Spring Bulbs Pictures & Discussion: Part IV

Blue Jacket and City of Haarlem around basalt rocks.

I had the greatest kick out of this today. I didn't even see the sneaky thing break ground. I feel it is awfully early. Fritillaria verticillata. When it is bigger, it is supposed to climb with leaf-tendrils. No joke!

Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty.' yes, it si really that color! This blue does one of those heart-pounding things to me. I'm glad I have 100 of them in this area, but I think I need more.

Last one. The rock heated garden. I am disappointed that the tulips on the right will not be blooming this year. (Their previous location was sapped by the neighbor's willows' roots.)
I finally figured out what the big leafy thing in the middle is. (I had thought it was an Orienpet Lily until one of its counterparts popped up in the greater garden.)

The first person to guess correctly (Genus and Species) will get a plant/bulb/seeds of their choice. Seriously. I'll mail you and tell you what I've got.
Keep the pictures coming, K. James

Lovely photos, Kenton!

Hmmm.... I'd have guessed Oriental or Orienpet lily too! LOL I'm guessing blind here since I haven't seen what they look like coming up, but.... what about a Crown Imperial? (Fritillaria imperialis) I can see where you might have planted one there to protect those tulips from marauding voles! :-)

Kenton I will guess the thing in the middle is Fritillaria imperialis. I don't yet have one but it just has that 'top knot' look. critter has already guessed that so I'll go eith the variety lutea.

Nice colour scilla, I have lots of bluebells but not sure which they are. You look like you're having sunshine there, I've forgotten what that is! We had a 'warm' day today, 42F, up from 37F! it's still cold until the end of the month, then April mostly has it's early cold spell.

I do have some tulips showing buds! I had some double Mount Tacoma and Lilac Perfection that got eaten or just 'went' but some are back! Must have been offsets.

I have Stresa and Johann Strauss, some making buds but not sure which is which as they are mixed

I agree with Wallaby.

I weeded out my rocky hillside today - lots of bulbs starting their way up on the
lower area. The upper area is covered with scilla, crocus, and anemone blanda.
I have pictures in the digital camera - will post the best tonight.
Tam

here are my beautiful Pipits. All 10 or 15 that I bought came up. Can't remember who I got them from. I am delighted in the extreme. Next year I hope to plant some white ones right next to them, for some interesting daff contrast.

Oh - so cute! I love the reverse colors.
Tam

I do too Tammy. right next to the daffs, I have planted a yellow lantana with variegated (green/white) leaves and a white lantana with a yellow eye, I am letting them grow together and many people commented, thinking it was the same plant "morphing" into different coloration.

I am no color echoes expert but I do love planting with color schemes in mind.

Well vossner your Pipits have arrived! Beauties they are too, that was quick from not thinking you were getting flowers! They are much prettier than the pictures we see from the sellers, if they put proper pics they would sell more!

I have a few Tulipa praestans Unicum, they are very expensive but I had to have some, I can't wait for their flowers, being a species they increase and have lots of red flowers. Their foliage is so pretty,

oh wow, I love that! (with a sigh of envy)

A lonely little primrose

I just love this! Great pics.

Here's some pic's from my new hillside garden - been digging out weeds here for
a number of years and finally got them *I hope* sufficiently under control to plant up.
First course - crocus:

And the anemone blanda just about to open:
(edited to correct my typo)

This message was edited Mar 19, 2006 7:07 PM

And some scilla blooming too

And we'll finish off with more crocus

And should we start a part V?

I have a dark, crinkly leaved primrose that was here when we moved in 8 years ago, it has very dark maroon flowers, and always grows well with lots of flowers. It's just starting to flower and leaves increase later. The flower is much darker than the pic shows

Love the foliage on that one too, wallaby.

It got lost in cyberspace but has landed safely! Yes the foliage is great when it gets going, I should replant it and mulch etc to give it a boost, the weather gods say I can't.

Tammy your bank is coming along really well, lots of colour showing now. What do you have to follow the spring bulbs?

One more the Tete a tete opening more! such a dull day the yellow melted into itself.

WOW! More great photos! Vossner, those little Pipits are *adorable*!! And I love Wallaby's deep red primrose.... yummy! Tammy's hillside garden is lovely.... and can you just imagine it in a couple of years when those crocus start coming up in bouquets!?!

I have just two brave little crocus and a few dutch iris leaves showing right now.

I'm sad because I had to dig up all of my bulbs and move them to pots (after I took pictures).

Katlian it is very pretty! Does it have a name?

