Key takeaways
- Big bulbs need fewer per square metre, small bulbs many more
- For a border display: tulips 50-60, large daffodils 30-50, crocus and muscari around 100 per m²
- Space bulbs about two to three bulb widths apart and plant two to three times their height deep
- Plant in blocks and drifts, never single bulbs dotted evenly
- In pots, plant bulbs close together, almost touching
- Measure your area first, then buy enough bulbs to fill it
How many bulbs you need per square metre depends on the size of the bulb and the look you want. Big bulbs such as tulips and daffodils need about 30-60 per square metre for a bold display. Small bulbs such as crocus and muscari need around 100. Most people plant far too thinly, which is the main reason a bulb display looks sparse.
This guide gives a simple chart, two easy rules for spacing and depth, and how the numbers change for pots and for grass. Measure your patch, look up the rate and buy enough to fill it.
How many bulbs per square metre? The chart
These are rough guides for a full border display, planted in groups. For naturalising in grass, plant fewer and more randomly.
| Bulb | Per square metre for a bold display | Planting depth |
|---|---|---|
| Tulips | 50-60 | 15-20cm |
| Large daffodils | 30-50 | 10-15cm |
| Dwarf daffodils, such as ‘Tête-à-Tête’ | 60-80 | 8-10cm |
| Hyacinths | 25-35 | 10-15cm |
| Large alliums, such as ‘Globemaster’ | 5-10 | 15-20cm |
| Medium alliums, such as ‘Purple Sensation’ | 15-25 | 10-15cm |
| Crocus | 100-150 | 5-8cm |
| Snowdrops, muscari and iris reticulata | About 100 | 5-10cm |
Small early bulbs such as chionodoxa follow the crocus rate. The guides to growing crocus and growing alliums cover each one in more detail.
Tulips planted closely read as one sweep of colour. Spread the same number thinly and they barely show.
The spacing and depth rules for any bulb
If you’d rather not look up a chart, two simple rules work for almost any bulb in your hand.
Two to three bulb widths apart is plenty. Set them out on the soil first so you can see the spacing before you cover them.
Spacing: plant bulbs about two to three times their own width apart. A fat tulip bulb sits 10-15cm from its neighbours. Small crocus corms can go a few centimetres apart. Go closer for a fuller display, or wider if you want clumps to spread over the years.
Depth: plant bulbs two to three times their own height deep. A tulip bulb 5cm tall goes about 10-15cm deep, and a small crocus about 5-8cm. Good depth helps bulbs stand up straight and stops them drying out. Tulips planted deeply often come back better the next year too.
Always plant pointed end up. If you can’t tell which end is which, plant the bulb on its side and it will sort itself out.
Plant in blocks and drifts, not single bulbs
Bulbs only look good in groups. Fifty tulips in a tight block make a bold statement. Fifty singles dotted evenly across a border all but disappear.
Two simple patterns cover almost everything:
- Blocks of one colour or variety give a strong, formal look, like a park bedding display.
- Drifts are loose, flowing groups of one or more types. They suit relaxed borders and cottage planting.
For bulbs woven between perennials, the guide to layering bulbs in perennial borders shows how to place them.
How many bulbs fit in a pot?
Plant bulbs in pots much closer than in a border, almost touching. In a pot they only need to look good for one season, so there’s no need to leave room to spread.
A rough guide for one layer of bulbs:
- 30cm pot: 15-20 tulips, or 30-40 crocus
- 40cm pot: 25-35 tulips, or 50-70 crocus
For flowers over a longer spell, plant several types of bulb in layers at their own depths, with the biggest at the bottom. The guide to bulb lasagne planting explains how.
Bulbs in pots go in almost touching, which gives this packed look for one bright season.
Naturalising bulbs in grass: plant fewer, more randomly
When you plant bulbs to spread in grass or under trees, you plant fewer and more randomly. The bulbs multiply over the years, and the aim is a natural-looking drift rather than a solid block.
For daffodils in grass, plant about 25-40 per square metre. For crocus and other small bulbs, about 60-100. Scatter them by hand and plant each one where it lands. Even spacing in a lawn looks like a planting scheme, while scattered bulbs look as if nature put them there.
The guide to naturalising bulbs in grass covers which bulbs spread best and when you can mow.
Daffodils planted where they fall look natural in grass. They bulk up and fill the gaps over the years.
Crocus scattered into grass start sparse, then spread into a carpet over a few seasons.
Working out how many bulbs to buy
Work backwards from the area, not from the bag. Measure the patch, multiply by the rate in the chart and buy that many. Add a few extra in case some are soft or don’t come up.
Example: a tulip block. A border patch 2m long by 1m deep is 2 square metres. At about 55 tulips per square metre, that’s around 110 bulbs. Plant them roughly 10-15cm apart and 15cm deep.
Example: daffodils in grass. The same 2 square metres of lawn needs only about 60-70 daffodils, scattered randomly. They spread over time.
Same area, very different numbers. Decide the look you want first, and the number of bulbs follows.
Common bulb planting mistakes
- Planting too thinly. One bag spread over a big area gives a thin show. Fill a smaller area properly instead.
- Dotting single bulbs about. Group them in blocks or drifts.
- Planting too shallow. Shallow bulbs flop, dry out and often flower poorly. Use the two-to-three-times rule.
- Planting upside down. Pointed end up, or on its side if you’re not sure.
- Planting in soggy ground. Bulbs rot in waterlogged soil. Add grit on heavy clay, or grow them in pots.
Timing matters as much as numbers. The guide on when to plant tulip bulbs explains why tulips go in later than daffodils. Find more bulbs and flowers on the plants hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many bulbs should I plant per square metre?
It depends on the size of the bulb. As a rough guide, plant 50-60 tulips, 30-50 large daffodils and around 100 crocus, snowdrops or muscari per square metre. Plant more for a bold display and fewer for drifts in grass.
How far apart should I space bulbs?
Space bulbs about two to three times their own width apart. A tulip bulb about 5cm across sits roughly 10-15cm from its neighbours, while small crocus corms can go a few centimetres apart. Closer spacing gives a fuller display, and wider spacing gives clumps room to grow.
How deep should I plant bulbs?
Plant most bulbs two to three times their own height deep. A tulip bulb 5cm tall goes about 10-15cm deep, and a small crocus about 5-8cm. Bulbs planted too shallow can flop, dry out or flower poorly.
How many bulbs fit in a pot?
Far more than in the same area of border, as you plant them almost touching. A 30cm pot might take 15-20 tulips or 30-40 crocus in one layer. For a longer show, layer different bulbs at different depths.
Should I plant bulbs in clumps or spread out?
Plant them in clumps, blocks or drifts, not single bulbs dotted about. A tight group of one variety looks bold and deliberate. The same number spread evenly across a border looks thin.
How many daffodil bulbs do I need to naturalise an area?
Plant about 25-40 daffodils per square metre for naturalising in grass. Scatter them by hand and plant them where they land so the drift looks natural. They bulk up over the years and fill in the gaps.
Now you know how many to buy, read the guide on when to plant spring bulbs to get them in the ground at the right time.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
