Spring colour starts long before the first flowers appear. On 15 October, JUB Holland joined the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (ČZU) and the Czech Landscape and Garden Society (SZKT) for a practical planting event at Libosad, on the university campus. The programme connected bulb selection and landscape design with the techniques that turn planting plans into flowering landscapes.

Landscape architects, lecturers and students from the Faculty were invited to explore the possibilities of flower bulbs in parks and public green spaces. Among those present was Ondřej Feit, Director of SZKT. Representing JUB Holland, Zdenek and Katerina Fukala, together with Jos Beelen, were on hand to share their expertise and discuss mixture selection, planting methods and applications for different locations.

The mechanical planting demonstration formed a central part of the programme, giving visitors a close look at technology developed by JUB Holland over 25 years ago. Our specialised planting machines can plant up to 25,000 bulbs per hour directly beneath existing turf, combining speed with precise placement. This makes substantial planting schemes achievable within a short working window.

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The machine opens the turf, places the bulbs beneath it and immediately returns and presses the turf into place. The result is a neat finish with minimal disturbance to the grass and surrounding area. A consistent planting depth, adjustable density and naturalistic distribution allow us to match the planting to the desired flowering effect and available budget. For parks, campuses, verges and estates, this offers an efficient way to introduce seasonal colour across larger areas while reducing manual labour. JUB's planting service brings together advice on suitable mixtures and locations, bulb supply, planting and guidance on subsequent management.

At Libosad, three distinctive JUB mixtures demonstrated the design possibilities: NUDE & DARK, FLORIADE and PALETTE OF SPRING. Each offers a different approach to composing a spring landscape, through colour contrasts, flowering succession and combinations of height and flower form.

NUDE & DARK brings the character of the famous Dutch Keukenhof into the landscape. Originally designed by Carien van Boxtel for JUB’s borders at Keukenhof, this mixture combines a warm, dark palette with salmon-coloured accents. Its appeal lies in the contrast between rich, deep tones and softer highlights. With a listed flowering season from February to June and heights ranging from approximately 12 to 80 cm, it offers scope for a composition that changes as the season progresses. For landscape designers, it demonstrates how bulbs can create a distinctive planting identity through a carefully considered colour palette.

FLORIADE puts flowering succession at the centre of the design. Developed for the main entrance of Floriade 2012 in Venlo, the Netherlands, this mixture combines a wide range of bulbs in three flowering phases, spanning the early season through to the beginning of summer. Its indicative flowering period runs from February to June, with heights of approximately 30 to 90 cm. This makes it a useful example of designing across time: successive groups of flowers take their turn, changing the appearance of the planting over several months. In a campus or public park, that progression gives people something new to notice on familiar routes.

PALETTE OF SPRING explores the interplay between flower shapes and heights. Lily-flowered tulips rise above richly flowering narcissi and a lower layer of two-tone grape hyacinths. The slender tulip flowers, fuller narcissi and compact muscari create a composition with detail at different levels. Flowering in April and May, with heights of approximately 15 to 55 cm, the mixture offers a more concentrated spring display. Its restrained yet distinctive character shows how several bulb types can work together as one coherent planting.

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The planting programme also included selected mixtures planted by hand in trial beds using the ‘bulb lasagne’ technique. Here, bulbs are arranged in layers at different depths, suited to their planting requirements. Combining bulbs with different flowering periods allows the same area to provide successive displays. Alongside the mechanical planting demonstration, this offered a practical way to explore how the planting method supports the intended result.

For a university setting, the value extends beyond planting day. As the bulbs emerge and flower in spring 2027, the plantings will offer opportunities to observe colour combinations, differences in height and flowering succession under local conditions. Actual flowering times will follow Prague’s weather and growing conditions, adding another useful dimension to the learning experience.

We thank the Faculty, SZKT and everyone involved for bringing professional practice and education together at Libosad. The bulbs are in the ground; the next chapter will unfold in spring.

Bring more seasonal colour into your next landscape project. Speak to your JUB specialist about mixtures and planting methods suited to your location, design and maintenance plans.

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