Many of these so-called little bulbs are native to regions of the Mediterranean.

When the tops of the foliage start to appear above ground, then a sprinkling of, say, 5-10-5 can be scattered over the plantings, especially of daffodils and other so-called permanent bulbs.

What is often not known - or publicized - is that many of the smaller species tulips and daffodils and so-called minor bulbs such as snowdrops are also field grown in the Netherlands.

Be sure to plant enough bulbs, especially the so-called little bulbs that bloom early in the year.

Then there are the so-called minor bulbs: glory-of-the-snow, scilla, fragrant grape hyacinths, adorable little species tulips like T. turkestanica and T. saxatilis.

Of all the so-called little bulbs, perhaps the most unusual is windflower.

Then there is the more casual planter who just digs in the so-called big bulbs - daffodils, tulips and hyacinths - at a trowel or metal bulb planter's depth, which is about seven or eight inches.

Some of the so-called little bulbs force nicely.