The Planting of the Bulbs

Like a Care Package to a soldier in a foreign land, this under employed gardener was thrilled to receive the box o' bulbs from Elizabeth's overflow as a bulb junkie and some of the freebies she receives from those currying her favor as part of the Garden Rant team.


















In this box of goodies were:
25 Tulips, most likely Miss Confection from Colorblends, possibly the Mama Mia.
30 Scilla siberica, some personal overflow I think.
20 Chionodoxa forbesii, Glory of the Snow and
50 Ixiolirion tartaricum, Lavender Mountain Lilies from Dutch Gardens Flower Power group fundraising sales program.

After a little research on the bulbs and a little scouting of the future garden it was time to plant the bulbs. I know the resident gardeners gave up on tulips long ago. When you are gardening in the wild it is pointless to try and win the battle with the varmints like voles, chipmunks and squirrels who find tulip bulbs to be tasty morsels. Even viewed as an inexpensive annual chances are good you will never see the tulips come spring.

These tulips were a gift so I had to make an effort. I planted them surrounded by what looked to be some left over deer netting.













Added a good dollop of Cayenne Pepper. Try not to get it in your eyes. It was a little breezy.














And planted them among the now frozen Daylilies in my front driveway bed as a confusion and diversionary tactic. I've read about the icky foliage syndrome too and thought the Daylilies would possibly help hide that.














Next to be planted were the Scilla siberica. I planted them along the entry of the roadside vegetable and flower garden by-pass path. It takes a lower route to the sunny utility valley meadow.














At this same path entry with the Scilla, I also planted what may be Crocus bulbs that fell out of the ground when I was at my client's garden the other day. They fell out while planting some new acquisitions for his garden. That is one of the good things about being a professional gardener. There is always excess.















The Chionodoxa forbesii went in the grassy knoll that will over time be transformed into a low growing tapestry of color and texture. It is a bit confusing not planting things in defined beds and knowing I want a new road to traverse this hillside much higher up on the hill in the future. Things can always be moved though if need be.














The Ixiolirion tartaricum also went on the grassy knoll in between the Chionodoxa and a Kniphofia I planted earlier along what will one day be a path that connects the basement patio to the future road and walks you through the hillside of color and texture.









It's a start. There is a lot of ground to cover and these bulbs barely made a dent. Hopefully they will live long and prosper and I will be able to spread them about with abandon in the years to come.














Standing there in contemplation when the planting of the bulbs was done, looking out over the now leafless terrain, the size of the space is more apparent. Just the land between my cabin and the road is a bit bigger than the entire half acre property where I gardened on Maui for sixteen years.

Thank you to everyone who has made this opportunity for me possible.