Last year it was stunning, too. Even more so, really.
Because last year there were Thalia daffodils blooming alongside them. It was magical. And I looked forward to seeing that same look again this year.
But the daffodils have all bloomed and gone this year. But not one Thalia bloomed.
At first, I thought it was Thalia's fault. That's right - when in doubt, blame the plant. I figured it just didn't like something in the soil, or the water, or - whatever. It didn't matter, it was Thalia's fault.
So, I decided not to ever, never, never ever, to plant Thalia daffodil bulbs again.
Even if I did think it was so charming blooming alongside the red dianthus.
 |
| Last year |
That's when I remembered - it might have actually been my fault. Oops!
You see, last year I decided I was going to have a neat and tidy garden. Yes, you read that right. ME with a neat and tidy garden! Don't laugh - it could happen.
Anyway, I decided I was going to deadhead the dianthus, even though usually I just let them lie there dead and ugly. While I was tidying up the dianthus, I'm afraid I might have also tidied up the daffodil foliage as well. I kind of, sort of, remember doing something like that, maybe. (Confession is hard.)
Anyway, that's a big no-no. I know better. I faintly remember not knowing what that ratty foliage was when I cut it down. I should have taken the time to remember it was the daffodils.
Daffodils need to keep their foliage as it's dying down, to put the energy back into the bulb for blooming. Otherwise, they don't bloom.
Just like mine didn't bloom.
:(
My bad.
I love that red Dianthus Holley, my favourite dianthus colour that we tend to only see here as cut flower near Valentines Day. With the Thalia daffodils it does look great too. You could always plant more Thalia daffodil bulbs later in the year :)
ReplyDeleteNow that I've realized it's my fault, and not the plant's, I will probably plant more Thalia bulbs this fall. And not be so tidy any more! Who knew it would be good to be messy? :)
DeleteThe Dianthus is lovely. Hey at least the Daffodil foliage should grow back this year and finish feeding the bulbs.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Well, I don't know if the foliage is out there or not. I'll have to look closer for it!
DeleteThey are indeed spectacular, and I can imagine the color contrast - red of dianthus and white of daffodils; it would indeed have been a lovely sight. We learn from our mistakes. This year my Forsythia is not blooming that much. I read that it has to be pruned in May (in NJ); last year, I pruned in June or July. My bad too :-).
ReplyDeleteI think the mistakes we make we remember best, too! That's how we become 'experienced'! :)
DeleteThere's always next year. My Dianthus are pink. I think I like yours better.
ReplyDeleteI have some pink ones, too. But the red really do pop!
DeleteWell, at least you came clean and admitted it was your fault. I always clip the spent bloom and later as the leaves are going limp I braid them and fold them over so they can die where they lay.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of people braiding the dying foliage. Maybe I could do that instead - I bet it does look nice!
DeleteOh no. The white and red combo truly was a heart stopper. How discouraging to realize it was the gardeners own fault and you even kind of remember doing it. We've all done something similar, but ugh. I do hope you replant, because the combination is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to try to replant. I did love that combination. It took me a while to remember - oops, it was my fault!
DeleteLove the red Dianthus, the colour scheme looks great too. Maybe next year for the Daffs.
ReplyDeleteThe red really stands out in spring, when everything else is pastel. But they are over to the side by themselves, so I really like the strong color as a change during this time of year. I really do need the daffodils, though. It just elevates it to a higher level of beauty.
DeleteJust buy more and replant them! You can always use landscaping staples to pin the foliage down so you can't see it as it fades. That's what I do when it starts to drive me crazy. :o) The dianthus and Thalia are a great combo!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of landscaping staples! What a smart idea!
DeleteDo you have leaves just no flowers? Plant more for next year!
ReplyDeleteLove the red dianthus even by itself.
I really don't think I even have leaves! But, I'll plant more next year, and time will tell if it really was Thalia's fault!
Deletefor a minute I thought you were going to say you accidentally dug them up. Hopefully they will recover in a year or two and give you a beautiful show once more.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievably, I haven't moved anything in that area, or even put in new plants there. Unusual, in my garden! :)
DeleteIf this was plant ruiners anonymous, I could stand up next "Hello, I am an ignorant gardener, I haven't killed a plant in 2 days....." It is somehow therapeutic to tell our awful stories, but maybe the rest of us can learn!
ReplyDeleteThat's how we learn things - through someone else's mistakes, or our owns. It just hurts a little more when it's our own!
DeleteSounds like a good lesson for the season wrap-up. ;-) Oh gosh, I have done things like that! In fact, I was tempted to mess with some dying bulb foliage the other day, and then remembered to hold back. Oh well, you can always plant more!
ReplyDeleteI usually am not neat and tidy, but I was really trying to make my garden look good last year. No more! haha - I'll have a messy garden from now on! :)
DeleteOh, I've been guilty of this before too, so you're not alone. It's hard to leave them looking all straggly sometimes isn't it. I hope the bulbs get a good feed this year and reward you with some beautiful blooms next year, it is a stunning combination!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be great if I planted more, and the old ones came back, too! Doubly beautiful!
DeleteThe dianthus are gorgeous! Love that deep shade of red.
ReplyDeleteI really like it, too. It's unexpected in spring, when everything else is soft pastels.
