BOUNTIFUL BEAUTY PLANTING BULBS IN AUTUMN WILL CREATE A SPRING FLING IN YOUR GARDEN.

Byline: Suzanne Sproul Staff Writer

No doubt about it - bulbs are basically ugly. But beauty, even in the garden, often comes from within.

If you are willing to look beyond exterior appearances and have some patience, you'll be rewarded with colorful bursts in spring if you plant now.

``There definitely is a seasonality associated with them,'' said Dylan Hannon, plant propagator at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont. ``You have a lot of leeway about planting, but the ideal time is now through December.''

Cooler fall temperatures and whatever rain the area gets contribute to producing the right growing conditions. Roots grow and take hold. Shoots appear and then, finally, the blossoms. The only problem is that the blooming time is short. Some produce as early as December, but the bulk of the bulbs develop in February and March.

``I think the best group of bulbs are the ones from South Africa because we have about identical climates. Those would be freesias, gladiolas and lachenallas,'' he said.

Hannon said gardeners should read the package carefully in order to be aware of the height the flowers will reach. Some sprout only inches or, at the most, up to 1 foot. He also suggested planting some of the bulbs along with natural annuals.

``I love bulbs because they produce such a variety of color and shape. They're outstanding. I also think they're very easy. You prepare the way, plant them and then basically don't worry about them.''

You don't need a plot of ground to enjoy bulbs. They do very well in containers. They make nice indoor table centerpieces in pots, and they love window boxes.

Bulbs develop and bloom at their own individual rates. You might want to experiment by planting some at different times. Hamilton suggested starting with anemones, grape hyacinth or crocus, then going with daffodils and tulips and finishing with late tulips and Dutch iris.

And if color and different patterns aren't enough to spark interest in bulbs, fragrance may be.

``Fragrance is not only fashionable, it's also fun and fundamental,'' said Sally Ferguson, director of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center in New York. ``It's part of a trend that's bringing gardeners back to garden basics.''

Gardeners want fragrant flowers just like they want juicy, flavorful tomatoes.

With that in mind, the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center said these are the best bets when it comes to fragrance:

--Hyacinth Anna Marie

--Hyacinth Blue Jacket 

--Hyacinth Carnegie

--Narcissus Bridal Crown

--Narcissus Carlton

--Narcissus Tazetta Geranium 

--Narcissus Triandrus Thalia

--Tulipa Angelique

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6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Dig in!

Plant those bulbs now for plenty of spring color

(2 -- 4) Tulips come in a vast selection of colors and petal patterns. At left, the Renown is a vibrant pink, while the Olympic Flame, center, and Marilyn, right, feature delicate streaks of bold color.

(5 -- 6) Ice Follies daffodils, left, have a large trumpetlike flower with white outer petals and subtle shades of yellow in the corona. Tulips, right, lend themselves to window boxes, with an array of hues and shapes to choose from.