I especially like Calendulas with daffodils. The bright orange ones. Do they grow in your zone? I also have Nigella (sky blue) naturalized around bulbs. That foliage gets tatty looking as the seed pods ripen. Cosmos are also used. Anything that re-seeds so I don't have to disturb the bulbs.

As to which would look better - that is strictly personal preference. Either way 150 daffs in 10x10 area will be spectacular.

My question about the daffs is this: I have three different ones coming, early, mid, and late. Would it look best if they were all mixed up so there is something in bloom all over this area the entire daff season , or would it look better to plant the seperate cultivars together so each clump blooms together? What is your experience?

For mass planting of daffs it is advised to just plant one cultivar. Since you have 3, I would plant them in small clumps, maybe 3-5 per hole spread out appropriately in the hole, so they will then bloom as little bouquets.

Being a daff collector, I don't like to mix up the different named cultivars.

Sue...chemocurl

On the other hand...I plant early, mid and late blooming daffodil bulbs in clumps so that I don't have "empty" clumps of foliage as long. I plant identical components in each clump so I still have the look of a mass planting, but for a longer season. If you're a collector like Sue and you want to keep track of the names of each variety, plant them in separate clumps. If you're looking for maximum color over a wide area, mix them up. It's really a matter of taste and what you're after.

Daffodils and daylilies make great companions with the daffs filling in empty ground space early, and the days camouflaging the daff foliage later. There is one problem: daylilies need to be divided frequently so there is a good chance of damaging bulbs planted nearby. I solve this problem by planting my bulbs precisely halfway between the daylilies and always lifting and dividing the bulbs first before I lift and divide the daylilies.

Iris gal, Thanks for the ideas. I'm a little too new at this, and I'm hesitant to plant something in here that reseeds itself. What do you do in a very full planting area if you find that you don't like those or that they're not happy there either? As to the quantity of bulbs in the space being spectacular...I sure hope your right.

Chemocurl, I really like your idea of small groupings of like plants in each clump. I think at this time that gets my nod. Thank you.

Donnabaskets, I'm glad you mentioned the idea about spacing the daffs equally between the daylilies. I hadn't given that too much thought. Your way certainly has to make it a lot less work when it's time to divide these. I maybe setting myself up for a lot of future work when that time comes, but I think it will be worth it.

If anyone has anymore suggestions or past experiences to share regarding what else to plant, please share.

Thank you,
Scotty

I second the Calendula! I particularly like mixed doubles with the range that includes bicolour blooms, as well as solid colours in yellow and orange tones. With the range of daffodils I grow the tones help to both highlight and intensify.

The other plus is how long the Calendula flower (ages! Months and months!) - and they self seed but not to the point where they are pests.

Other plants that work for me are Heuchera, Polyanthus and Primula - particularly with dwarf bulbs, the all-covering forget-me-nots, and a cute little cream Symphytum. (I try to forget the weeds...:-( )

Scotty ~ if I decide I don't want a particular annual in the area, I just pull them out as I recognize them >compost.

Vertiver ~ I want a cream Symphytum!

I, too, have a raised bed with mostly daylilies, daffodils, and Globemaster Allium. To avoid boredom in the late summer, I have Rudbeckia, New England aster, phlox paniculata, New York Ironweed, other blue/purple asters, etc. June is another possible boring period, so think of something such as siberian iris that will bridge the June gap, when the daffodils have finished and the daylilies have yet to start. I have a few varieties of late tulips that add to the picture as well.