Anticipation is a big part of the pleasure of gardening, and good gardeners are always planning ahead. When you plant tulip or daffodil bulbs in your garden in the fall, you can be sure that spring will be gorgeous.

Professional garden designers depend on tulips, daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs to bring a garden quickly to life after the chill of winter.

"I use them as a punch at the entrance to a garden, I use them in cutting gardens, and I really pack them in," says Ginny Duerr, a landscape designer in Philadelphia. "It wakes people up in spring."

When she plants in fall, Duerr relies on carefully designed mixtures of colorful tulips from ColorBlends, a mail-order bulb company that specializes in traffic-stopping combinations of two, three or as many as eight different types and colors of tulips.

Pre-planned combinations are just the thing for busy designers and home gardeners alike, Duerr says. "I don't have to think about it," she says. "I don't have to sift through three catalogs -- it's all in the bag." ColorBlends is one of several companies that offer these foolproof mixtures. Some are designed to deliver a burst of color all at once in spring. Others offer a succession of subtly changing bloom that continues for weeks in cool spring temperatures.

Janie McCabe, owner of M.J. McCabe Garden Design in Northford, Connecticut, likes to place her spring-bulb plantings against the deep green backdrop of evergreen shrubs around a home's foundations. "I try to stage it so there's always something in bloom from early March right through to mid-July," she says. Little bulbs, such as scilla and chionodoxa, are the first to bloom in her designs, followed by daffodils, with an eye-popping crescendo of bright tulips. As the tulips fade, dramatic alliums stand tall among emerging perennials in a flower bed and carry the spring-bulb season through to early summer.

Almost 25 percent of McCabe's business consists of planting spring-flowering bulbs for clients every fall. "I tell my clients that it's really important to incorporate bulbs" in their gardens, she says. "It will give you the oomph you need in spring." She doesn't tell them how much they should spend, but just says, "we have an opportunity here." She recommends planting hundreds of bulbs, which, including planting, costs around $400 to $500; some clients spend $1,000 or more. These are designer prices, she says; to save money, plant the bulbs yourself -- but don't skimp on the number of bulbs.

McCabe and her landscaping crews make quick work of planting thousands of spring-flowering bulbs every fall. They use sturdy trowels: "Wiggle it back and forth, slip the bulbs in -- we can do 100 tulips in 15 minutes," she says. Each bulb is planted about 8 inches deep.

For a sharply tailored look, start your planning with a color scheme, says Kathy Simpson, owner of KMS Gardens and Design in Chicago. Simpson loves bright colors, and she likes combinations that emphasize pink, orange, red and purple. "I also key off of other plants that will be in bloom when the bulbs bloom," she says. She chooses purple tulips for plantings under redbud trees, for example.

For her clients in the city, Simpson plants tulips and other bulbs in the parkway (between the sidewalk and the street) and, in front gardens, packs 200 to 500 bulbs into raised beds, in front of hedges and around shrubs. The bulbs are planted almost shoulder-to-shoulder in patches, but, she says, "I'm not lining things up in rows. I scatter the bulbs. They look more natural that way."

To discourage rabbits, she includes daffodils in her designs because rabbits stay away from tulips planted among daffodils.

Simpson used to invent her own combinations of spring bulbs, matching colors, heights and bloom times for a splashy show, but she now relies on the expertly choreographed combinations from ColorBlends. She includes small bulbs, such as species tulips and little grape hyacinths, for early color. "My goal is to have as long a season of bloom as possible," she says. Sometimes the color scheme changes from pale to dark over several weeks of bloom. Some combinations are playful mixtures of complementary colors.

"That's the biggest thing for me: color," she says. "I like groupings, and I like little vignettes, but other than that, it's one of the beauties of bulbs -- you can't do much to them that is not going to look good."

SIDEBAR

GET A HEAD START ON SPRING

Spring-flowering bulbs from mail-order specialists are shipped out from the end of September through the fall. Garden shops usually receive their supplies of bulbs in mid- to late September. For the best selection, it's important to order early or buy bulbs as soon as they are available, and then store them in a cool, dry place until you're ready to plant, which can be as late as December.

The right time to plant is when the weather turns. When you find you need a sweater or a jacket outdoors, and you're rustling around in your toolshed for the leaf rake, when frost kills the tomato plants, and when mums replace the petunias in flowerpots on porches, spring-flowering bulbs can go into the ground. Garden designer Kathy Simpson and her landscaping crews start planting in Chicago in October and try to finish up by Thanksgiving, but sometimes they are still planting in early December.

Where winters are mild, pre-chilling the bulbs (some companies will do this for you) simulates the winter temperatures they need to produce their spring show. In warm climates, planting in December (after pre-chilling) is the best strategy.

Tulips often come back to bloom in subsequent years, but, like other designers, Simpson plants tulips as though they are annual flowers: Designers need the space tulips occupy in spring for summer plantings. Tulips are not adapted to the regular watering from irrigation systems, and they are vulnerable to voles. "Some people are shocked, but we lose 40 to 50 percent (of tulips) when we leave them in the ground," Simpson says. Daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs are more reliable repeat bloomers. Just don't water deeply around them during the summer.