DeleteThat's a great combination! I love the red dianthus. The daffodils should bloom next year though.(?) Or are you too warm?
ReplyDeleteThe daffodils should come back every year - I thought. I'm really hoping it really was me that messed them up, and that they decide to come back next year.
DeleteWoooooops! I guess it WAS your fault, then. But we're not going to remember you for your mistakes, the World is going to remember you for the woman who made a corner in her garden looking great, with Thalia and red dianthus.
ReplyDeleteGo get some new bulbs of Thalia, hurry up!!! :-)
I'm going! :)
DeleteI like when in doubt blame the plant. I am going to use it. Since we are talking about bulbs, you shouldn't even tie the foliage up or bend it over like you often see in gardens.
ReplyDeleteWell, I like that I can be a bit lazy, and say it's good for the garden! :)
DeleteOh NO you didn't! As my daffy blooms fade in the planters, I braid the foliage as if pony tails on a childs hair. This way, they are sort of neat and out of the way of other bloomers in the area. They just die down naturally and bloom wonderfully for me the following year. The daffys here and there scattered throughout the gardens, I just ignore. I welcome the daffys sweet smiles each spring...
ReplyDeleteI was really looking forward to seeing these again this year. From now on, you can bet I will remember to leave them alone!
DeleteOh, this post gave me such a big smile...you are so funny! At least you remembered what happened so you don't have to guess at why the daffy didn't bloom. It's hard to see all that spent foliage and not whack it down. Love the red Dianthus!
ReplyDeleteIt took me a while to remember - and I was horrified when I realized it was my fault! Lesson well learned!
DeleteI like your philosophy of blaming the plant. Usually I blame myself immediately, so I'm going to try to learn from you. Here's my gift to you: Embrace the Mess. It will change your life.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, it's easy to blame the plant. Then you can just try again. And again, if necessary. After the third time, I know it really is the plant! ;)
DeleteOh Well---we all live and learn!!!! We have Dianthus here (pink ones) --but they are not nearly ready to bloom. Hope you can plant some more beautiful Daffodils next to your Dianthus --since the red and white was gorgeous beside each other...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
I thought the red and white were beautiful, too. I will put replanting Thalia on my fall list of chores, with an apology to them!
DeleteI have some red dianthus sitting on my front porch still in 6 packs waiting to be planted. They match my red door! Yours are gorgeous, and I hope Thalia returns for you next year. I know what you mean about bulb foliage; it drives me crazy. I'm not real big on neat and tidy, but floppy foliage really gets to me, and it seems like this year it's taking it even longer to wither. Just need to be patient...and avert my eyes!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about this year the foliage has really lingered on. Or, maybe I'm just more aware of it this year. Anyway, you are right - I will just have to avert my eyes! Enjoy your red dianthus - they sound lovely next to your red door!
DeleteHate it when I kill a plant inadvertently, and it canbe easy to do. Right now I'm nervous about slicing through an established plant while planting the new ones.
ReplyDeleteI do that all the time! I have finally decided I just can't squeeze too many more things in some areas of my garden!
DeleteTotal bummer! The good news is hopefully they will return to bloom again.
ReplyDeleteKeeping my fingers crossed!
DeleteOh that is too bad...mine are not blooming yet in the white garden...that dianthus is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteA white garden is hard to have throughout the year - but I can imagine a lot of these would just glow beautifully.
DeleteDon't feel bad Holley, we can all confess to at least one thing like this ourselves. One year I planted an ornamental grass beside the pond. The next year I forgot I did and pulled it out in the spring thinking the grass had seeded in from the law. I felt pretty silly when I realized what I'd done!
ReplyDeleteThe red dianthus are a vibrant hue and I'm sure wouldn't mind some new daffodils planted with them again.
Judith
Oh, Judith - I know exactly how you felt! I sometimes have to look very hard to try and remember if that's something I planted or not. And other times, I have something springing up UNDER something I just planted!
DeleteHolley,
ReplyDeletenothing bad happened!
I think you have to dig up the bulbs of daffodils and dry them well. Then plant them in autumn and the next year they will bloom.
Nadezda, you assume I know exactly where the daffodil bulbs are, or that I haven't already planted something on top of them, or that I would go to all that trouble! You must be a much more organized gardener than I am! No, I think I'll just buy more! :)
DeleteHolley, any tips for keeping animals away from dianthus? I have 4 (purchased last year) that have been ravaged by both the squirrels and rabbits! So sad :( I hope they come back.
ReplyDeleteI may have to live my dreams of full, lush dianthus through you.
Oh, how sad. Maybe you could surround them with some plants that the squirrels and rabbits don't care for, so maybe they will just move along. Or maybe you could put a whirl-a-gig thing in the middle of your dianthus to scare them away? I think they do make squirrel repellents, or perhaps you could find some natural, easy repellent to put out - like cinnamon or black pepper (not sure those work). I hope your dianthus do come back. If they weren't pulled up by the roots, I bet they will. Thankfully, I don't have squirrels or rabbits to have to deal with! Good luck!
DeleteWhoops! Well, they say confession is good for the soul... Hopefully they will reappear next year.
ReplyDeleteHopefully I'll remember next year where they are planted, and what their foliage looks like!
Delete