Bulbs: Spring Bulbs - Pictures and Discussion: Part VII, 1 by wallaby1

wallaby1 wrote:
All I can say is that is a lot of great pics! boojum you are the envy of all with your double bloodroot!

bbrookrd, whatever they are they are gorgeous, I would love to have a correct ID as i think I am very tempted! I posted a pic of Salome on the 30th, they are a long lived and robust flower, not entirely pink but the colour is true, they have a soft beauty.

Neal the lathyrus vernus only grow 12" or so tall, they don't set around much, from what I have read they don't seed easily at all. They are slow to start, and don't like their roots disturbed. I only planted mine out after a year, kept them in the deep germinating pot for a year until they got going. Once in the ground they do well, those are 5 years I think as I did the bed Autumn 02. I keep meaning to collect seed, they don't make a lot, but I forget until they pop. I have 3 self sets from the pink one which I am going to plant elsewhere, haven't seen any purple yet but I know they made seed. They like it cool ,mine are in a semi shaded spot with plenty of compost around them, leaves tend to make it more alkaline and my soil is acidic, they like alkaline. Your woodland setting should suit them.
i bought mine from Mr Fothergills as 'rainbow mix', this site has the same but seed may give more variety.

http://www.terrapin-gardens.com/perennials/lathyrus-vernus.h...

While we are in the 'big' tulips, this red one has just kept getting bigger, if it opens fully it will be ginormous. It is about 30" tall.