Where deer are a problem, tulips can be a challenge. Janie McCabe, a garden designer in Northford, Connecticut, pre-treats tulip bulbs with Ropel, which discourages squirrels, voles and other pests, and remains effective for up to a year. Ropel can also be sprayed on emerging foliage to discourage deer. Ginny Duerr, a landscape designer in Philadelphia, relies on Deer Scram, which repels deer and rabbits. These products are effective if they are used properly and regularly. "We use it every week," Duerr says.

SOURCES

-- ColorBlends, colorblends.com, offers dozens of different combinations of tulips. Bold colors predominate, but there is also a broad selection of tulips in romantic palettes, and single-color blends of different tulips that bloom in succession. Daffodils, alliums and many more spring-flowering bulbs are also available. ColorBlends offers pre-chilling services for customers in the south.

-- John Scheepers, johnscheepers.com, and Brent and Becky's Bulbs, brentandbeckysbulbs.com, also sell tulip mixtures and many other spring-flowering bulbs.

-- Janie McCabe, M.J. McCabe Garden Design, mjmgardendesign.com

-- Kathy Simpson, KMS Gardens and Design, kmsgardensanddesign.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Universal Uclick at -uueditorial@amuniversal.com)

Good gardens are full of interesting destinations, and making your way from one to another is always pleasant when you're walking on well-placed steppingstones.

A handsome line of hefty steppingstones irresistibly directs your feet from a patio out to an exuberant flower bed or politely suggests a stroll through a woodsy side yard. It will lead your eyes and your feet to a garden gate or a secluded bench. Steppingstones are good-looking problem solvers, too, tidying up well-worn shortcuts and keeping your feet dry in soggy spots.

Steppingstones have a way of taking quiet charge of the tempo of the experience of a garden. Paved paths hurry you along, but steppingstones have a pace all their own -- they can be used to deliberately slow down the experience of a garden, says Joann Schwarberg, a landscape architect in the Kansas City area. Increasing the spacing between them -- or introducing a new paving material -- can change the mood dramatically. These are good ways to mark transitions within a garden.

Garden designers place great emphasis on the fine art of choosing and placing steppingstones. "Generally, they start at a more architectural environment and lead to something less formal," says Schwarberg. Visitors don't always know quite what to make of a garden, and steppingstones reassuringly mark the way.

Just by their nature, steppingstones are rarely set in a straight line. In one client's garden, Schwarberg designed a path of fieldstone steppingstones curving off a patio and around behind a screened porch to a private side yard. In another garden, she used a sweep of large, rugged steppingstones as solid steps up a slope. The stepping-stone staircase is an unusual treatment, she says, but "it's a lovely way to make a staircase more natural."

Vanessa Gardner Nagel, a landscape designer and the owner of Seasons Garden Design in Vancouver, Washington, calls steppingstones in gardens a "subtle way-finding technique," and recommends them as a way to save a little money, too. They are generally not as expensive as a path made with bricks, cut stone, or other materials, she says. They're also a good environmental choice. "Solid pavement doesn't allow much drainage," Nagel says. "Steppingstones allow water to stay on-site."

Every designer has rules of thumb about choosing stones that are the right size and weight and about how to place them so they are naturally comfortable to walk on. The size, shape and color of steppingstones should complement the setting, the architecture of the house and the colors and textures of existing garden structures, walls and walks.

Thick steppingstones are best, designers say: Nagel uses stones up to 3 inches thick. Pavers only 1 1/2 inches thick will look good when you lay them down, but they are brittle and will not hold up to either weather or regular use.

Big stones also "have more presence," Nagel says, "and they don't look like you are inviting Minnie Mouse into your garden. You are not mincing as you make your way along the path."

Setting the stones is a bit of an art. Measure your own pace as you stroll along where you're thinking of using steppingstones, and test the pattern with your own feet before you set the stones permanently in place. Resist the temptation to make the path razor-straight: A natural curve is more comfortable and relaxing.

Steppingstones are meant to be "a step apart," Schwarberg says, but everyone's stride is different. Large stones solve most spacing problems because they are comfortable for both short and tall people. Schwarberg likes stones that are about 18 inches in diameter; she leaves a space of 3 to 6 inches between each step.

Wherever you use them, steppingstones must be placed solidly. Nagel always sets stones on a base of sand and packed gravel. Digging out a little soil and wedging a steppingstone into place only works for a while, she says.

Well-chosen and carefully placed steppingstones shouldn't be an afterthought. They are a fundamental element of style in a garden, Nagel says. And remember, they create planting opportunities, too. The stones may be set in mulch, gravel or sand, but creeping thyme, ajuga, sedum and dozens of other low-growing plants, as well as grass, will spread naturally between steppingstones. Flowers may pop up in the spaces, too. Your first instinct may be to remove them, but step back before you pull them out. You may decide to let nature make her own way along your path of steppingstones.

