Ok Everyone, we are all busy planting our bulbs for next spring's lovely show. Please share with us what bulbs you are planting. Where did you get the bulbs? Do you have any good planting tips? Which bulbs that you planted last year did not live up to expectation? What combinations are you planning?
As I look each day, seeing November pass me by, I've yet to plant any bulbs this year. I did go crazy last fall and planted 2600 daffodil bulbs and 1600 tulip bulbs. I got all the bulbs from White Flower Farm. I did just plant 50 poppy plants, Goliath, orange/red poppies. I also got those at White Flower Farm. So, I do have new flowers to look forward to seeing next spring. I figure if the weather stays temperate here in VA, I should have at least 3 more weeks to get other bulbs planted. The only thing getting in my way is , THE HUSBAND. Yes, the husband feels we've planted enough tulips and daffodils. We'll see about that....
HOLY MACARONI !!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's a lot of bulbs
Got all my bulbs in...most of them were for my blue, yellow and white garden
Here's some...double poet daff, odorus flore pleno narcissus, crocus Romance, iris Harmony
Here's the other collage with the others besides the daffs.
Blue Star tulip, Katherine Hodgkin Iris, Muscari armeniacum, allium caeruleum
These were planted in front and side of my house
Martinette Narcissus, Herald Crocus, Lily Touching, Allium Moly(transplanted from another area)
Iris I planted
Victoria Falls, Cloud Ballet, Mastery, Tempting Fate
Also planted Glathus Woronowii
If I know there will be a critter problem I wrap the area where I plant the bulbs in chicken wire.
LOL jfleming I'm still sitting here laughing about THE HUSBAND. I even got a smile from DSO when I read your post aloud to him!!! Oh well, he did build you those beautiful boxes and I HOPE you didn't let him see that bill from WFF! Must have been a hefty one.
Wow, your poppies are going to be beautiful. Where are you going to plANt them?
Your tulip/daff bed is gorgeous. Are the tulips Darwins? This is the bed where you have the little pumpkins, right? I can't remember what you have planted in there now. Wonder how many of your tulips will return.
Jen, Your blue, yellow and white bed is going to be beautiful. I can't remember is it by the house or off to the side of the yard? I really like those two daffs. Most double daffs seem to bloom later in the season. I need some more late daffs, but it's hard to find a list of late blooming daffs.
I've never seen that Blue Star tulip. It looks very interesting. I like the white eyes on those Muscari.
Your third combo is very nice too. I really like that Herald Crocus and that Martinette Daff. I have a few of Lily Touching. Last year they were just getting established, so I'm hoping for a better display this year.
Your Iris collection is very nice too. Any rebloomers in there?
To this bed of King Alfreds and Fortissimo Daffs, I am now adding later blooming white with yellow or orange centered split cup daffs.
They are "Love Call" http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/125304/
and "Sovereign" http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/143007/
I will probably add some Muscari here too.
There are also Red & Yellow Darwin Tulips in this bed.
This message was edited Nov 9, 2009 12:46 AM
Up by the house, behind that front row of Yellow Crocuses, I've planted 3 rows of Scillia Siberica, Spring Beauty.
http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/index.php?sku=38-0108&source=daves
One of the disappointments from last year is that up by the house, in between those Magenta Jan Boss Hyacinths, were planted salmon colored Gipsy Queen Hyacinths. The bulbs all emerged to ground level, but never grew any taller. They may come up and perform OK this year, but just in case, last week I planted bunches of Hyacinth "Blue Pearl".in between the other Hyacinths.
http://www.gogardennow.com/index.php/review/product/list/id/948/
Last year due to planting the vole vunerable bulbs in Permatil, I had a fair amount of heaving with the tulips. I replanted quite a few, but really don't know how many will come back this year.
In case a lot of them come back I wanted any new bulbs to blend with the existing color scheme. I did want to extend the season, so I chose some later blooming fringed tulips to surround this apple tree. They are "Carrousel"
http://www.gogardennow.com/index.php/bulbs-such/bulbs-p-through-t/tulipa/fringed-crispa/tulip-carrousel-100-per-box.html
and "Red Wings"
http://www.festival-flowerbulbs.com/en/gallery.php?cid=59&pid=1104&ctl=1
I felt that the area behind thie birdbath in this bed was light on tulips and also that the bed overall did not have enough white blooms. I added a long wave of "Happy Generation" tulips all across the length of the bed.
http://www.gogardennow.com/index.php/bulbs-such/bulbs-p-through-t/tulipa/triumph/tulip-happy-generation-100-per-box.html
Three years ago this bed was a mix of all white tulips and Happy Generation Tulips, all victims to the voles.
