What is it? Planting bulbs!
I purchased lily, crocus and allium bulbs in July for delivery now (they're sometimes on sale then). I picked up daffodil and tulip bulbs at the garden center (just couldn't resist). I got some irises and daylilies from fellow garden blogger Marcia (thanks, Marcia!). And I had an entire bulb bed to transplant!
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| The bulb bed last June |
Remember the bulb bed that was in half shade last year? Well, all those bulbs will be finding new homes. I've planted pansies there now.
I'll see their little smiling faces all winter long. They're smiling because they know. They know that in the spring they will see all those bulbs burst forth as flowers, heralding in the arrival of spring. I'm smiling, too.
What about you? What bulbs did you plant this year?
You have been busy. Your pansy's look so pretty. We do have to plant those bulbs. I planted, tulips, alliums, lilies,daffodils and crocus. Seems I add more every year. Yes, then we spy these bargain sales going on now and who can resist them. So we cram some more in. LOL! They will be so welcome come Spring though.
ReplyDeleteI may need a jackhammer to dig a hole, but I've got two bags of daffodils to plant yet. They are so hard to resist, especially the ones that are in the hardware stores with the bright and beautiful pictures on the package. How can any gardener resist? The same with those glossy catalogs, but then I have to get a stamp and that slows me down. When they put those bags of bulbs in the store, it's genius, really...am I an impulse buyer? When it comes to bulbs, yup!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have lots of lovely flowers in a few months. I have not been growing bulbs. In fact, I dug out most of them since they are poisonous for the dogs.
ReplyDeleteLona - Bulbs are something I never seen to think I have enough of. Although sometimes I find bulbs when I'm planting new ones!
ReplyDeleteKaren - I hope you get your daffodils planted. I agree - impossible to resist with those beautiful spring pictures on the front of the bags!
One - I didn't realize they were poisonous to dogs! My dog is not much of a digger, even though he did decide to dig up my liriope!
I have gobs of bulbs to plant -- over 150 daffodils. Ice Follies are my favorite. Also got some dutch Iris. Last year I planted Spanish Bluebells. I just got into bulbs in the last few years, so I've added somewhere between 50 and 150 bulbs each of the last few years. So this next spring should be exciting :-) I don't do regular tulips -- just species tulips. I have some byzantine glads, grape hyacinth, and leucojum, too. The trick is envisioning what they will look like in the spring so they get planted in the right spots now. One year I drew a map of where I wanted them when everything was dormant, so I could remember the following year, because I knew when I went to plant them all of the summer plants would be in the way and I wouldn't remember. To me the trick is planting them where something will grow up around them to disguise the fading foliage so I don't have to look at it. I love how bulbs add another month of bloom time to my garden :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Holley, We plant Pansies in the late Fall ---and they will last here until it gets really hot (July)... Pansies seem to make it through the winter here quite well...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
I just can't seem to resist buying bulbs every time I'm in a gardening store in the fall! I love them! So far I've planted crocus, dutch iris, daffodils, tulips, and allium. I just got a shipment of snowbells, tulips, and sword lilies delivered in the mail today - it's like an early Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteIt's rather hard to remember where I've planted everything, though.. I need to make some sort of map!
I am finally done with tulips, grape hyacinths and daffs mostly.....I rarely remember what I planted in spring...then I have lots of new surprises
ReplyDeleteToni - I added the tulips, even though I know they're annuals here, just because they were so pretty. And the ones I got weren't expensive, so I just chalked it up to a pretty annual expense. You are so good to draw a map! I just kind of throw mine in between the roses and whatever else is there. I'm beginning to run out of room! Your way sounds much more organized!
ReplyDeleteBetsy - Isn't it wonderful that such a pretty little plant can take winter weather? They sure brighten up that time of year. I usually dig mine out by Easter, but I'm not sure what I'll put in that bed then. It will be something new to play with!
Indie - It is a bit like an early Christmas! Good luck on making that map! I can't remember from year to year where anything is!
Donna - I plant lots of bulbs in fall, too, so you'd think I'd remember that when spring comes. But, like you, I'm always so happily surprised when something comes up! It's so much fun that way!
Lots of different bulbs you have going in. I kept it simple this year. Siberian squill in the lawn, tulips and hyacinths in the flower bed. Even with just a few bulbs I'm always amazed at how much time they take to plant.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your bulbs, I hope they bloom well for you. I am not really a fan of them (squirrels dig them out all the time), but I did get some daffodils in hopes of early spring color. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteI am planting hippy lilies. They seem to be reproducing bulbs instead of sending out shoots. Good luck with yours!
ReplyDeleteThankfully I got all the daffodils planted last month. I'd forgotten I'd ordered some in the spring so excepted some from a friend who was thinning hers in June. They're all planted and will be surprising me where they come up because I didn't mark them!
ReplyDeleteHow did the day lilies do for you?
I have finally got over my bulb planting addiction, no more room. Hmm, next year I will note those that haven't performed well, lift them and mark the spots for more bulb planting next Autumn, ah, cant wait.
ReplyDeleteI don't have many bulbs that winter over. Do have daffs in one bed that put on a great show in the spring but can't manage to keep tulips blooming for more than maybe 2 years here and have to replace them so gave up on them. I do plant some tubers in the spring and dig them in the fall. Have just been given Canna, grew my own Dahlia from seed this year so hoping they winter well in the shop and also have glads. Of course these don't give me any pleasure in the spring.
ReplyDeleteMarguerite - They do seem to take some time, don't they? I always forget to get hyacinths. I want to give them a try. Maybe I'll remember next year!
ReplyDeleteMasha - Last year was the first year for me to grow crocus, and I was so thrilled with their early spring blooms (though very small), I wanted more of that feeling!
Autumn Belle - Well, if they are making more bulbs, you should soon have a lot of blooms!
Marcia - I don't mark mine either. I love getting that surprise - plus, I'm not disappointed if something doesn't come up! The daylilies are planted and should come up next year. I'm looking forward to it!
Alistair - You sound so much more organized than I! I'm running out of room - I wonder if I will soon give up my addition!
wilderness - Oh, my - that sounds like a lot of trouble to have to dig them up and replant them every year. That's why my tulips are annuals here!
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ReplyDeleteAs you plant your bulbs so I am lifting mine to store for next year. I loved the colour provided by the bulbs this spring so will for sure repeat it all again next year ... and add to my collection :)
ReplyDeleteI love pansies. I planted mine too early this year, it turned hot again and they died. I suppose I can try again, or I can come back here and look at yours again. :) Take care,
ReplyDeleteGardeningBlog - I think a garden without bulbs misses a lot of spring color that could otherwise be there. I'm lazy, so I try to get bulbs that I don't have to lift and store. Irises and daffodils are two that multiply and even grow out in the fields here!
ReplyDeleteStoBlogger - I was worried that it might be too hot for mine yet. We shall see. If mine die, I'll probably try again. There's just nothing like pansies when nothing else will bloom.
Yeah! Bulbs are great! I sooo wish that I would have planted some more this fall...time got away from me. I have several groupings of tulips but would like more variety as they are such welcoming blooms after our long cold winters in these parts! Cheers to you!
ReplyDeleteMy Garden Diaries - I agree, even in our short winters here, an early spring blooming bulb is so welcoming and gives us such hope that winter will soon end and we'll be back to gardening again!
ReplyDelete