Last week I was in the garden, drenched with rain, digging in the mud with rapidly freezing fingers, and feeling suddenly hopeful. I was planting allium bulbs, and thinking about when, months from now, they would bloom. The Summer days would be long, the weather would be warm, and perhaps we’d have friends over to sit in the garden and watch the bees at work. One more Summer still, and perhaps these blooms will smile upon a populous garden party, social but not at all distanced.
As Fall darkens toward Winter, planting Spring and Summer bulbs gives us something to look forward to. It’s not too late – and many stores will be cutting prices on their inventories, and the ground around here is still mercifully unfrozen. Do your future self a favor and put some bulbs in the ground right away. Here are some resources to tell you more.
Home Gardener’s Perennials and Bulbs: The Complete Guide to Growing 54 Flowers in Your Backyard. A great brief guide especially good for beginners, with all the information you need and not a lot of extras.
A Year in My Garden, by Jacqueline van der Kloet. This gorgeous month-by-month coffee table book allows you to look ahead at the full year, and plan accordingly. The author is a world-renowned Dutch landscape artist, and really knows her bulbs!
The Plant Lovers Guide to Tulips, by Richard Wilford. Didn’t get the chance to visit the tulip fields in Mt. Vernon this year? Create your own little tulip field, in your own backyard, windowbox or pot.
Bulb Forcing for Beginners, and the Seriously Smitten, by Art Wolk. Can’t wait for warmer weather? Bulbs also afford us a unique opportunity to effortlessly grow the blooms of Summer and Spring indoors, all Winter long. This book has all you need to know.
~ Posted by David W.
Leave a Comment