The bulbs start rolling in!

The mail lady just delivered my first package of bulbs so far this year -- martagons from Summer Chase gardens. Wasn't expecting them so early, but it's a great rainy day treat. I've never seen martagon bulbs so big, it's a revelation. Claude Shride is huge. Pink Taurade is smaller but very plump and fresh. Now to go scratch the price tags off the plastic baggies so my husband doesn't open the fridge and have a shock from which I may never recover.

They smell llllovely. Laura

LOL Good for you, Laura. Now I'm going to have a particular tune running through my head all day......

Laura, I can't wait to see them bloom for you. :)

It never hurts to plant martagons early. They hate being dug up so the longer they are in the ground, the better the chance they will grow and bloom next year. marts are notorious for sulking...

I love planting season almost as much as blooming season...really true. Good to hear your marts are going to have a little time to get used to things ;)

Thanks for that tip, Mainiac. I stuck them in the fridge, thinking I should wait till regular lily planting season. But I'll plant them straight away.

It certainly could get hot again, but it's like Oct. out there today. Feels like bulb planting time anyway.

(nice to hear from you Diann -- hope you've been able to enjoy the garden a little)

Laura, how wonderful! And yes, it's COLD!! 51 degrees this morning.

Donna

It was 52° here ~ love it!

45 was our low. Yeesh. Much too soon for me this cool weather.

It's sweatshirt weather in August. That's just sad.. LOL

It was a beautiful day here, though. So nice not to be baking. It's weird, but it's not ALL bad.

Laura and Mar, I love it, although it takes some getting used to. The heat kicked in on the thermostat. Great running weather. And my plants adore it! The roses and hydrangeas are singing and dancing. And NO WATERING!!!!

Buggycrazy has sent me a package!

LOL!

AND, just opened the front door and found a package from the Lily Garden. Big Lily Day.

You ARE having a wonderful day!

P.S. Met a vizsla on our trails. My first adult one. Whipped around the bend before his owner saw me. I yelped with delight. Mutual love.

Excited to hear that you recieved your buggycrazy order. I'm still waiting for that one and one from the PNWLS. Really want to get them in the ground. It feels so Fall like here. I did get all the co-op Orientals I grew in pots last summer planted yesterday. I had planned to discard them after the summer, but just couldn't do it. My record with growing Orientals isn't great. Can't wait to see photos of your Margagons.

Susan

All my lilies are in the ground now -- nasty week of weather coming so rushed to do it yesterday. I can't wait to see my marts. too! Hope you get your lilies soon, Susan. I do love lily planting time. Now it's sleep time for the garden here.

Donna -- wish you and our Vizsla could run into each other on a trail somewhere.

Susan, you're not alone. I'm waiting for PNWLS and B&D. I'm experimenting this year with some of the Orientals that seem to persist better, but I'm also going to acidfy the soil around them like mad. In the meantime, I have to console myself by getting the tulips in (for less exciting!)

Donna

We crossposted. Wouldn't that be great? Pet your baby for me.

Donna

My package from buggycrazy arrived! Bulbs look wonderful and got a huge Red Hot as a bonus. I was planning on cleaning house today, but now have a good excuse not to. I feel so SAD! LOL not!. It isn't a nice day out, cold and misty, but I think I'd better plant now because the weekend sounds worse. I like how buggy packs her bulbs in sawdust. They smell wonderful.

Susan

I finally got all the bulbs I had potted up into the ground yesterday. Now I just have a few trees and the hostas and assorted perennials.... Oh yeah, then more bulbs from the Iowa Regional Lily Society and PNWLS when they arrive... :) LOL There is no rest for the wicked! LOL

Congrats, Susan! Wish I had more bulbs to plant. I do love planting those lily bulbs. Had to give my buggy bonus lily to a friend because I was completely out of room. Just put the sawdust baggies in the trash and got one last whiff. So great. Will always make me think of Fall from now on.

Diann, it's reassuring to hear you're still planting perennials. I got my last clematises in the ground the other day and felt I was pushing the limits, seasonally speaking. It's just that it's getting so dang cold already.

Laura, we really got to get you and your Cute Garden Boy to move to a country estate. :)

I know what you mean about being out of room. Good thing I only ordered one of most of the ones from buggy. I had to tuck them in between the daylilies and Iris. I cleaned out a bed by my deck that will give me a little more room, plus I'm in the process of redoing some of my paths in back and that will give me a few more feet of planting space, but the time is coming when I will need to get rid of some of my daylilies, Iris and Lilies. In fact I just dug up some Grand Cru today. Decided that was one I could do without. Debating about my Lollipops. I always enjoy them, but am thinking they may get replaced with Pink Latvia.

Susan

I don't think I could get rid of my Lollypops. They are always such a pretty happy lily.

Country estate, yes! Lollipops, yum!

I ended up saving 5 of my Lollipops because they really are cheery and bloom early. 5 bulbs went to my mail man, 5 in a box to a DG member and I still had 50 to bring to work. Glad some of my co-workers are gardeners. Just looked out the window and it looks like maybe and inch of snow on top of the patio tables. Glad I dug yesterday.
susan

This message was edited Oct 10, 2009 6:31 AM

Oh my, Susan!!! it's too early to have an inch of snow!!! Flurries yes, but not an inch!! We have to have Indian Summer yet! I am glad that you saved yourself some Lollypops! :)

Diann

Here my view this morning. Yesterday there were some nice zinnias blooming out there. Suppose to warm up again later next week.

Susan

So lovely to look at, so glad it is so far away. Great timing w/your digging. :)

No! I would find that very hard to look at right now. Hope it warms up nicely for you...

WOW!!! I had to print that photo lincolnitess. . considering we are still in the 90's . . . *S*

I'd like to trade you about 20 degrees. >:(

I'D be happy to give you 20

We'd be happy to take it. It's 37 degrees at the moment here. brrrrrrrrrr.

That is the reason I moved to Florida!!!!

My bulbs from B&D arrived today, and they look great!

Donna

my bulbs from Ramona arrived today. waiting on B&B, Buggy and PNWSL.

I'm waiting for PNWSL too.

Donna