As I am adding tulips and daffs to this bed, I am also including Muscari in every planting, so that there will be hints of blue throughout the bed.
This bed is 150' x 30' and there are over 3000 tulips and 2500 daffs. This year, I am adding another 500 to 700 bulbs to this bed.The early daffs in this bed are yellow King Alfreds and white & yellow Las Vegas and white and pink Salome and later blooming white & yellow Elizabeth Ann. I will be moving a large number of Thalia from the area by my neighbor's white fence into this bed and adding several varieties of white and orange/gold split cup later blooming daffs to this bed.
The only way I could get control of the grass growing in the front of this bed was to rip out all of the Sedums that were growing there. Unfortunately, because the grass was so entwined into the Sedum roots, they had to be disguarded. I've since filled the front of the bed with other Perennials, but had to add a lot more bulbs here.
The Tulips I am adding here are lily shaped tulips "pieter de leur" and "Marilyn". Again these are later tulips and will extend the bloom time.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/130083/
http://www.tulipworld.com/lily-flowering-tulips/marilyn-lily-tulip.html
Along with the tulips, I'm adding Daff "Pipit" and "Cassata"
http://www.bloomingbulb.com/p-47768-daffodil-jonquilla-pipit.aspx
http://www.colorblends.com/Daffodil/Cassata/
This message was edited Nov 27, 2009 2:40 PM
Nice stuff coming in there, Stormy.
The blue and yellow garden was a brand new one in the back yard to the right of the kids swing set. Slowly I'm trying to get rid of the grass, well not all of it the kids still need room to play and of course, trying to keep the dog out of it is a project in itself.
This is the bed when it was brand new, work in progress.
Here's the back corner of it in August. Hubby didn't like the original shape so I am slowly enlarging it and making it round or should I say more egg shaped.
Jen, I remember when you said DH was having difficulty mowing around the bed. You'll probably end up with a kidney shaped bed. I personally prefer curved edges to straight ones in an informal garden and think your bed will look wonderful. I can't wait to see it next spring.
Where are you putting the yellow and orange combo? I know you have been talking about that bed all summer. Is it near the house?
Are you adding any bulbs to that bed with the Azaleas and Birdhouse?
I haven't planted any bulbs this year - it kills me to skip it, especially with the descriptions of what you guys are up to!!! I just have other "unfun" things that have to get done :-( Over the last 7 or 8 years, I've planted about 10,000 daffodil bulbs along an old logging trail out behind the house, and my goal was to add to it each year. I don't have any bulbs around the house, but I want to eventually. I love some of the combinations you've posted about - can't wait to see the spring pictures. Terri
I pretty much have all yellow, reds and oranges in my side garden and the front. Here's the side in very early spring..the part against the fence is basically now my rose garden with some ground cover and lilies closer to the house. The part against the house has a variety(1 old rose bush, lilies, glads, coreopsis, echinacea, a new azalea, aquilegia, yarrow and monarda) which I will probably be tweeking for awhile, see how shady it is to the right, well that is the shade from the tree we had to take down so now gets all sun till about 2pm so I had to dig some stuff up and move it. Some reason I don't have a wide shot of that bed...maybe because I'm not too pleased with it. All the way to the right is a HUGE rhody.
I would so like to pull all the rhodys out and replace with different color, they are all pink and purple. Clashes with my house and my oranges, reds and yellows. oh well
that bed with the Azaleas and Birdhouse
Stormyla,
Yes, these in the picture are Darwin tulips. I did have my pumpkins sitting on the stone wall. I have periwinkle planted in the bed and in the yard that is covered with daffodils in the spring. The periwinkle does just fine. somewhere on DG I read that planting poppies around roses is good for the roses. The pests that love roses hate poppies. So, I planted the poppies among the roses in the bed in front of the iron fence.
