Do I want to spend the money on a Crown Imperalis fritillary

Mine are a few days from opening. The buds are coloured, but still closed....

About the time the buds could be seen the stem started lengthening. I do get wafts of skunk like scent on the breeze to.

Well, I have some that look very much like gemini_sage's!! I planted them to deter the voles/moles/gophers whatever they were..... I haven't seen any activity yet, but our spring has been very different than most. Very cool and very wet. So, I don't know if it's the plant or just the weather so far, but I hope the critters go away. And like others, I don't care about how they look when they bloom, I just want them to do their job!

Good luck to all,

Sanna

The area I planted mine in was full of tunnels when I planted. Now the Frits are avoided, but the surrounding area still has tunneling. I'm finding my dog more effective than the Frits, so thank goodness I'm really enjoying the look of them in the garden, lol.

gem--love the Frit pic!

So, are you finding your dog the best critter repellant for your bulb garden?

I noticed all of your tulip pics on the Spring Bulb thread and wondered how you kept the critters away so effectively in the woodland setting? (Didn't see two eight foot tall fences to keep the deer out but did see the little white paws in one photo!)

Mine are just about in full bloom and they are gorgeous!

I have some ideas now of what to plant as companions for the Fritillaria. My daffodils have bloomed at the same time as the frits and what a nice picture they present. "If I'd known then what I know now"...I'd plant clumps of no less than 3 Crown Imperials along with the white daffodils that have the short yellow trumpet edged with red-orange (sorry, I don't know the name of mine) and mix in some grape hyacinths in between. I have all these plants but unfortunately didn't see far enough into the future to plant them all together.

In my garden I have Tradescantia (Spiderwort), Columbine, and Hardy Geranium (Cranesbill)coming up near the frits and daffodils so that area will be covered with the foliage from the perennials when the bulb foliage begins to fade.

Re the mole problem. This year I have LOTS of moles in my yard (GRRRRRR) *however* NOT in the areas close to where I have the fritillarias planted. I'd have to say, based on my own personal experience, that the frit bulbs DO indeed deter the moles. But a "few" bulbs don't do the trick for the entire the garden. (Maybe I'll plant castor beans! They most definitely kept the moles from the old main mole tunnel last year. hehehe)

~julie~

How deep do you plant these, mine started coming up but only got about 4inches tall with a couple of small flowers and started dying back.
I plant about 6 inches deep. Of course they did come from Wal-mart that could be the problem.

Did you plant them on their sides? If you plant them the way it looks it should be planted, there is a depression in the top of the bulb that can hold water and this can cause the bulb to rot.

Yeap! 6 inches deep on their side.

I planted them tilted also; have been in the habit of planting lilies that way for a long time. I'm not sure what the deal is with deer. The woods around here are pretty lush, so I suppose they already have plenty to eat. I'm sure Sophia (who's white paws you saw) keeps them away a lot of the time, but she sleeps inside. So far I've only had "taste testing" issues, no total destructrion. I think I've seen 2 or 3 tulips nibbled, but people who live in the neighborhoods of down town Morehead (that's a laughable phrase!) can't have hostas or daylilies at all for the deer.

Their blooming! After reading so much about how hard it is to get them to bloom, i am so excited to see them. This is their first year. Some are in full bloom, a few others are not quite there yet.

Another pic.

One more.

Lovely! Looks like you've got the touch.
Tam

tombaak--

A really Impressive Crown Frit Garden! You really have the gift! t.

Thank you!

I think mine will not bloom this year, they have no buds forming at all. :(

Boy they are fleeting though. Mine have been in bloom a bit over a week and they are looking past their prime.

What does the foliage do when the flower is done? Should i dead-head it?

Tombaak,

As with ALL bulbs, leaving the foaliage on the plant to naturally die back (yellow out) returns energy to the bulb for next year's bloom. Never be tempted to cut off the wilting leaves! I know dying back bulb foliage can be sad to look at, but the whole process takes only about 6 weeks.

Cutting off ONLY the spent blooms is OK.

Gita

I know not to cut off the dying foliage, and don't even mind the look. I just wondered about the dead heading part. It is a pain to do, and i only do it when necessary! lazy....