October 2010 Newsletter from Mary's Garden Patch

Why plant Bulbs? I (obviously) love the flowers that bulbs produce. They’re so sweet when they pop their heads out in the Spring. Just when you have the Winter doldrums in the North we see the Snow Crocuses peeping out of the snow, the Snowdrops (Gallanthus) and the early Daffodils like February Gold. Here in Texas I seldom see any flowers peeking out of the snow (we don't usually get snow), but it’s not uncommon to have Paperwhite Daffodils blooming in the flower beds before Christmas, cheerily greeting my family and friends who arrive.

So, what are some of the charms of planting flower bulbs?

• Even those with brown thumbs can be successful at bulb growing, the amateur gardener as well as the skilled horticulturalist.
• The next charm I’ve already mentioned – what fun to see flowers in January or February, especially if you live in colder climates!
• Another is that bulbs are for the most part perennials, especially the fall-planted bulbs. You plant them once and then can enjoy them for years (although our summer types like Gladiolas may need to be dug up and stored through the Winter). Along that vein, you can naturalize bulbs – plant them at the edge of the woods or in your lawn in sweeps. Over the years they will spread and it will look like Mother Nature herself planted them for you. Daffodils are especially good for naturalizing.
• Bulbs are easy to divide and transplant. If your established patch of bulbs stops blooming or becomes crowded, simply dig them up and separate them, and plant the extras in another part of the garden or give them away. Free bulbs!
• There are numerous colors, forms and varieties of bulbs that can satisfy any garden plan, from the tiniest Crocuses and Dwarf Species Irises (Reticulata) to tall Cannas and Peonies (which are technically rhizomes and fleshy roots, respectively).
• Bulbs will grow in practically any type of soil and after planting require a minimum amount of work.
• It’s possible to have a continuous succession of interesting flowers, and the cut flowers are spectacular in the vase and tend to last a long time.
• You don’t even need a garden to grow bulbs! You can plant them in pots on the porch and have a beautiful display in the Spring or you can even force them indoors during the Winter. Hyacinths, Daffodils, Tulips, Amaryllis, as well as some others, can be forced into gorgeous bloom in just a few weeks.

Bulbs – they give so much for so little.

Check out our Clump Specials (Chicago Apache, Mary Todd, Mauna Loa and Stella D'Oro Daylilies, Royal Standard Hostas, Japanese Iris Ensata (Rising Sun), Siberian Iris (Caesar's Brother),Peonies (Festiva Maxima, Karl Rosenfeld & Sarah Bernhardt). 

We also have Bulbs by the Bushel and Half-Bushel -- both Clumps and Bushels of Bulbs are an economical way to plant drifts of blooms your yard or flower beds.  The following Bushels and Half-Bushels are available:Naturalizing Daffodils, Yellow Trumpet Daffodils, Fortune, Ice Follies and St. Keverne Daffodils, Mixed Tulips, Peonies, Bearded Iris, Daylilies, Hostas (Royal Standard & Mixed Colors), Japanese Iris Ensata (Rising Sun), Siberian Iris (Caesar's Brother), Asiatic Lilies or Liriope Spicata