Chris's Weblog – City Chickens

My diary from 2006

Tag Archive: bulbs

Chris's Weblog - City Chickens > bulbs

Freesia Mixed Colour Bulbs

March 11, 2017 Garden , ,

I have planted twenty Freesia bulbs today in a large terracotta patio pot. I put them into Miracle Gro All Purpose compost. I have never grown these flowers before as I had always thought them to be difficult but this year I’m giving them a try. I have bought them in the past as cut flowers and love the perfume.

Cultivation has meant that Freesias are now available in more colours than the original wild South African yellow and white ones. These delicate, beautiful and fragrant flowers now come in shades of red, pink, orange, lavender and even bicolour. Excellent long-lasting cut flowers, Freesias give their blooms an uncommon display platform by bending the flowering tips of the 1′ stalks that each support about 8 funnel-shaped flowers, about 90 degrees and presenting the upward-facing blooms horizontally. Freesia bulbs like soil that has good drainage and prefer sunny places to grow. Freesias flower in late summer and autumn.

A bit of a challenge to grow but well worth the effort, these cottage garden favourites produce sprays of fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers at the ends of arching, branched stems in summer. A favourite with the florists as they are excellent cut flowers. They look superb planted in a mix border or in patio pots. So say Crocus.com. These bulbs were planted on 11th March and today 1st April, are pushing through the soil.

Snake in the Grass – Fritillaria Meleagris

November 2, 2016 Garden , , , , ,

Fritillaria meleagris

Fritillaria meleagris –  Add plenty of well rotted manure or garden compost to the soil prior to planting to improve soil.  Plant snakes head fritillary bulbs at a depth of 4″ and 4″ apart. The bulbs are fragile so always handle them with care. Planting them on their sides will help to avoid water collecting in their hollow crowns and prevent the bulbs from rotting. Divide from August to September. Information and picture from thompson-morgan.com

I have tried to grow these lovely things before without any success. I now have fifty bulbs and have to decide where to plant them. Some plants men say that the flower is deadly poisonous. It has many common names as well as snakehead it is called lepers lily.

Grigson, in his Englishman’s Flora, calls the Fritillaria  meleagris snaky, deadly beauties, but there is little written evidence of harm.

On sunless days in winter, we shall know
By whom the silver gossamer is spun,
Who paints the diapered fritillaries,
On what wide wings from shivering pine to pine the eagle flies.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Chionodoxa – Glory of the Snow

November 2, 2016 Garden, Spring , , ,

Chionodoxa

Chionodoxa bulbs are new to me and were part of a collection of Spring bulbs I bought from www.thompson-morgan.com . I am planting them in a large pot for now but maybe next year when we remake the rockery and pond I can use them there too.

One of the first bulbs to flower in the spring, Glory of the Snow, creates a carpet of colour, naturalising well beneath trees and shrubs. These flowers also make a hardy and low-maintenance addition to rock gardens and spring patio pots where they’ll return year after year. Height: 6″ Picture and information from www.thompson-morgan.com

Oriental Lilies – Lilieaceae

October 25, 2016 Garden , , , ,

Oriental lilies prefer a moist, free draining, neutral to acid soil that is rich in organic matter. Prior to planting, add plenty of well rotted manure or garden compost to the soil to give your lilies the best start. When growing lilies in containers, use a loam based compost such as John Innes No.2. Lily bulbs should be planted at a depth of approximately 3 times their own height and 15cm (6″) apart. Planting deeply helps to protect the bulb during particularly hot periods. Choose a sheltered, sunny position where lilies will grow with their heads in the sun and their roots in the shade. Information and photograph from T&M where I bought the bulbs.

I am ready and waiting for them to arrive which I’m told will be late November. I shall put them into two large black, square planters. Well the Lilies arrived this morning November 7th. Unfortunately I have run out of compost. I have ordered some more so another wait now until it arrives. The Lilies are sitting in the fridge for now. Friday 11th November. All the lilies are in now. I divided them up between two large pots, keeping one back to put directly into the garden in the white border.

Oriental Lilies range from 2′ – 6′  and their very large flowers emit a strong fragrance when they bloom in the later part of summer. Their flowers, often freckled or lined, tend to lift outwards or to the sky, as though soaking up the sun they enjoy so much. Blooms are usually wide open, with recurved petals. Not always the easiest lilies to grow, their large fragrant flowers make it worth the effort. Oriental Lilies grow best in full sun in rich, slightly acidic, and well-drained soil; like lots of water during the growth period and some mulch to keep their roots cool. Smaller varieties of the Oriental Lily do well in containers, and all make superb cut flowers. 13th March – The lilies are a foot high already and I plan to mulch with ericaceous compost tomorrow and move them out away from the wall and into a sunnier part of the garden. I am looking forward to finding out what colours I have.

 

Rose Arthur Bell

October 15, 2016 Garden , , ,

image

I planted another of the bare root roses from Aldi in a large pot today. It is Rosa Arthur Bell, a beautiful fragrant yellow rose. I planted some yellow tulip bulbs around it. Tulip Yokohama and a few small bulbs of Brodiaea. Update: I lost this rose. I’m not sure if it was because of the weather or that I put too many bulbs in the pot with it.

Spring Bulbs – 2011

January 22, 2011 Garden , ,

I ordered some bulbs from T&M at the end of last year but so far they haven’t arrived so yesterday I was tempted to buy some from Netto. They should have been planted in the Autumn but as they were only £2 I am going to risk it. They are a collection of pinks and whites and should look good if they get established. Our garden is not the sunniest place either so they are at a disadvantage all round.

Both the tulips; Van Eyk, pink and Purissima, white, are tall varieties and so is the Narcissus Salome so they can go in the back of the rose border round the side of the house. The Crocus Ard Schenk and the Allium Oreophilum will go in the new rockery around the pond. The Narcissus Thalia will be put into the white border.