On sources of cyclamen seed - there are hederafolia & coum. One is spring blooming and one is fall.
(I forget which is which). I got my seed from the North American Rock Garden Society. I joined just for
the seed exchange but have really enjoyed their quarterly journal and had a wonderful vacation last year
at the National meeting & pre-meeting tours. Anyway - its like $30 / yr for membership and then $15 for
your seed selection. Yuu get 25 choices/varieties. There's a second round where you get to buy more
(I'm not sure this is exactly correct but its something like $12 for second round of 25 more picks etc).
If you don't want to join NARGS but can't find the seeds elsewhere for a decent price, send me D-Mail in
Jan/Feb to ask about getting them in the second round NARGS sale. (Check the website at www.nargs.org
to see more about the organization & the seed list from last year.)
In general, for seed starting fanatics, try joining societies like NARGS or Hardy Plant Society. Great
seeds lists for a pretty decent price (if you are getting LOTS of seeds). And stuff you don't see in the
standard sources either.
Tam
This message was edited Oct 10, 2005 7:44 PM
OK, time to confess! what bulbs did you order this fall?!
I'd love to have a cool greenhouse for ranunculus, freesia, jasmine, and on and on! Geez, then my bulb wants would be too huge to ever accomplish! Like they're not already!LOL
I think I'm going to be ready to do more with seed in spring though. The lucky thing is I have a friend at the end of my road with a commercial greenhouse of mostly bedding plants. She'll start and grow my seeds for me! Neal
I'm very lucky to have my greenhouse! I put it in when I had a bunch of tech stocks
that were worth a lot of $$ on paper. Unfortunately they are now worth just the price
of paper but that artificial fleeting feeling of wealth let me go ahead and put in my
greenhouse (a dream of many years). I keep trying to convince myself I save money
each year by starting so many plants from seed. Anyway - you are very fortunate
to have greenhouse space and even someone to start the seeds!
I edited the previous entry to correct the web address of NARGS
Tam
Hi All
My name is Cynthia and I'm a bulbaholic.....
The list is too long, just got my VanEngelen order in 1350 tulips, 300 anemone giants. All have to fit into the old fridge in the garage. Talk about a total indulgence. My husband loves them too and we are frugal in other areas....see I told you I have a problem, I already am rationalizing...
BTW the amaryllis have not yet arrived. Elva is new for me this year. I like the Royal Dutch varieties. Those will actually come back for me and aren't a total luxury. Plus they make great gifts so I have another reason to buy several of one variety....one of each for me!
Cynthia, how PRETTY!! Doesn't it just give you so much joy to walk around and look at your gardens? I just love to do that. Even now, when hardly anything is in bloom. There's potential. ;-)
WOW! Just don't go through a 12-step program to solve your problem. I'm enjoying your habit too much LOL.
That's just glorious. Thanks for posting. Looking forward to your spring shot next year. 1350 tulips. In a refridgerator. now that's devotion (obsession?) :-)
Tam
Cynthia! what a beautiful outdoor 'bouquet'! You definitely have the touch for growing bulbs--and a lucky thing with so many on order!!
I think you should post a thread in photos of your bulb gardens to remind everyone it's time to plant bulbs (for instance for all those brug lovers!)
Tammy-- thanks for giving all the info about NARGS and the reminder about the seed/bulb exchanges by the other societies. I bought the Bulb book by Timber Press featuring articles by many NARGS and International Bulb Society members.
I am not familiar with the Hardy Plant Society here in the US but will google it today.
Gemini--How lucky are you to have a greenhouse at the end of your road with a person to tend your personal selections?! That's my dream. I am going to try to get Badseed to start seeds for me this year....I am really a klutz at it!
The International Bulb Society http://www.bulbsociety.org/ has a very good website and lots of member benefits like sales, exchanges and a forum that I look at for details on bulb planting...
BTW, the Ohio Lily Society's sale http://www.ohiolilysociety.org/index.htm is next weekend at Kingswood Gardens in Mansfield, so maybe I will have something new to report next week!
Am reading "The Little Bulbs" by Elizabeth Lawrence--inspiring me to try some of the exotics....
