known among gardeners as “lasagna planting.” Although the name may sound complicated, it is actually a simple planting method in which bulbs are placed in several layers on top of each other. The result is a beautifully blooming flower pot or flower bed that will bring you joy for months to come.

Why choose layered planting

Traditional bulb planting usually produces flowers at the same time of year. With the “lasagna” technique, plants alternate—when one finishes flowering, another takes its place. This makes the planting look livelier and lasts much longer. What’s more, even a complete beginner can easily master this technique.

Which bulbs are suitable

You can choose virtually any spring bulbs, but it is important to match them according to their flowering time. Great combinations include, for example:

• Tulips – they bloom later, so they are ideal for the bottom layer.
• Hyacinths or daffodils – suitable for the middle layer.
• Bluebells, irises, or anemones – early varieties that will brighten up the top layer.

Step-by-step procedure

• Choose a container – ideally a clay pot with a hole, which is more breathable than plastic and provides better insulation.
• Drainage layer – place gravel, expanded clay, or sand at the bottom to prevent water from accumulating around the bulbs.
• First layer – plant the deepest bulbs that bloom last (e.g., tulips) on top of about 10 cm of substrate. Place them close together.
• Second layer – add 5 cm of soil and plant other species that bloom earlier (e.g., hyacinths).
• Third layer – after another layer of soil, plant the earliest species (e.g., bluebells or anemones).
• Cover, water, and let them take root.

During winter, do not forget to water the substrate lightly (especially in January and February) so that the bulbs do not dry out. In severe frosts, wrap the container in burlap or cardboard.

You can use the same principle directly in the flower bed – this will create a colorful composition that will bloom gradually.

Tips for proven combinations

Colorful energy

• Bottom layer: Christmas Dream tulip
• Middle layer: Purple Sensation hyacinth
• Top layer: Atlantic Armenian crocus

Elegant white

• Bottom layer: Triumph Calgary tulip
• Middle layer: Carnegie hyacinth
• Top layer: White Splendour pasque flower

Planting bulbs in a lasagna style is a wonderful trick for enjoying a long spring full of color. And the best part is that it’s not rocket science. All you need is a suitable container, several types of bulbs, and a little creativity. You’ll be rewarded with a blooming balcony or garden that will delight you much longer than with traditional planting.