Summer Bulbs - Pictures and Discussion - Part I

Getting artsy...

Sunset lit it up.

The second day, the spathe was less stiff and did some curving.

We had a heck of a windstorm after that. The palnt is like a sail on a single mast attached delicately to the corm.

If ever you were curious, here is the meristemic tissue where the stalk meets the bulb, the point from which all growth comes.

A pity, but a great photo and dissection opportunity!

The reproductive center, sagittal cross section. Notice the ostensible and showy bit of the spadix is stuffed with a cotton-like batting; mostly air. Down where the real sex happens, note the male section (top) with an interesting backing of gold tissue, and the female section below that, the immature ovaries that would become the fruit, berry-like.

The stems are also pretty interesting, how the bas of each petoile opens to wrap around the next, inner, younger leaf. Classic aroid gone wannabe-tree.

'Tinos' in a garden of a friend.

Scilla siberica seeds.

Not to forget the shortlived flowers of Arum italicum.

Kenton,

My heart just broke when I saw the severed Drac! Marvelous use of the opportunity
to dissect & investigate botany of the plant. You should be a scientist with that curiousity
and intelligence!

Great pics.
Tam

Ooooh Kenton, that is soooo cool and weird! I would have been crushed when it broke, but like Tammy, I'm impressed with how you used the oppertunity to learn more about the plant. Thanks for sharing!

Kenton, thanks for the biology lesson! Well it looks like no seed this year, next year perhaps build a fort around it? I was looking at pics of mine from last year and wondering at the goings on inside that reproductive centre, now you have answered it!

I have often thought of growing Calochortus, it was going to be on my next autumn list. I love the patterning in the centre.

great and interestings pics Kenton. so sorry about your plant.

Love your pics, as always, Kenton!

I have a dracunculus that has a single stalk with the interesting fan of leaves on it. It's looked like that forEVER. And VERY tall (over three feet). I moved it outside, but in a protected area. We'll see what happens.

Great pics, Kenton.
I know how it feels to loose a special flower to the elements, I'm on the side of a hill, very windy at times.
Andy P

Thanks all.
I bet your Drac will be fine, Kbaumle. It goes dormant for the latter half of summer, so don't worry if it goes yellow.

Certainly there are bulbs blooming in your gardens? Lilies, anyone? Iris yet in the norh? Eremurus?
K

I have Irises but I've been posting them on the Iris forum.
Some on the Photo forum, too.
Let me throw in a very old one that I snapped yesterday.
Andy P

I don't think I've posted this one. Also snapped yesterday.
Andy P

I took this at the Iris farm (Willow Bend, check them out on the internet; incredibly nice folks; free shipping and decent prices.) a few weeks ago.

The most freakish one; my favorite there:

'Hot Dogs and Mustard'

Hey - does a calla lily count as a summer bulb? I've got a huge healthy
clump starting to bloom. Note I'm in zone 6. Isn't this cool! Its survived
two winters.

tam

And a shot with the flag iris starting to bloom.

I thought I'd posted this one before, but maybe not. Allium schuberti.

Dutch iris 'Oriental Beauty'

Bearded iris 'Princess Caroline de Monaco'

Closer

Dutch iris 'Silvery Beauty' with a visitor

Another visitor!

Fireworks in Northwest Ohio! I love that allium.
Tam

JamesCO, if you like Hot Dogs and Mustard, have you looked at www.zebrairis.com

I have purchased iris from them, and they are wonderful. The couple that runs this place are hilarious also.

i love quail ale

Andy,
Your historic is at my house too. It's called Honorabile and it's date is 1840.
http://www.hips-roots.com/visitors/v-photos/vp-topframe.html

I've been posting my lilies on the Lily forum.

This one is new to me this year ~ Expression

Thanks Polly. You are trouble.
K

Lollipop Lily Line

Mass of Lollipop lilies

Gloriosa about to begin:

boojum - thanks for naming that iris for me! I have it in my front yard too!

You are welcome, mvespa. I used to live in NJ years ago and we went to Englishtown to buy stuff in a giant tag sale. Do they still have them?

jmorth, are those gloriosas in the ground in zone 5?

The gloriosas in the pic are in a large container. I have them in rhe ground as well. I prefer the container ones due to ease of overwintering and an eariler bloom.