Ordered 26 lilies, 4 day lilies, 20 ixioides, 35 Ipheion,25 Allium, 10 corydalis, 30 paperwhites, 70 tulips, and 66 daffodils. The latter 3 groups are mostly for forcing. Received half of them so far, most so far were planted outside.
I spent so much money this fall on miniature roses and hostas that I only ordered the grape hyacinth. They have not come yet, but I think there's 100. I love their color and fragrance. They blend with anything. I wanted to put in more daffodils this year, but won't get them. There's always next year..................I haven't even gotten my pansies yet, come to think of it!!
I ordered a bigger yard , it is on back order ?
LOL
tazzy, boy, do I know what you mean....... http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/550591/
LOL
Ha! Love the sign, too. I immediately fantasized what cities/places I'd put there (Rome, Venice, Florence, Grand Manan, Paris, London, New York, San Francisco, Quebec City, Carmel, Seattle... I GOT a bigger yard (from a lot to 3.3 acres 3 years ago) and I'm very out of control. Although lately, in our non-stop rain, I've started buying houseplants. So, now I need a bigger HOUSE! (And maybe a life outside gardening-naw).
Well, I planted 60 Dutch Iris today, 5 Oriental Lilies, 50 crocus, two peonies, one perennial salvia, moved some yarrow, and 10 tulips. After everything that we've been doing, I'm whipped!! I really did order too much. And it's not all here yet......... *sigh*
But I'll be REALLY happy next spring!! :-)
Am putting in my Eremurus today. Made well draining planting mix, made a mound in full sun and planted 3 inches deep...followed all the planting advice to the letter...so I will be so disappointed if they don't come up...I wonder if they will bloom with the Giant Alliums...
Also received my Brent and Becky order---found Arum Italica in the box, also some ornithaligum (which I will have to look up--don't know what it is...can't remember what I was thinking about when I ordered it either!! Along with some new Lucille Ball Allium and some more Giganteums...
It will be a real Allium Fest come next late May.
jmorth--you have quite a long list. I will be interested to see the pics of your forcing project! I am only doing Amaryllis this year.
boojum--aren't you doing bulbs? How can that be?!! I panted white Camassia semi-plena with my new siberians (that you seduced me into buying).
wow on the list of orders, and wow on those who didn't give in this season!
tabasco - I've seen postings about people having trouble with some
ornithaligum - Star of Bethlehem common name. I love 'em - pretty little
pure white flower but apparently they can self seed prolifically. Just be
careful. (I haven't ripped mine out - but I may next year after they bloom).
Tam
Elliot
The anemones are Anemone Coronara. They are large and called Anemone Giants. I can plant them directly in the ground here in 8a. They like temps in the 60s so you may need to do them indoors or wait until spring to plant. They take about 3 1/2 to 4 months to bloom for me....but they last until the heat wears them down. I treat them like pansies. I got them from VAnEngelen and Brent and Becky's.
BTW if you've never tried the giants the success rate is much higher than the tiny ones so you need less.
If you look carefully at the photo the tiny ones from St. Brigid mix are a border in front of my azaleas.
Tabasco, I have my bulb order in the 7th post-or are you funnin me?
It has been raining non-stop for 10 days with more till Monday. Roads are getting washed out all around here and southern NH. I know I have a garden somewhere out there. Some of my bulbs are looking at me sadly. I keep promising them they will be planted "tomorrow." I've lost my credibility.
Is this the same as your Camassia? Nice combo with the irises I twisted your arm to buy.
We're getting some rain right now, but it's supposed to be really nice this weekend. I still have bulbs yet to arrive (why do some companies take so long to ship???). I'd much rather plant them when I don't have to wear my winter coat to do it.
Yeh-most of mine haven't come. Do you think they want to ensure that they are gonna get cold-as if it's not gonna get COLDER here shortly. HA, we get to 20 below.
I don't know. Spring Hill and Brent & Becky's sent theirs right away, as did Bluestone and John Scheepers. But Breck's is the WORST. I don't remember them doing that last year. Dutch Gardens sent my live plants right away, but I'm still waiting on their bulbs, too.
tabasco,
Last year I forced 23 pots of tulips, probably a similiar number of daffodils, 3 ornithogalum d., a few crocus, iris reticulata, and 6 amaryllis.
