Comments on: Small Bulbs for Early Spring Charm

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:56:24 +0000

Tallulah, I've ordered other bulbs from Fraser's Thimble Farms (in BC) in the fall before, and was pleased with them. They have some Scilla siberica on this page.

By: Tallulah

Tallulah — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:50:55 +0000

I’m looking for scilla bulbs, but haven’t had much luck in the Ottawa area or online. Would there be any suggestions on a good source for ordering? Thanks!

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:34:22 +0000

Pomona, I had the urge to plant more bulbs this weekend, but contented myself with rearranging the leaves in the garden, over top of the perennials. I’ve set aside some bulbs to chill, and will bring them out later for forcing. Watching the bulbs emerge indoors in winter keeps a gardening connection until spring.

By: Pomona Belvedere

Pomona Belvedere — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:45:21 +0000

I enjoyed your photos of the bulbs – I’ve really gotten to appreciate the varieties of shapes, textures, and colors bulbs come in. I have planted bulbs quite late, I have planted bulbs when it was snowing and the top layer of ground was freezing, I have planted bulbs that were languishing in brown paper bags in a back room way too long – and mostly they come up. Bulbs are very forgiving, luckily for us, and as you say, very exciting in the earliest phases of spring.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:27:55 +0000

Noelle, it works especially well with perennials that come up late, like Hosta and ferns. They can time share the space easily.

By: Noelle (azplantlady)

Noelle (azplantlady) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:53:11 +0000

Hello,

I love how you combine your bulbs with your perennials. What a great way to hide the fading leaves of the bulbs. I hope the bulbs that you just planted come up in the spring.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:02:04 +0000

The Garden Ms. S, it’s tempting to add more bulbs, as the garden becomes more barren with winter approaching. Burying the spring bulbs underneath piles of leaves, is one of my favourite garden tasks at this time of year.

You will have spring flowers to anticipate in your garden too.

By: The Garden Ms. S

The Garden Ms. S — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:40:49 +0000

Your spring garden will be a place of joy! I planted my first bulbs ever this weekend so I’m very glad to hear that I am not the only one out there :)

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:43:28 +0000

Dave, those Dutch bulbs sound like they took the slow boat to Edmonton. Let’s hope we get another long fall, and the bulbs get the weather to settle in. I ordered some bulbs from BC, which arrived in September, but bought most of mine locally. I did the bulk of the bulb planting in September and early October, but added a few groups later. It will be interesting to compare the early and late plantings next spring.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:59:57 +0000

Hi Northern Shade:

Good to learn that you had good luck with late bulb plantings last Fall, although that was a long, warm autumn if I recall, unlike this year. My Dutch bulbs finally arrived on Friday and went directly into the ground (and a dozen and a half to pots in the greenhouse – which may stay warm long enough to give them time to develop some roots). I’m hoping most will bloom, although it seems unlikely that they will have established well enough to form good-sized new bulbs next Spring.

I’m making a couple of resolutions – no more Dutch bulbs (maybe I’ll try one of the BC growers next year) – but lots more pictures in the spring so I can enjoy the flowers again in the fall as you have in your charming post.