By Cestina
South Bohemia,
Czech Republic 
Layered bulbs in pots...We are very puzzled by the mysterious non-appearance of daffodils, crocus,and snowdrops in our layered pots.
My daughter carefully followed instructions as to how to plant,with tulips at the bottom, then grape hyacinths, daffodils, crocus and snowdrops. More or less all that has come up in all the pots is an astonishing display of tulips. Some grape hyacinths are starting to appear around them now, and one solitary daffodil has emerged in one pot, well hidden by tulips.
She planted many hundreds of bulbs, the pots are both at the front of the house in a protected walled courtyard, and exposed at the back. She was careful to avoid planting bulbs directly above each other as far as possible.
We garden in the Czech Republic which is some weeks behind the UK but daffodils in the grass have come up alongside the tulips, as have grape hyacinths.
Any suggestions as to what might have happened? And should we just leave the pots as they are through the summer and see what happens next year? Or should we lift everything and replant next autumn?
25 Apr, 2023
Answers
Not all tulips come again. Some catalogues will tell you which is which (eg Sarah Raven's) If they do reappear it may be just a leaf or two or you may get a poor quality flower or who knows you might hit the jackpot! The ones that did well for me this year I left in a trough unplanted and potted them up in the autumn. Maybe they enjoyed the sunshine. (Not recomending this, just saying...) Grape hyacinths are usually so to grow they become a pest so its odd they didn't appear. Snowdrops rarely do well from bulb planting - they need moving while they still have their leaves from the current year - its called "in the green'"But this is all for British gardens and it might be different where you live. Could it be that your winters are too cold?
26 Apr, 2023
No, I don't think it's the cold winters because these things all appear locally. But maybe not all in pots...
I happen to be visiting friends about 50 miles away and I notice their daffodils in the ground are behind their tulips which seems a little strange to me.
So who knows, something might well still appear in the pots from above the tulip bulbs! We shall wait and see. Thanks for the responses.
27 Apr, 2023
that is odd but I have had a few bulbs fail this year and i suspect the heat/drought last year may be the cause.
though I do know that wood mice and squirrels have had a good hunt through one of the pots.
I'd feed them and remember to water them, leave them in the pots if that's what you'd prefer to do. I tend to leave some of them and plant out into the ground others for next year. Personal choice really
26 Apr, 2023