Hyacinths were done in water as were paperwhites.
I will post results this spring.
Wishing you well on your foxtails - definately one of my all-time favorites.
I have not ordered any at all. I am not going to have the beds ready at the new place so I can't justify spending the money just to have more plants to stick somewhere. I may have to order co-op quantity soon though. LOL
Gee, Badseed, you must be going through withdrawal.
LOL, OK boojum, I just looked at your bulb order. Looks like when the rain stops you will have some work to do...
Your camassia looks like what I ordered...'semi-plena' which is a double flowered white. If mine is as pretty as yours and comes up with the siberians iris I will be thrilled. Will have to wait and see...calls for patience...
Tammy, I checked my ornitholgum and my hybrid is 'magnum' which is a little different from the usual--in fact, it looks a lot like the camassia and is 24" tall, too. ...I don't think it's as invasive as the 'nutans' and 'umbellatum' but just in case, I will plant it in the out back.
I read some gardeners describe ornitholgum as "the plant from hell" which scares me some! So thanks for bringing up your experiences.
Planted lots of bulbs yesterday. Fun to do in the fall sunshine. B & B and Van Engelen seemed to get their orders to me much earlier this year, although I still have lilies and some others to come...
I am still reading "The Little Bulbs" by Eliz. Lawrence. So much detail about bulbs in the book--I will never absorb it...my brain power frizzles out when it comes to Latin botanical names.
I keep adding. I think it's easier to rationalize when I just aquire a little at a time! LOL So now I've added 3 Frittilaria imperialis rubra, 10 'Jack Snipe' daffodils, 5 'St. Patricks Day' daffs, 15 'Queen of the Night' tulips, 8 'Yellow Cheerfulness' daffs, 40 Scilla siberica, 7 'Woodstock' hyacinths, 10 Muscari azureum, 6 'Pink Pearl' hyacinths, 6 'Kronos' hyacinths, and 6 'Atlantic' hyachinths. Park's has a single late tulip collection by color instead of by name I can't resist to. 20 each of 5 colors (100 bulbs) for $29.95. Many have said the single late varieties perennialize well, so that's easy to rationalize to. Now on to the next aquisition! Neal.
Wow, Neal, be sure to send pictures. It's going to be a stunning spring at your house. I'm not even getting pansies in this fall.
I'm refreshing my daffodils with Ice Follies and Las Vegas. I also decided to try tulips again. I am really drawn to colors more than anything so I buy tulips in the colors I like then promptly forget that they won't always return for another season. :) I picked up a multiflowering type named Antoinette that I hope will do well. I also had to repurchase from VanDyck's a tulip collection called Juice n Honey. I thought I had already bought these last year and guess what? I did, I found the dried up husks still in the box right by the front door. lol I'm going to try some of the Darwin type and see if they'll return at least once. I'm still trying to scale down my list for The Lily Garden. It's almost painful really:) !
1gardengram, I sure hope so. I've not stopped kicking myself for not planting bulbs last fall; spent all of spring coveting everyone elses bulbs! Spring bulbs are my favorite to (well, in my top 10 at least!), so if the combos I'm putting together are half as pretty as they are in my mind, I'll be sure to post pics.
dmac085, I bet you're kicking yourself to after finding that box of husks! In July I found dried up glad corms I'd forgotten, but it's a wonder I keep up half as well as I do! Ice Follies is a great, dependable daff- the first I planted here. You may want to consider some Darwin Hybrids as well as Darwin tulips. Many consider them the best tulip for returning, with the Darwins coming in 2nd. The Darwin hybrids bloom in April and have huge blooms and the Darwins bloom in May, so it's nice to have some of each for an extended tulip season. Neal.
Neal,
I love spring bulbs, too. It's exciting to see them popping through before you expect them. I have a lot of my daffodil bulbs in the same place as the daylilies, so by the time they are done the lilies are coming up and taking over and hiding the foliage. I had daffodils one year that were kind of a peachy color and had a wonderful fragrance. Only some of them came back the second year and then nothing the next year. I'd like to find them again. Anyone know what they might be?