Nothing special, just generic spring crocus from the hardwear store. I'm glad something is blooming because it seems like winter will never end.

My hillside has all sorts of sedum & daylilies plus a few dianthus. I've also planted tulips,
asiatic lilies, frittilaria imperialis, anemone, oxalis (? forgot the species - pink & recommended
by Todd Boland). There are some wallflowers near the road end. There are also a few
small penstemon (hirsutis) and I'm addding more this year. (smallii too). I've got more
diathus and a variety of helianthemum going from seed to plant up there. On the other
side of the garage, the hillside has a variety of conifers, mum's, shasty daisy, daylilies,
fothergilla, azalea & a dwarf crape myrtle. And lots & lots of rocks.

'Twas a Frit. imperialis. But the species, nothing fancy. I want to see if I can get seeds from them.

Tammy: Great job on the planting/rockwork. Would you describe the Anemone as a true blue?

Wallaby: Smashing colors,(Primula) have you tried the ID forum? I want to know. Badly. (I just dug a sunken, wetter area...) I can't wait to see your photo-finesse wrapped around a picture of the T. praestans.

Katlian: I'll bet your #2 is 'Blue Pearl.' It is pretty unique. Why do you have to dig them?

Voss: Don't underestimate your growing abilities!

K. James

kenton - yep. The anemone blandas come in true blue, pink & white. I've got an area with white anemone
and red species tulips. The timing wasn't quite right last year but I'm hoping after a year to settle in that it
works this year. They are emerging now... maybe another 1-2 wks and we'll see.

I just love this time of year.. so much anticipation of beauty to come!
Tam

Lapeirousia laxa flowering in Northern Florida.

Now THAT is pretty. I love the color and the form!

barksy, that is lovely! Is that a species of freesia? I think I saw them offered from Brent&Becky's in fall.

Frittialaria imperialis, 2 sprouts from 1 bulb! Now if the other 2 bulbs will just show up.

Tammy your hillside sounds like it will be a perfect combination, I can picture it, but don't forget the real ones! My anemone blanda is on a bank and they have increased really well, set lots of seedlings but moles dig the whole area up so some will be lost, but they are thick. They were supposed to be a mix of pink, white and blue but only 1 white and shades of blue, 1 really good violet one amongst them. They are opening today too, when fully open they are a sight. Promised sun for next 2 days and slightly warmer, early to bed so I can get some work done!


Kenton I might try the primula on ID when it gets bigger, the Wanda hybrids are similar but this just keeps going. Want the true colour of it, more a ruby red, keep trying! Some shades just won't work.

Good start on your Fritts Neal! I have read they can do well if the conditions suit them, I think that included some shade, good luck!

Katlian are you moving? I did advise someone on moving their bulbs no long ago.

barksy I bet that Lap is a tender bulb, very pretty!

vossner is the tulipa praestans Unicum available there? they were in a catalogue I used to get but no longer do, but I found these at my local.

Neal, that was a Freesia at one point, but you know taxonomists; fickle people.

That is one grand thing about Frit. imperialis, when it divides, it's not babies, it's another blooming size plant.

I think Scheepers carries Tulipa praestens v unicum. No, another subspecies:
http://www.johnscheepers.com/catview.cgi?_fn=Item&_recordnum=5653&_category=Tulips:Species

B&B has both:
http://store.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/search/search.php?section=title&criteria=praestans

Kenton

They are cheap! 10 for $7, they are about £1 a bulb here. the pack I got was 6 for £4, I think, one was rotten so made them £0.80 each, that is $1.40 or twice the price!

Going to have to try Fritt imp next year...

I know what you mean about taxonamists Kenton; I've known Spanish bluebells to be listed as 3 different genera now. Guess that's when it becomes easier to just use a common name (although I thought that was what they were trying to avoid,lol).

I really love that primula Janet. So many of the really gorgeous, large flowered varieties, like yours, don't like our summer heat. But I have seen double forms of P.vulgaris (which grows happily here) in pink and blue from Garden Crossings.

I'm so excited about the Fritts! Have only seen them in pics, so if I see blooms I'll be doing the big happy dance. From the info I've read, the spot should be perfect for them. They have 50 muscari planted over them; I'm in to purple and orange these days.

Still got crocus in big bunches, not opening though, sunshine tomorrow so they should!

This bunch, a bit blurred , is from one bulb planted 4 years ago and has 32 flowers on

Fantastic multiplication, wallaby - very impressive! You have the nicest crocus clumps.