THE BULBS ARE HERE

On Sunday I took a trip to Vanderwees to check out the fall bulbs.

Usually I buy Darwin tulips from the bins but, alas, no Darwins in the bins, only Triumphs. Darwins are the hardiest tulips for fall planting in the North. They are tall big-headed plants in many colours and, in other years, Vanderwees has offered two or three varieties in bins, running about fifty cents (or less) a bulb, significantly cheaper than the packaged Darwins which can cost up to a dollar a bulb.

Triumph tulips are shorter (usually) and good for forcing. This year I am concentrating on hyacinths for forcing and so I purchased a four-pack of Delph Blue. Nothing can surpass the gorgeous colour of blue hyacinths or the scent. A hyacinth makes a good, long blooming gift unlike tulips which pot out quickly. Hyacinths are not cheap and run about $1.75 a bulb.

Lily tulips intrigue me. They usually bloom late in long pointy flower heads. I bought a pack of sixteen mixed colours. ($9.99 or about 65 cents a bulb). These are fairly short tulips at 20 inches and so will probably come in at 15 inches in our climate. Unfortunately, lily tulips seldom return in future years – a one-off plant..

My main aim was to get allium gigantium bulbs. From experience, I know these sell out fast. This ornamental is a must for northerners. In the early spring, before most perennials have gathered themselves together, a tall flower spike emerges reaching 100 centimeters of more. Pale purple florets create a flower head bigger than a soft ball and long lasting too. I planted my first alliums in 1992 and they are still alive. Every year I add a bulb or two. The bulbs are not cheap. Vanderwees has them on sale for 4$ each, the best price I have seen for a while. I have seen prices as high as $8 a bulb. I bought four bulbs at this good price. I will set them at the back of the perennial bed with a good deep stake to mark the spot. Tip: There are many different types of allium but only the variety “gigantium” creates the tall spikes. Other alliums are floppy short things.

Vanderwees’ flyer advertised blue poppies, an intriguing idea and I bought a package of twenty-five ($6.99). I’ll plant then in a big clump and put another strong stake to mark the spot.

My final purchase was a pack of muscari also called grape hyacinth. I love the little bulbs and the blue muscari are as reliable in spring as the mosquitoes. This new variety, Spring Smile, promises flower heads a little larger than usual.

Vanderwees threw in a pack of King Alfred daffodils. I usually have zero luck with daffs, even this old-timey variety. However, this year, they go in deep, deep with a good mulch of leaves.

But for now, the bulbs go into the cold room until mid October. It is still too warm to plant them

Tip: When marking fall plantings use a strong stake or short metal pole and hammer it in. Keep notes of what stake marks what. The frost ejects plastic plant markers and the north wind erases written labels.