One of my granddaughters that is away at college loves tulips, so I plant some each year for her, but I just consider them an annual and let it go at that. She will someday be having her wedding reception in our yard and I've told her I need at least six months notice if she wants a yard full of tulips, and she'll have to time it just right. That will be fun and it will take literally hundreds of tulips for that event. But so far, nothing on her horizon, so I still stick with what I know will come back again.
My muscari still have not arrived from Brecks, but I keep hearing from ya'll how slow they are. Maybe I'll have muscari and maybe I won't. I love their color and fragrance.
Diane
Diane, I just got my replacement order today from Breck's that was from last fall. (I notified them of non-performance of some of the bulbs back in May or so...) My new order, which was placed 9-21 is not here yet, nor have they notified me of shipment. When I checked on the status of my order, it says it's estimated delivery date is 10-21 to 10-23. I don't understand that. I sure don't like the idea of having to plant my bulbs in my winter coat.
Another thing about the replacement bulbs. Last fall, I ordered Mediterranean Bells (Nectaroscordum siculum). 5 bulbs. This spring, only three came up, and only two bloomed. I told them about it, and they shipped five more to me, which I got today. I could NOT believe the difference in the bulbs I got last year and the ones I got this year. Last year's were about marble-sized. The ones I got today are about paintball-sized! Unbelievable. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmm........
I'm still waiting for my order. Van Engelen said that they were holding up for the lilies. I wish they'd
just do partial shipments!
Tam
I spoke to John Scheepers people today (same as VE) and they were waiting for the amaryllis bulbs, too. Said in a day or two they will all be there and the order will be sent.
I just got notice today of shipment of my Muscadets and amaryllis that I'd ordered from Brent & Becky's.
Maybe I received my VanEngelen and B & B bulbs earlier this year because I didn't order any amaryllis from them. I am so thrilled to be out planting my daffs and allium in this sunshine today...hope yours come in soon, too.
Put in my 'wild iris', some 'Lucille Ball' allium then went to Home Depot to get some mulch and picked up 75 pink daffodils for in the woodland garden, oh, and a Fritillaria 'Crown Imperial' just for the fun of it (and to see if it will keep the deer away).
Still waiting for my orienpets, orientals and asiatics, and some more eremurus from Van Engelen....and thinking I'll order some more 'little bulbs' at the end of season sales...
neal, I am so glad you are adding spring bulbs to your garden this year! I agree, they are so wonderful to see in everyone's gardens...I wish all homeowners would plant at least a few daffodils in their dooryards.
I am curious about your spring bulb 'combinations'...last year I struggled to create just the perfect groupings and it made me crazy that they didn't cooperate in their timing. But last year was a weird spring around here and I think it threw the growing season off everywhere.
Well, maybe I just need to be more patient with Brecks. I got another catalog and coupon from them and got rid of it quickly. Can't order more if I haven't gotten the first.
tabasco, Spring bulb combos can be tricky as many sources just say blooms in mid spring or something vague like that, so it's sometimes hard to get the things you want to see in bloom together unless you've grown them before(and good record keeping is sure helpful, not that I'm the best about that!). The catalogs that show combos are helpful, because no matter where they're grown, those varieties should bloom at the same time. On top of that, some have blooms that last much longer, so they may start out in bloom with early Siberian squills, and end in bloom with tulips. My method is to choose my color pallette, then choose bulbs for early, mid, and late spring in those colors. Then you're bound to get some great combinations, many you did'nt expect. When shopping for little bulbs, it's great to try a variety of things, then next year you'll know what you want to buy by the 100s. And you'll love exploring the little bulbs! They are so wonderful for naturalizing, planting under larger bulbs, and providing such great color and texture contrasts. Hope that helps, Neal.
gem--I did have a little fun last year with bulb combos--planted five kinds of muscari, some chionodoxa, squills, spanish bluebells, and many kinds of daffs to see what would bloom when with what...some successes, but mostly disappointments.
I tried to record them with my digi cam but now that I look at the pics, I can't remember the varieties!
tabasco, how did your chionodoxas do? I planted some for the first time this fall.