Fall fits and starts


(All is well in the plant room.)

If it’s not warm enough to sit in the garden, I am unlikely to want to work in it. I’m not one of those dedicated gardeners who loves to get out in the brisk chilly air and make a day of it—but I can stand an hour or two. Hence, there is still much to be done, and a bit that has been done.

The bulb project continues. Species tulips dasytemon, oculata, kolpkowskiana, and orphanidea have been added to the tarda, clusiana, batalini, humulis, biflora, bakari, marjoletti, and turkistanica I already have. (You’d think this would create a sea of color, and you would be wrong—so many of these are needed!) For the first time in a while, I planted a bunch of narcissus outside: Eudora, albus plenus odorata, and cantabricus. Just feeling crazy, I guess. Most of the indoor forcing is yet to do, but I have 4 big containers in the garage.


And this year I have a new protection system for the bulbs. For the containers I am using peony supports over the planting, as you see. I think this will deter squirrels if I use red pepper as well. I’ve also treated the outside plantings with cayenne and liquid fence. Phew! But I understand it wears off. It’s a bit of trouble, but worth it when you love spring bulbs.


You’re all reading about what a crappy little fall many of us have been having, but the perennials at least are turning brilliant yellow this year, especially the hostas. And this Solomon’s Seal I just planted is practically fluorescent.

Comments

You really are the Bulb Diva/Goddess/Queen! So how deep of a pot do you need for those outdoor displays? I can't wait to see them in a few months!
You are a nice gardener and you take good care of all of the flowers.Good job!Thanks for sharing.
Anonymous said…
Hi Elizabeth, your list does sound impressive, but those little ones do need to be planted by the thousands to make a statement. At some point your efforts will produce thousands though. The peony ring is brilliant. Devil squirrels. Love the bright golden glow of the Solomon's Seal. It should spread, or you could help it along by dividing and spreading it as the years go by, for a sea of sunshine in the falls to come.
Frances
Hi Elizabeth,
I just clicked on your initials from a comment on someone's blog. I enjoyed reading your last few posts while eating breakfast. I want to come back to see your garden at different times of the year. I don't have a big yard, so need to plant things around my bulbs, sometimes annuals, to hide the dying foliage. I'm curious to see what you have with all those bulbs you plant. I have a new area in front of my curb, and am trying to decide if I'm going to plant bulbs there.

Have a great day!
garden girl said…
The peony ring is a great idea Elizabeth! I continue to be amazed by your bulbs.

Liquid Fence and cayenne. . . I should have been more timely with the stuff. Ah well, there's always next year.
Rose said…
Someone referred to you as the Queen of Bulbs or the Bulb Goddess somewhere, Elizabeth, and they are right! I'm going to have to look up what some of these are:)

Like you, I'm not quite so excited about seeing what might be blooming in my garden right now--what isn't green is brown or yellow. This is the time when I start thinking of next spring...now if I could only remember all those empty spaces in the garden where I wanted to plant more bulbs!
EAL said…
Hi Sue, I plant my bulbs in tight groups and remove many of the big hybrids when they are done. I think of them as annuals.

The species tulips are small and have minimal fliage, this creating very little disturbance in the perennial garden.

Hostas are good with bulbs--they take a while to unfurl their leaves. Also a ground cover like pachysandra, vinca or the like. Daylilies will hide a lot of foliage.
Anonymous said…
I love to eat cayenne, and I don't think it does a thing to deter any critters. Liquid Fence, perhaps. (Coyote urine: scary! But only for a while. You have to change it up.)I'd use a smaller screen cage to keep out rodents. I've had an entire crop of tulip bulbs wiped out by diggers, who may not be as clever as we think, but are twice as determined.
In northern Wisconsin, we have already had FOUR snowfalls! This is unusual and challenging. Fortunately, I already have cleaned up the garden/yard. Except for those damned leaves.
Anonymous said…
I think it's going to reward you with a standing ovation. I have been following your serious approach to scattering and crowding the bulbs as annuals for the last two years and it's so entertaining. Some of us have other frills in life and yours is bulbs. We can't wait for the big show---it's almost like yours deserves one whole blog all by itself. Bravo girl! I'm so impressed. It's very hard work. If the squirrels come along I'm going to be real mad and have to put a world of hurt on em.
Kathy said…
I could have given you some of the Albus Plenus Odoratus. They bloom very very late, the very latest of all the narcissus I have. They sometimes fail to open, too. Not sure why. Other years they are spectacular, so don't give up on them. Was unfamiliar with Eudora, but googled it and really like it.

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