Different kinds of flowering bulbs provide contrasts in the order that plant features appear. For example, in amaryllis, the flower buds usually emerge first, followed by leaves. In paperwhite narcissus, the leaves appear before the flowers. The plants also differ in the amount of time each feature is present on the plant, and these differences can be recorded on timelines and compared within and across types of flowering bulbs.

Initially, most children do not know what will happen after they plant the bulbs. As the plants grow, students readily identify some plant parts. This knowledge is usually represented in students' observation journals. However, some plant parts are not recognized until later change occurs. For example, children may not recognize a flower bud until it blooms. To explore ideas about order and timing further, classes can create timelines and other representations to compare individual plants or different kinds of plants.