Planning for a successful spring garden is best accomplished by planting fall bulbs the season prior (before the ground freezes)  For new gardeners this concept can be a bit confusing- as odd as it seems, fall bulbs produce blooms in early spring, and spring bulbs produce flowers in mid-summer or early fall. Bulbs almost always guarantee continued blooms bursting with color. Bulbs are easy to plant and require very little attention once in the ground.  Remember that fall and spring refers to the time the bulb is planted and not when it blooms. Fall bulbs produce a brilliant splash of color in early spring, long before other plants are ready to bloom.