Comments on: New Bulbs for Spring Dreams

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:18:49 +0000

Krys, I’m practically skipping past winter to spring as I read your comment. We had our first few flakes of snow yesterday. They were very tentative, disappearing as they hit the ground, but definitely frozen white stuff.
Your new bulbs should look good in your wild garden, provided they elude those stealth squirrels. It’s particularly fun to have something new to look forward to.

By: Krys

Krys — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:45:54 +0000

I love the feelings of anticipation as spring draws near after I plant the fall bulbs. It’s always a thrill to see little shoots pop out of the near-frozen earth as soon as the snow melts, and sometimes even before it’s all gone.

This year, in addition to the “old favourites”, I’ve planted HERMODACTYLUS TUBEROSA from Dominion Seeds in Ontario. I hope the squirrels don’t get them!

Your idea of the large cluster of purple crocuses next to another of yellow crocuses sounds wonderful. Even 30 will be spectacular! I’ll look forward to seeing photos in the spring.

/krys

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:21:43 +0000

Kerri, the blue bulbs are my favourite ones too. I would love to have large patches of naturalized bulbs, but I haven’t worked up to that scale yet.

By: kerri

kerri — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:59:30 +0000

You’ve been busy! I know the bulbs are small, but it still sounds like a lot of them to me. Your spring garden should be very beautiful. I love all the little spring flowers, especially the blues.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:27:06 +0000

The Intercontinental Gardener, how lucky you are to have a large planting of the Puschkinia already naturalized. I haven’t noticed as strong a scent with mine, but I bet the large swath would intensify the fragrance. Mine will have to work a little longer to develop as large a patch.
The delicate look of many small bulbs belies their actual sturdiness.

By: The Intercontinental Gardener

The Intercontinental Gardener — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:25:03 +0000

Bulbs are the most incredible little things, containing all that life in such a small and hardy package. Puschkinias are one of my favourites. I actually “inherited” them, somebody must have planted them in my garden years and years ago and now thousands of them come up in the lawn during April-May. They smell beautifully, their scent is a mixture of honey and violets.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:10:37 +0000

Linda, I am anxious for spring too, but I will have to wait a little longer than you. I’m often dreaming about the next season as well. My first bulbs usually appear around the end of April, with the main flush coming in May.
I’m fortunate that my soil is loamy and workable, and also don’t have rocks in the soil. I don’t need a pickaxe for digging, like some bloggers describe.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:15:19 +0000

You planted 380 bulbs!! Are your hands killing you? We have such tough clay soil that planting 50 wears me out. I can’t wait to see pictures of these. When do you expect them to bloom? I know your blooms may be somewhat later than here in Texas. We’ll start seeing bulbs come up (depending on our winter) end of February on into spring. I’m already looking forward to spring–and it’s just now fall here! :)

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:17:19 +0000

Sowing The Seeds, I transferred your comment info for you.
It’s great that bulbs can do so well under deciduous trees, blooming and photosynthesizing before the leaves fill in. You can pack in more beauty per square foot of garden.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:10:11 +0000

ChrisND, the south side would be great for getting some extra early blooms in spring. I’m always pleased by how well some of the little bulbs shrug off the odd snowfall, when they come up early. I guess having some mountain heritage prepares them to tough it out.

Some of the bulb displays I’ve most admired, are where a whole slope is planted with a swath of Galanthus, Scilla or crocus, and they have naturalized. They look awesome in the spring.