Conscienti
ous
gardeners no doubt already have their daffodils in the ground, or at
least already purchased, right? But not me. I JUST remembered it’s almost time to choose and plant my tulip display for the next y
ear, so I hastened to consult this selection at my usual source, John Scheepers: Single late tulips.
Why the single lates? Because they bloom after the daffodils have
faded, rather than competing with them and creating too much floral excitement at once.
And while I liked this year’s combination of Cum Laude, Esther and
Francoise, they were out of Cum Laudes and I like something new each year in any event.
So here’s a sneak preview of the Great Tulip Display of 2008: 20 of these
lovely Pink Diamonds, 20 of the multi-colored Blushing Girl, and 10
Violet Beauty. The 50 tulips will cover the
front of a sun
ny
backyard border and cost about $40, including shipping. Remember I grow
them as annuals, ripping out their hideous foliage as soon as the flowers fade because, like I
say, it’s the front of the border. But for about the cost of a
floral arrangement that would only last a couple of days we can have huge displays of
blooming glory that last 2-3 weeks. So to anyone who thinks ripping out tulips after one season is wasteful, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. They don’t repeat worth a damn, anyway.
So readers, where do you buy your bulbs?
{ 8 comments }
I rip out tulips as well. Though I prefer the double late varieties.
Lots of bulbs don’t do all that well here in Houston, so I’m thinking of placing an order with Southern Bulb Co. this year since it’s more likely that they “get” what a Houston gardener needs. http://www.southernbulbs.com/fall-bulbs/
Though I’ll definitely check out the bins at Lowes for some freesia and a few gladiolus and some ranuculus. Those do pretty well for me. I tried ordering bulbs from some of the mail order companies and they never work out for me, yet my Lowe’s bulbs always do great. So, the big box wins the bulb battle for me.
OK, you asked. I buy my bulbs when they are 75% off, as late as January, from whatever local nurseries have them left. This usually consists of tulips, which I put in pots and winter over in a protected outside area. They are gorgeous the next spring and I don’t have to fret over tossing them, since i paid so little.
I just placed an order with Southern Bulb Co. as well, though not for daffs or tulips. I’ve tried Brent & Becky’s in the past.
Your 2008 display looks like it will be amazing and I would pull and toss mine if the moles did not attack my entire yard trying to get to the bulbs. I am asking gardening buddies to check out my book at Amazon.com “Diary of a Wannabe Gardener” the main character and you may have the same type of personality. No nonsense and to the beauty point of flowers. Enjoy nature and enjoy life. Can’t wait to see your spring garden pictures.
As you know, I also rip them out. I am using Menton and Queen of the Night for my single lates in the front circular beds and Wildhof and Negrita (Triumph) for containers and closer to the house.
Pale-dark contrasts in both cases.
I’m in Canada, and buy most of my bulbs from a local nursery that has a really good selection. I may order some yet from Botanus, which has a fine selection too, or from GardenImport, where I’ve gotten interesting bulbs in the past. I tend to jewelbox colours, purples and carmines and oranges and greens and blues (greens in the viridiflora tulips, blues in muscari, scilla, puschkinia and chionodoxa.) Nice contrast to the yellows of the various daffs, etc.
We usually buy bulbs at the garden centers, but this year we ordered a bunch of bulbs from Breck’s. They had one of those “buy $25, get $25″ offers going on, so we bought a bunch of blue-flower bulbs to go in our new blue garden.
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