Saturday, March 19, 2016

In Bulbarella's Garden

A single split cup narcissus blooms in the sunny utility meadow near the old chimney. Somebody recently planted it there. It is a sign of a co-dependent relationship. My need for tidy creates the space for another gardener's plans for world domination.



























Bulbarella has been buying, dividing and planting bulbs on this mountain for the last thirty years.





















This is the result. Still unsatiated, bulb planting continues each season. Her sights are now set on the ever more tidy sunny utility meadow.





















The little blue specks of chionodoxa that have been increasing in numbers yearly are another result of tidy. Freed from a smothering blanket of the invasive Silver Lamium, Lamium galeobdolon, a host of minor bulbs now carpet the forest floor in early spring.

I kill the lamium in the winter when everything else is asleep.





















Freed from a smothering blanket of Silver Lamium, Bulbarella is finding plenty of bare ground inside the garden's boundaries that needs filling. Expansion has been slowed. That is the best I can hope for.





















Leaf covered ground as opposed to lamium covered ground has allowed for the spread not only of minor bulbs, but many of the native wild flowers. Beebalm is returning. I'd like to get more Bloodroot and Trilliums in the garden.





















Would you like some of these bulbs I dug up? That is how my garden was conquered. She assessed her work this week and said you have quite a few bulbs. I doubt she is satisfied.


12 comments:

Barry said...

Looks like Holland's Floriade is gradually coming to a mountaintop.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Good for Bulbarella. A beautiful mark she is putting on that mountain side.

Christopher C. NC said...

Barry I could blame Holland for this.

Lisa it makes her happy and keeps her active. At 88 it is a real blessing.

Jan O said...

I'm a new reader and enjoyer of your blog. I love the humor, the heart, the honesty, and the pretty.

Sallysmom said...

Your mom puts me to shame.

Christopher C. NC said...

Thank you Jan O. That is very nice of you to say. Glad you are enjoying your visit to Outside Clyde.

Sallysmom she spends three to four hours a day in the garden weather permitting, she has limits, and plants a couple hundred bulbs a season. It is very doable.

Lola said...

I agree with Sallysmom. Wish I could do more.

C. C. said...

Hi - Sorry for going off-topic here, but it's driving me crazy trying to figure out what your beautiful, tall grasses are ... the ramrod-straight ones by the scenic byway with the lovely, feathery heads. I scrolled through the past several months of posts but couldn't find a name. Are they shade-tolerant? I need to find some tall grasses to plant behind a big cement laundry sink I just moved to my garden. I think the grasses will showcase the sink year round and soften the hard edge. Thanks!

And P.S., I'm hoping my yellow lab won't eat them, but I guess I won't find out until I plant them. She does love grasses. :)

C. C.

Christopher C. NC said...

Lola you do what you can and that is enough.

CC the grasses out by the scenic byway are Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'. That is just one of many Miscanthus cultivars. None of them are shade tolerant. In shade they get floppy or just die out. Depending on the height you need, Northern Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, is a native shade tolerant grass.

C. C. said...

Thanks, I do have some northern sea oats in a shady spot but they aren't thriving for some reason. Maybe I'll move a chunk to the sink in hopes it will do better. Thanks again.

Survival Gardener said...

Just stumbled upon your blog and love it. I am an occassional gardener in Swain county and love seeing what you have planted. What is your elevation?

Christopher C. NC said...

Hi Cheryl. We are at 4000 ft elevation. 3500 feet is considered a transition zone of sorts where plant choices and survival begin to get more limited.