Aspenhill, 10,000 daffodils! Heavenly!
I don't how all ya'll keep up with the names of the different varieties of everything you plant. I copy off pictures, keep large files but dang, no way can i remember the names of everything I stick into the ground. My forte is finding the stuff and ordering at least one of each!
To answer your question...
I don't how all ya'll keep up with the names of the different varieties of everything you plant
Flowerjen,
My only plan of action is getting a catalog in the mail, poring over the pictures and content, and with glazed over eyes, ordering everything I can get my hands on. Many times I can be seen wandering around looking for a garden spot, or frantically tilling a garden area, after finding the perfect spot!
I do read, read, and read some more. Also, I have been pretty good at caring for the plants, doing what needs to be done at the right time of the season. I always print copies of the plant, instructions for caring for the plant, along with a picture. Maybe this winter I'll actually organize all these papers.
Right now, I'm looking at four, 5 gallon buckets full of dried zinnia flowers. I think that translates to about 50,000 zinnia seeds. My husband thinks we've put all the gardens to bed for the winter. Hmmm, maybe I can till an acre, top it with lots of compost and leaves, and plant an acre of zinnias next spring!
jfleming, your photos are beautiful - I never knew how pretty zinnias could be planted in mass like that. I thought Marshall sounded familiar - I guess it is out near Middleburg and The Plains? Not too far from Lucketts/Leesburg where I live. Pretty stonework too in the previous posts.
flowerjen, that is neat the way you mosaic your plant photos together - what a great visual for the color combinations.
I just took a break from being holed up inside working on a decluttering project. It is beautiful outside - maybe I'll head to town and see if I can find some bulbs to plant - I'm itching to do something besides housework!
WOW that is gorgeous, I love zinnias
The collage works great too to see the different bloom times and if there's a color you're lacking in a certain season.
stormyla would you guys believe I have not bought one new bulb this fall? Been busy and am at the stage where its so hard to know where an empty spot will be. But mostly its the busy ness. I think you've read one tip I passed along from Mrs Ed, to put a muscari in with other bulbs, so that in the future years in fall you have the muscari foliage to remind you there's another bulb p[lantng under there. This year I did move some snowdrops, and have forgetmenots in the general area. I moved some small forgetme nots onto the snowdrop area to remind me, same way.
jfleming--the tulips are just gorgeous. And the zinnias. You have gotthe knack for big beds ofmixed color.
jen-- I really like all your bulb choices. And have we not said, that slowly expanding beds are a given?!?! Well, not to the hubbies, they have to realize later when its a done deed.
terri-- next spring when those clumps come up in the woods, harvest some for closer to the house. You know most daffs multiply so easily. Might have to fight a few tree roots for them .
Jen, Your beds will eventually come together the way you want them. Don't you just love all of the curveballs you get in gardening? Lose a tree, move a bunch of plants. It would be a shame to move that big Rhodo and possibly lose it. I have such a hard time getting them established here.
Terry, I think Sally is right. Try to dig up a few daffs and get them started around the house. You'll be so happy in the spring that you did it.
jfleming, I keep track of the plant names for 2 reasons. The first is that if the plant prospers and I really like it, I will need the name to buy more of them. The second is if you want to trade plants, you have to have the exact name.
An easy way to keep track of them is, at planting time, look the plant up in PlantFiles to check the cultivation information and while there, click the "Zipcode report" button. After filing a zipcode report, the zipcodes report list becomes one of the features on your profile page. This has helped me many times. If you click on my name and then click on zip code reports, you can see a list of most of what I grow. This would be a good winter project for you to do with your receipts.
Your Zinnia bed is beautiful and what a great idea to use them as supports for the Glads.
Stormy, you give me credit where none is due! Haha! My method of planting is that, I have no method. I'm a hit or miss type of gardener. The glads are planted by the zinnias because it's the only space I had available. It seems I'm one of those, day late, dollar short kind of people. I just began gardening two years ago and have already moved so many plants to other locations the beds look completely different now. After the first growing season I was horrified with the terrible job I did, I had to do something. But, I'm learning
LOL jfleming we are all learning!! My gardens teach me everyday what they want me to plant where. They have their own design scheme in mind. I just haven't figured out what it is yet!
