Bulb management
So now I have various boxes of bulbs sitting in the back room, awaiting proper in-ground, forcing container, regular container, hyacinth glass, and paperwhite vase dispersal. I’ve finished the hyacinths, all of which (30 pots worth) are now in the root cellar. I’ve saved 4 for special antique hyacinth glasses, though I’ve been beaten on every ebay auction for them that I’ve entered. The fact that I made someone else pay more is little consolation. I wish someone just sold these things outright.
The tulips, scilla, and snowdrops are still sitting in their unopened boxes, and I just received the lilies a couple days ago. I’m recording where I plan to plant these so I can remember to check if they came up or not.
So: Copper Coin (trumpet), Chambertain (oriental), 2 speciosum rubrum, and Mother of Pearl (orienpet) should land in the rose garden. The removal of another rose bush should facilitate this.
Then, another rubrum in the front, maybe the Double Prize (oriental) in a pot, and the Barbados (oriental) along the side of the house.
I spend way more gambling with bulbs than I ever would at any of our four lovely area casinos. Much better odds though. And considerably more time spent hopefully imagining a successful result.
The tulips, scilla, and snowdrops are still sitting in their unopened boxes, and I just received the lilies a couple days ago. I’m recording where I plan to plant these so I can remember to check if they came up or not.
So: Copper Coin (trumpet), Chambertain (oriental), 2 speciosum rubrum, and Mother of Pearl (orienpet) should land in the rose garden. The removal of another rose bush should facilitate this.
Then, another rubrum in the front, maybe the Double Prize (oriental) in a pot, and the Barbados (oriental) along the side of the house.
I spend way more gambling with bulbs than I ever would at any of our four lovely area casinos. Much better odds though. And considerably more time spent hopefully imagining a successful result.
Comments
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/
tomjudy/item/bv-004?froogle=1
I'm not sure of your price range, but these are available for direct purchase (it even says "make an offer" so maybe you can go lower than the posted price).
Here is a tiny URL for the above:
http://tinyurl.com/77s5z
(easier to cut and paste)
If you like those vases, take a look at the closeup photos, because I'm not sure I would necessarily agree with her definition of what is a "tiny" chip. I don't think I would pay full asking price for those vases (personally). I'd mention the flake on one of the vases and make a lower offer.
The woman in the link says she has a collection of hyacinth vases. It might be worth asking her if she has any others she'd be willing to sell? Or maybe she could give you tips on where to find/buy good vases. (I know about buying art glass, but not hyacinth vases specifically.)
For shopping on eBay, do you use sniping? Are you losing because you bid too low, or is somebody just beating you out at the last second? If you keep being beat out at the last second, then look into auction sniping (if you are already aware of all of this, I apologize).
If it's a money thing, there's no help for that but persistence. You could try trolling through the massive listings of generic art glass in hopes that somebody has what you're looking for without knowing what it is. (This is hard work, but it can pay off, as my $30 purchase worth $125 if identified properly can attest.)
Sorry for the long comment. I hope it helps.
I liked the Ruby Lane ones, but I am looking for the highly desirable blue glass and the tall shape and I'm not sure I would want the ribbing. I will contact her, though, about her other ones.
The good news: I finally found an antique shop in Nantucket that sold me two blue ones, one short and one tall. Just what I was looking for. I will post an image when I get them.
I have so much to say on this--I think I'll just do another post on it.