This is no day to plant bulbs. Nope, too hot. What I'm up to with color on a hot day like today is PAINT. One of the easiest, cheapest and most instant gratifications with color. Two benches and a door got new coats to protect them from winter wets. Over at a clients together we took paint and brush following drawings done at the kitchen table...out into the garden to draw then paint images of her dogs on pots. I will have to 'run' over and take some pics.
Yes, get out your paints. While you are at make plans for where you are going to place and plant your bulbs. One friend wanted to know which ones will come back. First we scouted out her garden naming the color combos for the different areas. No pen in hand she committed the colors to memory. Once color coded; on to bulbs. Sparaxis for a long border topped her list. "Do you like yellow and red together?" she asked. "Yes." "Yes I do like yellow and red together." Sparaxis has red petals with yellow centers. Perfect and they come back. As do the yellow ones.
Here's the list I gave her of bulbs that will return:
Here's the list I gave her of bulbs that will return:
Muscari grape hyacinths (blue or white): the fancier ones have not returned as well.
Freesias, especially the egg yolk yellows which are also fragrant, are great hanging over the edge of a pot.
Ixia: wonderful for naturalizing; make a meadow with grasses
Ipheion: starflower or wisely blue - good in rock gardens and at edges
Peruvian Scilla: a wonderful blue
Homeria will bring the slugs and snails out, but very reliable
Tritonia: an african bulb that has a lot in common with freesias
Hoop Daffodil and most of the smaller daffodils
Crocus
Scilla
Lilies: some have a strong return; great for pots
I plant tulips and ranunculus as annual bouquets.
Bulbs are my choice for giving Spring The Wow and the Yes factor. 'Like sunshine coming up from the ground' one passerby said of the trumpeting daffodils.
In addition to painting there is a lot of cutting and pulling going on. Compost heaps heading for the green can. Soil being turned and amended.
On your garden to do list: Reminder to fertilize all acid loving plants with an organic mix to be topped with mulch. Acid loving includes blueberries.
This year I'm even cleaning out several container plantings that have been 'going' for about six years. Time to rethink and renew. Mostly I'm clearing space for the bulbs.
After planting bulbs with the soil turned over wildflower seeds will get thrown about to fill in the gaps both in the flower garden and between the climbing fava beans and peas.
The more you get done now the more you can enjoy spring unfolding in waves of color.
This year I'm returning to earlier loves. Natives both in bulbs and flowering perennials are making a comeback. Pink flower mop heads of buckwheats are bee favorites and hummers seek out the tubular orange flowers of the california fuschias...Zauscheneria or epilobium.
Happy Gardening,
Keeyla Meadows
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