I'm still plugging away at my bulb planting. There is only one more set of tulips still to be planted.
This whole section of my back bed is really light on tulips. There's mostly white and a few reds in there. Closest to the path I've added a collection of later lily flowering tulips. they are:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/70574/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/245360/
Down is this front section where the bed curves I've added two colors of Peony type Tulips. They are:
http://www.touchofnature.com/Fall%20Pictures/tulip_yellow_pomponett.jpg
http://www.bloomingbulb.com/popup.aspx?src=images/PRODUCT/large/49536.jpg
Down in this section that backs up to that WHITE fence I've added some yellow/orange Parrot tulips:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/149534/
Forgot the photo
All along this fence, I've alternated plantings of regular tulips and parrot tulips in purple and fuschia. They are:
http://www.fotosearch.com/bigcomp.asp?path=FSD/FSD358/x17171496.jpg
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/18393/
and
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/106784/
http://www.vws-flowerbulbs.nl/flowerbulbs/variety.php?id=360
Up here towards the front of the yard I planted two later blooming lily flowering tulips in yellow and purple. They are:
http://www.dutchgardens.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-DutchGardens-Site/default/Link-Product?pid=31385
There isn't a photo of the yellow tulip "Inimitable" available.
Forgot the photo again!! Don't you just hate when people are talking to you when you're on DG!!!!
Isn't anybody else in the MA planting bulbs this fall?
Well, I did get a few iris samplers. I'm trying to re-do a front walk bed that was pink, white and blue soft spring colors. I had some tall white irises that I got from a Texas supplier (Argyll Creek?) a few years back. The white ones are "Silver Tower", with some light blue ones "Shepherd's Delight". Both are fragrant. Then, I thought I got some cool ice pink ones called "Forentine" but they turned out to be a peachy tone of coral pink. The Florentines were shorter and more aggressive and took over the white ones. Thus, to Plan B.
I dug out all of the existing irises and put them in pots for what? To restore the Silver Towers and Shepherd's Delights. Anything peach will be fair game. This year, I ordered some new irises: Emma Louisa (electric purple), English Cottage(pale blue), Sign of Virgo (white stands/peppered violet falls ) and Sugar Blues (wisteria blue & very fragrant). All of these are tall bearded irises, fragrant and re-bloom. They are for my front display garden, so I wanted them to be good ones. I'm still looking for a cool blue-pink type. They came from Nichols Garden, which is in Virginia. I ordered end of September, which is very late, but I got everyting I wanted. Whew!! Good deal, and the plants so far are sustaining.
This bed also has other cool pink, white and blue/purple plants. I have peonies Mme. Elle (pink) and Fantasic (magenta and white). Purple and white and white columbines, blue hosta, Allium Gladiator, and Baptisia.
All of your pictures and plans sound great!! Yes, I am anxious for spring already. I have other tulip beds that I planted in Fall 2007. I will showcase them at some point. I planted a parade of Renown tall and Sorbert (Brent & Becky's) duo single late tulips around my rose bed, some tall single late pastel tulips in another bed with foxtail lilies and more Gladiators (Van Engelen). Then another front bed of tulips under a dogwood tree. Those tulips are also single late and tall, but are Van Gogh dark bold colors mixed (VanE). They are covered with mazus ground cover, which has white flowers in April-June. I had a good display last spring!!
Just been otherwise occupied.But I am tempted by Pinetreee Gardens late sale on some small bulbs- pushkinia, squill? Its kind of a sentimental thing to buy from Pinetree. I am not familiar with those bulbs but so often it's a matter of seeing if they do well for you anyway. I have a 'yuk bed' tree rooted area that I have come to terms with that can have spring ephemrals like small bulbs and columbine, then be mulch/bare for summer.
Fox, your plans sound great. I'll take your peach iris trash if need be. Can't wait to see my peach iris from critter bloom this spring for the first time.
I debated about ordering more bulbs this fall, good thing I did, they would not have been planted with this broken wrist. I just have to enjoy seeing your spring bulbs, Stormy.
Sally, I am looking forward to the Iris you brought me at the swap. It sent up a lot of new follage this summer in the watergarden. And the frogs really enjoyed that.
