Summer Bulbs - Pictures and Discussion - Part I

Full shot

What did I say, "I hope mine looks as good as yours".

Well, what do you think?? I love it!

Ismene Sulphur Queen, at least 6" across! Woops......

Wow, that's stunning!

pic for photo contest!

Absolutely!

actually, Moby, your pic of the bulb is also photo contest material. that is HUGE!!!!!!!

LOL Maybe if they have a section called 'Freak Show'.

now there's a category: Freaky Gardening

Wallaby, It looks like you have 2 Winners there. Beautiful.
Moby, thanks for posting the Fasciated Lily. I had never heard of such a thing.
I don't generally visit 'plant specific' forums, too many - not enough time.
That's why I like this type of thread with a theme.
Andy P

It does seem to be a year for freaks, notice the Ismene still has 5 petals, even though it's not in a typical circle!

I also have the Calla Gem Lavender with 3 leaf spathes which I also find beautiful, and one which should be Calla Black Forest. It had a small bulb on the side nearly detached so I planted that separately, not sure if it's the main or small bulb, but one has a tall thin, wavy leaf with a small creamy yellow flower spathe, also wavy and a red flush has gone over it, the top with mottling and darker edging. It's now making another spathe. The other one has one normal, spotty leaf but small.

My freak show line up

Dahlia Le Baron, just planted in the new bed, and opening today.

wallaby, thanks for the freak show. name of fern to the right of the calla, pls
dahlia: gorgeous

Fern is Asplenium scolopendrium crispum 'Moly'

As far as summer bulbs go, lilies are stealing the show here. Here's a link to the thread of what I've got blooming now.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/616736/

Good leagues, Moby. I thought that Lily steroids were banned?

Freaks indeed.

Tam, Your lily looks like all of the 'Cancun' pictures I have seen. I bought some from B&B because Iliked it so, but this is what I got:

Wallaby: total Hieght of Eremurus?
And do Tree Dahlias ever bloom in your climate?

L. 'Centerfold'

Banned?? NOW you tell me!

Centerfold is a doll. :)

That' swhat all the pro baseball players said too...
(Both things you said)

Kenton, Centerfold is stunning.
Andy P

Yes Centrefold certainly beats my expectations, I saw a catalogue picture and didn't believe it! Well wonders never cease!

The E. Tropical Dream is supposed to get to about 44", but mine is now around 4'8" with 1/3 or so of flowers open, the top buds are close together so I imagine it would go higher.

Dahlia imperialis has flowered in the dome at Eden, also at Kew Gardens in a hot year I hear, but I haven't seen them personally. My mother grew one many moons ago in Aussie. Like huge bamboos with drooping flowers atop. I am going to give it a good bash, (not the plant), it's next to a south wall but on the edge of north east so gets winds too. I can build a cover for it! Flowering is triggered by shortening daylight or temperature or both, and if we get early frosts then it's a goner. In the write-up for junglegardens catalogue he stated as he was writing on October 14th that his was 14' tall and had flower buds. I know we had a hard frost to -5C on the night of the 16th, my Fatsia japonica flowered in all it's glory first time ever on that day, and was only part open, it mushed. If we happen to have a mild autumn like we did some previous years, it can be reasonable until a week into December.

One of my own grown from offsets off a freebie, there were three original this colour and they are dwindling but mine are bigger than ever. It is a prolific offsetter, I grow them on in a tub for 2 years and they start to flower. This particular red is redder than the others, the sun was shining but it was shaded, and colour spot on. I think it's Monte Negro, this pic loos just like it

http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/image_browse?query='Lilium%20Monte%20Negro'&first=&last=&imgurl=http://www.cactuz.org/randi/loeker_files/monte-negro-stor.jpg&refurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cactuz.org%2Frandi%2Floeker.html&width=600&height=450&requestId=6a524bc035898016&clickedItemRank=4&encquery='Lilium%20Monte%20Negro'&page=

I have a some yellow too from the same lot, with a nice green glow in the eye. The colour also is spot on, so rich.

the red one is awesome

It is a strong grower too, 22 buds on one, it's second year in the ground and they are all strong. Last year they were as good.

Glorious.

Here is my Lollipop with 18 flowers on it Tuesday, I counted 25 today.
This all started from one bulb 5 years ago.
Andy P

Spectacular! They are certainly a good show. It looks like it's a good increaser too. Perhaps time to divide bulbs, or they may start to crowd each other out. I'm a little lazy when it comes to that.

I was going to divide them last Fall, I forgot, LOL.
Andy P

Wowza Andy! That is certainly a show.

My "little guy" is now in peak bloom. Yes Kenton - I think it is Cancun (I did buy some a couple
of years ago).

Tammy, your mailbox. Is that a "Donna Dewberry" design?
I was thinking about my mailbox today.
It is surrounded with Stella D'Oro.
Andy P

Andy - you are correct! I bought her book & paint and did the mailbox. I probably
over did the decorations but that's how I do everything - too much. LOL Here's
another picture since you asked about it.
Tam

T, is there no end to your talents????????

You are sooooo kind. I would never had even tried this had not my DH actually listened
to my ramblings once about how it would be fun to paint a mailbox. He bought me this plain
mailbox for Christmas. I was thinking "omg...what was he thinking!" and must have let it
show 'cause he reminded me that I had wanted to paint one. Well - that Donna Dewberry
is a miracle worker. And I really enjoyed doing it.

Tam

Tammy it is you who is the miracle worker, the book, and your husband, were the enablers! I love it!

Tam, your mail box is SOOO cute!

Tammy, That looks fantastic. Donna D. and her 'One Stroke' painting method is lots of fun.
I've been a fan of hers for a few years. I'm an interior painter, plain or faux. One Stroke work is included in my portfolio.
I did my mailbox 3 years ago. I wasn't comfortable painting flowers on it (I grow enough as it is), so I did a 'Lighthouse' scene. Then I planted a bunch of Stellas around the post.
You can see my new perennial bed in the background, top right. A new house is going up next door.
Andy P

What a talented bunch we have here! Nice job there Andy! Do you suppose the lighthouse will stop cars from bumping your letter box? I love the effect with the daylilies.

I can see you have a nice stone edging on your new bed.

The wonderful Allium christophii..

Is that a Liquidambar, Andy?

Lost the name on this.

Kenton, I don't understand. Liquidambar?
Andy P