A Little Bit of Background
Spring-flowering bulbs (tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, alliums, some lilies, and others) are planted in the fall, ideally several weeks before the ground freezes. Even though the bulb contains most of the energy required for the following spring's flowers, the bulbs need some time to establish their roots in the soil before it freezes solid.

Most summer-flowering bulbs (iris, dahlias, gladioli, begonias, cannas, and some lilies) are planted in the spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.

Starting with a Simple Plan
First, decide where and how big you want your bulb garden to be. When you've determined where you want your bulb garden located, make a good estimate of the total area (the square footage) of the area to be planted. You may even want to make a rough sketch of the area to be planted. This will help you plan how many bulbs you should buy to create a dramatic bulb garden. Virtually all bulb catalogs and bulb packages in garden centers include information regarding the recommended spacing for specific bulbs.

Shop for the Right Bulbs
Many bulb catalogs have great deals on larger quantities, and some bulb catalogs even offer planned bulb gardens with recommended combinations and diagrams for planting. Generally speaking, within any specific variety, the larger the bulb, the higher the quality. Larger daffodil bulbs are almost always better than smaller daffodil bulbs, and they're more expensive. The higher the quality, the more likely you are to have a great display the first year, and the more likely you are to have a bulb garden that will last several years.

Note however, that not all spring-flowering bulbs will last for many years. Daffodils tend to last a lot longer than most tulips, for example. Some Dutch gardeners actually regard most tulips as annuals. And, some bulbs are more likely to succumb to deer or rodents. Deer usually won't eat daffodils, but they love tulips and lilies.

Check the bulb catalogs and web sites for complete information regarding deer tolerance.

Remove Sod from the Planting Area
If your new bulb garden is going to be in a location that is currently lawn, it's much easier to remove sod than to attempt to till it into the soil. Use your Border Edger attachment to cut deep slits in the lawn and to facilitate sod removal. You don't want grass plants to compete with bulbs for food and water.

Prepare the Soil for Planting
Bulbs need soil with good drainage. The objective is to prepare a bed that has both good tilth and good fertility. If your soil has a high clay content, you should till in compost or other organic material, ideally to a depth of at least 12" and as much as 18" deep if possible. Regardless of the size of your bulb garden, it's much easier to plant in loose, tilled soil.