Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Thinking Spring

I know, we can barely think of summer being over, with fall hot on it's heels, but this is the time of year we have to think of our spring garden.  I order my bulbs online from http://www.johnscheepers.com/ or http://www.vanengelen.com/ depending upon the quantity.  Scheepers deals in smaller quantities.

A couple of great daffodils that performed above and beyond last year in my garden were Itzim and Rinjveld Early Sensation both early bloomers and long lived.  Remember to think of tulips as annuals but I have had luck with many of the emperor tulips coming back (not quite as large).  If you want a specimen garden, I would order new tulips each year.  I do this with the Monte Carlo tulips because I want to make sure they bloom around my tree in front of the house.

Itzim Daffodil


Rinjveld's Early Sensation


Early Sensation on South Side


Orange Emperor Tulip


Sweetheart and Orange Emperor

Hyacinths many times will not bloom in the tight bud form as when first planted, but will split into several stalks of florets.  So, again if you want specimen plantings, put in new ones.  Muscari comes in many different varieties, one of the best being Blue Spike.  I have several varieties and colors, Valerie Finnis very nice up close, but you want some impact when they are at a distance.

Muscari

City of Harlem and Pink Pearl


City of Harlem Hyacinth and Sagitta Daffodil

Monte Carlo Tulip

I am also going to order some lilies as they were great during this very hot summer.  These companies also sell amaryllis and paperwhites for holiday planting (inside of course).
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16 comments:

  1. AnonymousWed Aug 18, 07:54:00 AM 2010

    Dear Eileen, Of course you are so right to encourage us all to think ahead and this is exactly when one should consider what bulbs to plant. But, I just know that I shall be late as usual and with each year that passes I just buy masses of one thing rather than a few of many different things. Never any daffodils unless they are white!

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  2. Gatsbys GardensWed Aug 18, 08:09:00 AM 2010

    Hi Edith,

    I try to get my bulbs in before the end of September because October can turn quite cool and frosty. I am ordering some tulips this year, but it may be foolish as the rabbits and squirrels are just waiting. They do not bother the daffodils. I do have a white daffodil called Mount Hood.

    Eileen

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  3. Becca's DirtWed Aug 18, 08:49:00 AM 2010

    Good morning Eileen. I have been perusing the catalogs too. I think I am going to order from the Four Season Nursery. They are located in Illinois and the plants and bulbs are for my zone 8 too. I have made a wish list but must trim it down to what I can handle. When I'm looking I tend to forget how much work it is to plant everything and to have a place in mind to plant them. I want one of everything.

    Your daffodils are so pretty and so were your tulips. I like the Monte Carlo Tulip and the Early Sensation daffodil.

    Have a good day.

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  4. Gatsbys GardensWed Aug 18, 09:04:00 AM 2010

    Hi Becca, I had better look up this nursery since they are in my state. I had never heard of them. I think many of the bulb companies offer pre-cooled bulbs for the warmer states. I know it seems early, but if you don't order now they tend to run out of certain selections. My bulbs will not be delivered until the third week of September and the lilies the middle of October.

    Eileen

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  5. KarenWed Aug 18, 01:57:00 PM 2010

    Hi Eileen, what a good reminder--I have a few five gallon pails full of daffodil bulbs that need replanting from a garden we removed in the spring. I should add some new daffodils to our beds here, too, as there are so many beauties you have pictured in your garden. And those tulips are very lovely, too. Off to figure out where to put new bulbs!

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  6. La Petite GalleryWed Aug 18, 02:37:00 PM 2010

    Hello Eileen,
    my first visit, you have a lovely garden. I have lot's of lily's but something ate the leaves this Sumer.
    My Stargazers and Casa blanca's were ravished. Do you know what it was and how to prefent this next spring?

    yvonne

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  7. Gatsbys GardensWed Aug 18, 02:49:00 PM 2010

    Hi Karen, I wish I had the room you have. I would be the crazy bulb planter, but I can always find room for a few more.

    Eileen

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  8. Gatsbys GardensWed Aug 18, 02:53:00 PM 2010

    Hi Yvonne, thanks for stopping by. We have had a real onslaught of earwigs and japanese beetles. They both nibble on the leaves and flowers with the japanese beetle creating a lacy looking leaf. There are sprays that will get rid of them but you have to do it every day.

    I finally gave up as it also becomes expensive.

    Eileen

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  9. meemsnycThu Aug 19, 12:45:00 AM 2010

    Thanks for reminding me! I have to order my bulbs too!

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  10. BalishaThu Aug 19, 07:50:00 AM 2010

    Good morning...
    I've been drooling over the catalogs too. We had a nice display of Angelique tulips at our Church this year. They came back from the previous year and were long lasting and beautiful. We are putting in an order for lots of these and will share them. I am looking for a nice daffodil too...thanks for the information on these bulbs...and most of all their names.
    Balisha

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  11. Gatsbys GardensThu Aug 19, 08:15:00 AM 2010

    Hi Balisha, Some very nice daffodils are Mount Hood (white), Salome (White with pink cup) and Ice Follies (white with pale yellow). They come back year after year and multiply.

    Eileen

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  12. garden girlFri Aug 20, 06:10:00 AM 2010

    Hi Eileen, I'm notoriously bad about planting bulbs in the fall - just can't seem to find the motivation in the fall.

    I don't do tulips anymore - squirrels dig them up, and rabbits pop off the buds just before they bloom. Between the critters, the short-lived nature of tulips, and the lack of sun here, they're not worth bothering with to me.

    We do have lots of daffs here, some scilla that's doing a nice job spreading and naturalizing, and last year I added some alliums and hardy cyclamen. This spring I dug some snowdrops from my daughter's garden - looking forward to seeing them next year. Maybe I'll add some crocuses this fall.

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  13. Gatsbys GardensFri Aug 20, 06:17:00 AM 2010

    Hi Garden Girl, I shouldn't be planting tulips either. I think the squirrels follow me as I am putting in the tulips. I did use chicken wire over them last year with a granular repellant. This seemed to work.

    I have no luck with crocus, they are eaten by the rabbits instantly when they sprout. Daffodils seem to be the only bulb that nothing bothers at my house.

    Eileen

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  14. CanadianGardenJoyFri Aug 20, 01:50:00 PM 2010

    Eileen ! I was just thinking that I have to order my daffs now .. I like the plain yellow and plain white ones (I know the names are rattling around my noggin but I can't think of them of course) .. my main bulb circle was so beautiful last year .. now I worry that those tulips might not be as beautiful this coming one .. at least I saved the packages ? LOL
    I have an artemisia called Valeria Finnis (she must have been popular ? LOL) in any case it is lovely and all of your Spring flowers are gorgeous .. now I have to order mine, so thank you for the reminder! Joy : )

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  15. Gatsbys GardensFri Aug 20, 05:28:00 PM 2010

    Joy, I hope you are better. The plain white daffs that I have are Mount Hood and there are lots of plain yellow, King Alfred, Dutchmaster, Early Sensation, etc.

    Eileen

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  16. joeyFri Aug 20, 07:16:00 PM 2010

    Sigh, it's true, Eileen. Time to think of bulbs ... I hate planting bulbs but love and a 'must have' in my spring garden. I buy mine locally so won't think about that now ... tomorrow is another day :)

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