Category Archives: bulbs

attracting birds, boulevard garden, bulbs, months 01-03: winter, projects

Flower Count – day 5 – crocus

03/06/2012 svseekins 3 Comments

snow crocus in February — photo by SVSeekins

We can’t get through Victoria’s Flower Count without mentioning the good old snow crocus. They’re the true harbinger of spring. In this area they usually start to show themselves by Valentines Day. This year there were these pastel hints of them at Valentines.

I enjoy watching their dance. If a beam of sunlight hits, they open their flowers. As a cloud blocks the sunshine, they close up again. On a windy day, when the clouds are really moving, crocus can get really busy. It must be exhausting.

They look so delicate, but they’re pretty tough considering the weather they thrive in. Snow is part of their name for a reason. I’ve seen them survive a dump of snow without a shiver. As soon as the sun shows up, they’re even gutsy enough to open their bloom right then & there.

early crocus in peony bed — photo by SVSeekins

I planted some brighter colored varieties in the peony bed. The other day I noticed those were coming up, too. I’ll have to tidy up the old peony stems, to better show off these spring bulbs.

Soon enough the new peony sprouts will be reaching for the sun themselves. By the time the crocus finish, the peonies will take over the bed & give the crocus some shade to rejuvenate in through the summer

dandelions out - crocus bulbs in — photo by SVSeekins

Last fall I started an experiment trying to naturalize some crocus in the boulevard lawn at the same time as digging out some dandelion. After all that digging, the lawn looked worse for wear, but as the grass is just showing signs of growth, I’m hoping it’ll be looking better soon.

crocus sharing space with moss & grass — photo by SVSeekins

The good news is that the crocus are starting to grow too. Dividends – Yippee!

The blooms so far look pretty small in comparison to those growing in the flower beds, but there is plenty of growing season to come. Hopefully they’ll take off this first year & be even stronger next year.

C is talking about the possible need to mow the lawn. That will be another test.

In the meantime, I’m delighted to see the snow crocus. Before we know it, daffodils will follow – then it’ll really feel like spring!

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© SVSeekins and Garden Variety Life, 2012.

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attracting birds, bulbs, months 01-03: winter

Flower Count – day 4 – iris

03/04/2012 svseekins 6 Comments

I’m not spending much time outside today. There’s a chilly wind. It’s not raining, and for that, I’m grateful. I’m also grateful to be washing dishes, believe it or not. The hot, soapy water is warming my fingers. Handy.

The kitchen sink is also a handy place to stand & gaze out at the garden. When else do I take the time to stare out a window? For this reason, I’ve heavily planted this garden area with early bulbs.

Today I’m rewarded. Iris reticulata.

They’re quite small, only 4 to 6 inches high. Especially at this time of year, I’m thrilled with flowers of any size. These are bright enough to notice from my vantage point in the kitchen. Here I go again, to grab the camera & hunker down on the cold earth to get a closer look.

These are not my mother’s iris. Those have tubers running along at soil level, leaves that grow knee-high, and blooms in late spring. These miniature iris grow from bulbs, show little leaf at this point, and started to appear in late February! How can they even be related?

Mom’s iris are called Russian or Siberian iris – – maybe? I’ve since heard of Dutch iris, Japanese iris, and these Dwarf iris. Maybe there are even more kinds. Mind boggling. Either way, these iris reticulata are definitely the earliest in our garden.

dwarf iris & winter aconite — photo by SVSeekins

The deer seem to leave them alone, so I’ve also planted more bordering the driveway. That way we can appreciate them as we come & go.

Iris strike me as exotic, with such frilly petals & rich colour They seem so out-of-place in the cold. I can’t stop a big smile & I welcome them with a warm heart. Maybe I’ll stay out here just a little longer… I hear now’s a good time to feed the bulb beds with a little lime and bone meal to encourage more spring growth.

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attracting birds, bulbs, months 01-03: winter

Flower Count – day 1 – eranthis

03/01/2012 svseekins 6 Comments

eranthis - winter aconite - between pots — photo by SVSeekins

After a few months of grey, drizzly days & dark, windy nights of the west coast winter, it’s not really a surprise to find me kneeling down in the wet to confirm a tiny flower sighting.

Even though the prairies are suffering through the deep freeze, they have sunny days to lift spirits. I’m just too wimpy about snow, so I tough it out on the west coast – – and I appreciate the sunshine that bursts from a little yellow bud.

That’s probably why Victoria promotes a flower count in the first week of March each year. It might seem obnoxious to the rest of Canada, but this is how we cope with the depression of the grey skies. Sorry.

Commonly called winter aconite, eranthis has a simple little flower. It blooms even before crocus. It’s not much, but if you’re looking for action this early in the year, eranthis is a good pick.

eranthis - winter aconite - in leafs — photo by SVSeekins

Garden shops stock eranthis bulbs in September & October for fall planting. Well, it’s not actually a bulb. When I first opened the package, I was a little concerned with the small, shrivelled bits. Perhaps they’re called corms? I’m not sure, but they’re certainly not like any bulbs I know. Which side is up? No pointy tip to place up. No roots to place down.

The hole was already dug, so with nothing to lose by throwing them in, I crossed my fingers.

eranthis - winter aconite cluster — photo by SVSeekins

Happily they survived.

And the deer leave them be! That’s another win. 🙂

Hopefully they’ll settle into this new home for the long-term. I know their blooms will pass, and even the leaves will die back by mid spring, but if they’re happy with the scene, and an occasional drink, I’m told they’ll naturalize & maybe even spread a bit. That would be nice.

Isn’t it a nice idea to look forward to such welcome visitors each winter?

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