Try to find Ruth Stout's books at the NYPL. She was the "grande dame" of mulching with all sorts of materials, primarily hay/straw. While most folks associate her with mulching vegetable gardens, she did have lots of flowers and discusses using the hay method with flowers in her books.

You can google and get lots of info, as well.

Your compost/pine bark (I would use the smallest size)combo sounds good. Do you already have a supply of compost?

I would also google and youtube "compost tea" as this is a way to get those same good elements from compost into your soil without having to have so much compost.

This is also a good time to start making your plans for gathering leaves next fall to chop or shread and spread as mulch on the ground.

If people in your area are beginning to clean out their beds and start putting old leaves/mulch etc out on the curb, GRAB IT and spread that over your beds.

Here is a link that might be useful: A little about Ruth Stout

Any kind of mulch is good for weed suppression but some are better than others. Yours sounds pretty ideal. Understand that persistant or perennial weeds like the morning glories are best removed as thoroughly as possible before applying any mulch.

And mulch will not deter the growth of bulbs or perennials unless it is applied too deeply (more than ~4"). Two inches is sufficient for both weed control and soil moisture retention. Avoid mulching over the crowns of herbaceous perennials as that can encourage rotting. In colder climates, it is best to wait until a bit later in the season when the soil warms before laying mulch also - it has a great insulating capacity and will keep the soil cool and you want it to warm up adequately to speed root development and activate the microbes.

Thanks for the great info! I will definitely find time to head over to the library to find that book. But in the mean time, just to double check (I know I'm starting to sound like I'm asking a million things, SORRYYYYY!!!) with what I've read is it safe to assume that I can layer the wood chip mulch over the spots where bulbs are and they will either grow through them or push them out of the way when they sprout?

Yes, the bulbs will grow through the mulch.

Ever notice the professionally landscaped beds around town? The bulbs come up right through the mulch every year. ;)

Dave

If you have any areas where there are no bulbs, and between perennials, I would put down a few layers of wetted newspapers, then compost, then mulch. This worked for me for suppressing over abundant day lillies as well as some sort of wild phlox. Otherwise, they just grew right through the compost and mulch.

Unless some barrier, such as newspaper, is used 2 inches of mulch would be the bare minimum. 4 inches, without some barrier, is much better.