(For editorial questions, please contact Universal Uclick at -uueditorial@amuniversal.com)

In a well-designed garden, you can feel the music.

"It's like a waltz," says Ted Cleary, a landscape architect in Charlotte, North Carolina, who has been designing gardens for almost 20 years. Gardens, like music, are about movement and rest, he says. You should glide through a good garden as gracefully as a couple moves across a dance floor.

A new survey from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) reveals that this outdoor dance fits into a pattern. Homeowners want pretty gardens with places to entertain, grill, and relax. They're interested in sensitive garden lighting and comfortable places to sit. They want "livable, open spaces that are both stylish and earth-friendly," says Nancy Somerville of the ASLA.

The 2014 ASLA trend survey reflects the observations of landscape architects across the country who specialize in residential design. Landscape architects are trained to see the big picture, Cleary says, but the survey shows that garden designs are made up of separate parts, from the front walk to the back patio. In a successful garden plan, courtyards, flower gardens, pools, seating areas, grilling spots and storage buildings all fit neatly together.

"Your house is just a microcosm of a small town square, and our job is to figure out how it all relates," Cleary says. Garden design projects also help you develop your aesthetic sense and reveal the potential of your property, says Mary Palmer Dargan, a landscape architect who lives and works in Atlanta, and in Cashiers, North Carolina.

One of the biggest trends this year is demand for first-rate outdoor lighting: 98 percent of landscape architects surveyed said lighting is a high priority among their clients. Good lighting makes any garden more attractive, Cleary says. "You would be amazed at how it will transform your landscape."

Outdoor lighting should highlight important features and direct you and your guests through the evening landscape safely, but it should also be subdued and a little mysterious. A runway of fixtures set too close together spoils the mood. Smaller pools of light that slightly overlap are visually graceful and still make a garden easy to navigate, Cleary says. "You should very seldom see the source, but you should see the effect," he says.

John Pletcher, owner of Natural Accents lighting design company in Liberty, Missouri, calls bright lights "glare bombs."

"People are really starting to see that you don't need a lot of light," he says. "You can keep it very low, and it can still be gorgeous."

The survey of trends also found that outdoor dining areas are high on the list of priorities for homeowners, with fire pits, fireplaces, grills and built-in seating close behind. In fact, they all go together, Cleary says.

A garden with great places to sit looks inviting even if you don't always have time to linger, Cleary says. He prefers gardens with several seating areas -- perhaps a few chairs just outside the back door, for example, and a bench deeper in the garden. Lightweight furniture that can be moved around easily lets you experiment with different views and perspectives in your own garden. The wire mesh chairs in Paley Park in midtown Manhattan are a good example of how light furniture works well in any garden, Cleary says: The configuration of chairs and tables can change throughout the day and through the seasons.

Built-in seating serves other purposes as well, and it has become justly popular, Cleary says. Seating walls help define the spaces in a garden, reduce clutter and introduce strong horizontal lines in a design. The built-in bench in a stone wall designed by landscape architect Meg Turner for clients in Richmond, Virginia, follows a graceful curve in a corner, and the view from there seems to embrace the garden. The bench faces back across to the house, which is made of the same handsome stone. In another garden, Turner designed a seating wall that frames an outdoor fireplace. On cool evenings, the wall accommodates a cozy crowd.

"It's almost a missed opportunity if you have a terrace with a wall and don't have built-in seating," Cleary says. People naturally gravitate to these spaces, he says, because they "want to be a part of things, to see what's going on, but you want to feel protected." Seating built against a wall fills that need.

Garden trends really don't change all that dramatically over the years, Cleary says. Your investment is safe; this year's garden design will still look great in years to come. As plants mature, well-cared-for landscaping can even increase in value: ASLA research shows that a professional landscape design can add up to 15 percent to the value of your home. A well-designed garden is a comfortable and inviting space you will enjoy every day you live in your house. That's a trend anyone can appreciate.

SOURCES

The website of the American Society of Landscape Architects (asla.org) is a great resource for homeowners looking for more information about landscape architects and their work, and for anyone interested in the business of landscape architecture. Search for "residential design" to find tips on hiring and working with a landscape architect, and links to award-winning residential design.

Ted Cleary's design work can be seen on Houzz (houzz.com/pro/tedcl/studio-cleary-landscape-architecture) and on the website of Studio Cleary Landscape Architecture (scla.carbonmade.com).

Mary Palmer Dargan, of Dargan Landscape Architects (dargan.com), is the author of several books on landscape design.

Landscape architect Meg Turner (mturnerlandscapes.com) is the owner of M. Turner Landscapes in Richmond, Virginia.

John Pletcher, owner of Natural Accents (www.naturalaccentsllc.com), is an award-winning landscape lighting designer.

(For editorial questions, please contact Universal Uclick at -uueditorial@amuniversal.com)