Emailed March 4, 2010. To subscribe, click here.
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Friends of Old Bulbs Gazette
Old House Gardens, 536 Third St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103, (734) 995-1486
"First a howling blizzard woke us, Then the rain came down to soak us, And now before the eye can focus Crocus." -- Lilja Rogers, New Hampshire poet, 1901-1998 'Lucky Star' is Garden Gate's "Top New Bulb" for 2010 We're beaming! In its annual "best of the new plants" article, Garden Gate has named our 'Lucky Star' gladiolus its "Top New Bulb" for 2010. Spring Shipping Starts in April We're eager to start, but Mother Nature insists we wait. It's still freezing here in Michigan, and we don't want your tender bulbs to get frost-damaged on their way to you. Southern Living's Steve Bender Keeps Us Laughing (and Blushing) Southern Living's long-time garden editor is one of the funniest guys we know. Last month, he praised us so profusely in his "Grumpy Gardener" blog that we were blushing and muttering "aw, shucks" -- until we got to the part where he wrote that our hometown, Ann Arbor, is "the home of the Michigan State Spartans" and "Scott is a die-hard Spartans fan." If you follow college sports, you know he's got that exactly backwards and it's nothing to laugh about! But of course we did. Thanks, Steve, and Go BLUE! Tough Winter? Dead Bulbs? Check Yours and Restock Now! Winter walloped much of the US this year. Though the abundant snow means the drought in many areas is over and the year ahead should be great for gardening, the bad news is that colder-than-normal temperatures may have destroyed bulbs that you either left in the ground or stored for replanting this spring. Saving Local Heirlooms at the Pickle Barrel Iris Garden Some of the most exciting heirloom flowers aren't found in catalogs or gardens. They're just out there, in the wild, the last reminders of houses and gardeners that are long gone. In a small town on the shores of Lake Superior, our friend Nancy McDonald decided to collect some of these relics and display them in a living museum of local garden history. Her charming, photo-filled account of the Pickle Barrel House Historic Iris Garden -- home now to "Linnamaki Purple," "Baker Grade" (from the site of a railroad switchman's cabin), and other "noids" is an inspiring story that may get you saying, "I could do that!" Can't Decide? Try Our Easy Samplers! If you're new to bulbs, in a rush, or have a "want list" that's way too long, our easy spring-planted bulb samplers can help simplify your life. With one click you can be on your way to a summer full of antique beauty. Garden Tips for Right Now Crocus, snowdrops, and other bulbs start to emerge earlier than many gardeners realize, especially in warm spots where the snow melts first. Matted leaves and winter mulch can distort their growth, so get out there EARLY and gently loosen or remove. 'Flavescens' Transcendent: Poster Child for Heirloom Flowers Here's a photo that will gladden the hearts of heirloom flower lovers everywhere. Left to fend for itself in the weeds alongside a dirt road not far from Kansas City, pale yellow 'Flavescens' iris has multiplied without care into an endless swath of pale, shimmering yellow. Book of the Month: The Wild Garden of 1870 Updated for 2010 "One of the finest books of the year was first published in 1870." So begins Saxon Holt's recent review of The Wild Garden, William Robinson's ground-breaking work which has just been reissued in an "expanded edition" by one of the most inspired wild gardeners of our time, Rick Darke. Robinson's wild garden wasn't a natives-only preserve but rather a breaking free from traditional garden beds to plant wild and nearly wild plants in areas where they could naturalize with little care. Darke brings Robinson's ideas into the age of sustainability with 70 pages of new text and 125 photos that are both spectacular and convincing. Mount Vernon to Host Southern Garden History Conference The Southern Garden History Society returns to Mount Vernon for its 28th annual meeting, April 30-May 2. Speakers include Andrea Wulf, author of The Brother Gardeners, along with experts from the Smithsonian, National Gallery, National Herbarium, and Mount Vernon. There will also be tours of Washington's gristmill and distillery and an after-hours reception on the piazza "to enjoy the view that visitors have admired since the 18th century" with carriage rides around the bowling green and tethered hot air balloon ascents. Learn more at southerngardenhistory.org/annualmeeting.html, and while you're there check out the Society's excellent calendar of events at southerngardenhistory.org/calendar.html. Our Readers Report: Semi-Winter-Hardy Glads Many thanks to the many readers who responded to our questions in last month's newsletter: Have your regular glads survived zone-6 or colder winters? And what do you think made that possible? We're working on a web-page summarizing the replies, but it's not quite done -- so please stay tuned till next month. In the meantime, you can still email your answers to Charlie@oldhousegardens.com. Did You Miss Our Last Newsletter? Read It Online! February's articles included salt-tolerant daylilies, underplanting peonies with glory-of-the-snow, colonial farmland endangered, the country's oldest (light) bulb, and more. You can read all of our back-issues -- by date or by topic -- at oldhousegardens.com/NewsletterArchives.asp .
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Although originally introduced in 1966, 'Lucky Star' was virtually lost to gardeners for decades. Its unusual, angular form is eye-catching, but what really sets it apart is . . . it's fragrant! We're sure to sell out now that Garden Gate is spreading the word, so if you want to plant a few this spring, you'd be wise to order now.
As a result, we expect to sell out of spring-planted bulbs earlier than usual -- so please check for losses and order your replacements NOW. In April we'll be delivering:
unusual cannas (including British favorite 'Indica Purpurea'),
bouquet-fabulous dahlias,
glads for glad-haters,
antique daylilies (spidery, double, mahogany, and more),
enduringly perennial bearded iris,
fragrant tuberoses (guaranteed to bloom!), and more.
Rabbits and other animals love to eat crocus, so you may want to spray emerging buds with a repellant like Ro-pel. Check to see if you have some on hand before you need it. Tulips and lilies are two later-emerging animal delicacies that may also need spraying.
Now is a good time to wash any pots that you're planning to start dahlias or cannas in, too. Finish by sterilizing them for a couple of minutes in a mix of 10% bleach and water.