amaryllis in bloom

The first of my 5 amaryllis bulbs is in full bloom now. A very nice one.

amaryllis bulbs sprouting in a south facing window

I bought 5 really nice looking amaryllis bulbs a few weeks ago, mail order from Sheepers. It was a good price for 5 big bulbs, unlabeled - so I don't know which is which. I think a couple are not going to make it :-( But one or two are sprouting well in my south facing window. Not the best success rate, but I will wait a while longer and maybe more will come along.

planting fall bulbs

I finally got time to plant my fall bulbs. About 50 white daffodils (Mount Tacoma, Thalia, Professor Einstein and Sweet Love) for the back yard and 50 very early tulips for the front. Also some muscari and snow drops.

To plant them, I first lay out piles of what I want to plant in the grass along the garden. The big ole squirrel followed me around and I caught him stealing and eating a couple bulbs. I think he enjoys posing for my photos now. Squirrels don't usually eat these types of bulbs, so I doubt he will bother digging for them. My fingers are crossed!! It is almost impossible for me to plant crocuses and small shallow tulips with the greedy squirrels here, but daffodils, hyacinths and deep tulips are usually OK.

My other fall tasks of the past weekend included digging my dahlia tubers and raking the rapidly falling maple leaves. I'll add a separate post about those leaves because I really like to 1. use a rake and 2. pile them in the garden during the winter.

paperwhites

These are opening much faster than I expected. Its only been 8 days!

paperwhite bulbs

I just started these bulbs my brother gave me. It takes 4-8 weeks from starting til blooming.

garden surprise - a saffron crocus blossom

What a surprise in the back garden today! A stunning saffron crocus. I planted a few of these fall blooming bulbs many years ago and they never fail to startle me. The stamens are an unreal intense piercing orange. A color all of its own. And the blue petals are so gentle in contrast. Soft and quiet with a fine pattern. And all this on the background of dry rustling and fall leaves. I sat and watched with my coffee cup for quite some time.

Here's where I got this: McClure & Zimmerman, crocus sativus

© Skippy's Vegetable Garden

tulipa

Last fall I planted a few species tulips and a couple daffodils bulbs in my community plot. The tulips were blooming yesterday on plot assignment day. A pretty magenta shade of red. Tulipa humilis 'Violacea black base'

tulips in my sister's california garden

These are photos my sister took of her backyard near San Francisco. I LOVE the top left one with tulips AND cactus!

My aunt sent tulip bulbs to both of us last fall. Mine are just barely starting to grow. But in CA they are in full glory - a preview of what's ahead! Its especially nice to see today - another bitter cold day in the NE. The good news is that a nice weekend is forecast. After all, March is supposed to go out like a lamb....

planting bulbs

I hope these will look pretty in my plot next spring.

daffodils

I planted a half of a bag of daffodils this year (I shared them with my parents). About 50 bulbs of "The Works" from White Flower Farm. It's a lot easier for me to buy a mix of bulbs than to pick my favorite daffodil. Here's what's blooming this week. (I'm surprised to have no King Alfred daffodils. Maybe I gave my parents all of the big bulbs.)