Bulbs are a wonderful choice for bringing colour to the garden early in the year, from the white snowdrops (Galanthus) of late winter to the daffodils and bright crocuses of spring. Many, such as tulips, flower almost into summer. Bulbs may be grown in amongst ground-cover plants to provide interest once the bulbs' foliage has died down.

Spring-flowering climbers, such as Clematis armandii, may be grown up a light-foliaged, deciduous tree to add colour whilst the tree is coming into leaf.