Fall bulb planting is a special joy. The weather is cooler. Garden plants are going dormant. It’s fun to tuck a fat bulb away in the ground for winter, thinking of the tender green leaves and nodding blossoms of spring blooming daffodils, tulips or other spring blooming bulbs.
Although they are not the only source for garden bulbs, Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, Va. is a superb source for bulbs of all types. They offer free catalogs, and a plethora of bulbs that bloom throughout the year. Their website, www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com, has comprehensive information on all of their bulbs – from genus, cultivar and family names to habitat needs and other bulbs that bloom at similar times.
Here are a few bulbs that I think might be of interest for your spring beds.
“Fly Away” is an elegant, “55 mph” tulip (which means that it won’t be blown to shreds in spring winds or storms). This tulip is “lily flowered” which means that it has petals that are similar in shape to a lily. The petals are flame colored with gold and red edges. It is 18 to 20 inches in height.
Another remarkable tulip is “Portland,” which is a “Greigii” type tulip which is long and tight, not opening and closing with a wide cupped blossom. This tulip is fuchsia colored reaching eight to 12 inches in height. Portland has large, dark green leaves that are noted for their landscape value which are similar to hosta leaves in the garden.
In the Narcissus genus, check out “Centannees” and its remarkable blossom. Rather than the usual “trumpet” style blossom, Centannees has a split corona, which is like one flower stacked on top of the other. The back part of the blossom is yellow, and the front part of the blossom is orange. This bulb reaches 14 to 16 inches in height.
Almost completely opposite in style, but still in the Narcissus genus is “Chipper.” This midspring bloomer has multiple flowers on each stem that hang down with their round centers facing the ground and the other petals going straight back from the trumpet. The blossoms are pale yellow, and the plant reaches 12 to 14 inches in height.
Every flower garden must have some Dutch iris, and “Lion King” would be a great addition. Blooming about mid-May, Lion King has brown centers with tan and gold petals. The plant reaches about 20 inches in height. Dutch iris forms large clumps in the garden as it matures, and the leaves provide visual interest in the garden throughout the summer.
Questions or comments related to gardening? Contact Joleen at missourigardener@hotmail.com.