Bulbous plants

The collection of small bulbous plants comes from 12 families, while the number of species and varieties is nearly 300; these are mainly plants with bulbs and bulbotubers, but also some with tubers or rhizomes.

The largest number of species and varieties represent the Hyacinthaceae, Liliaceae, Amaryllidaceae and Iridaceae families. When the snow melts at the end of March and beginning of April, the first to emerge are snowdrops (Galanthus) and snowflakes (Leucojum), and the purplish-pink crocus-like flowers of the meadow saffron (Bulbocodium). Crocuses (Crocus) – well-known harbingers of spring – are represented in our botanic garden by almost one hundred different species and varieties. Early spring bloomers also include squills (Scilla), glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) and striped squills (Puschkinia). In the same season you can see the white star-like flowers of the star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum). Peculiar-looking are the dog tooth violets or fawn lilies (Erythronium) with their pink or whitish pendent flowers and mottled leaves.

In May you can see the fritillaries (Fritillaria) with their yellow, brownish-red or greenish bell-like flowers. Snake’s head fritillary (F. meleagris) with chequered purple flowers and crown imperial fritillary (F. imperialis) are the most common in our gardens. Small globular flowers of grape hyacinths (Muscari) form blue patches. The bell-like flowers of bluebells (Hyacinthoides) and multi-flowered camases (Camassia) emerge in early summer. In September you can see the pink flowers of autumn crocuses (Colchicum). Autumn flowering species of the genus Crocus brighten up the landscape until the frosts arrive.

The collection of tulips (Tulipa) includes over 30 species and 230 varieties from 15 cultivar groups. The representatives of small-blossom species start to bloom at the end of April. Low-growing varieties of Kaufmanniana tulip, Greigii tulip and Fosteriana tulip are very decorative. In May many tulips with single, double or lily-shaped flowers of different colours blossom; varieties with green flowers, as well as fringed tulips and parrots have become popular too.

Our daffodils (Narcissus) are from 150 varieties belonging to 13 variety groups. Trumpet daffodils and large-cupped daffodils are especially numerous. Of the newer varieties we have many split-corona daffodils. The number of species in our collection is 15, mainly originating from Mediterranean countries and elsewhere in southern Europe. The most unusual-looking is the petticoat daffodil (N. bulbocodium), which is a low-growing narcissus with narrow petals and trumpet-like corona. Dwarf daffodil (N. minor) is usually plentiful.

Hyacinths typically start to bloom in May. All of the hyacinth varieties originate from the common hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis). The collection of the Tallinn Botanic Garden includes over 40 hyacinth varieties. These are grouped as early bloomers, medium bloomers and late bloomers. Of the earliest bloomers, the most popular are ‘Purple King’ with its broad purple inflorescence and ‘Anna Marie’ with its bright pink flowers.

The number of Allium taxa in our botanic garden is 120. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) and welsh onion (A. fistulosum) are well-known food plants. In summer, Allium species with bright-coloured umbels are very prominent.

The collection of lilies includes over 250 species and varieties. Lilium monadelphum starts to bloom as early as midsummer. The latest bloomer is Henry’s lily (L. henryi), whose flowers emerge at the end of September. Our botanic garden has lilies of all seven variety groups; the most numerous are the Asiatic hybrids. The plants belonging to this group differ by height, form, flower colour and blooming time.