We know and adore tulips, but there are lesser-known heroes of the garden that could use a little love as well. I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorites.
The irises in the All Aflutter Blend are short, very early, and generally of little interest to deer.
Honey, Who Shrank the Irises?
The Iris reticulata bulbs that make up the All Aflutter Blend are early to rise in the season, surprising my non-gardening friends with irises just as spring is breaking. They sometimes appear so early as to coincide with snow, forming welcome clusters of plum, purple, white, and almost sky blue flowers among later-rising perennials. Like many early bloomers, these irises are on the short end of the spectrum, so they can be planted in the lawn and allowed to naturalize, as long as you wait to mow until their narrow foliage, which rises a foot or more after the flowers fade, turns yellow and collapses. Their perfect miniaturization of the beloved iris flower would also be welcome in a rock garden, as they don’t require much water once established. They can, in fact, be planted anywhere your heart desires (as long as there is lots of sun and it’s not consistently wet) since they are deer and rodent resistant (but not proof), much like their taller brethren.
Your Spring Forecast: Blue Sky and Fair-Weather Clouds
How many blue-leaning purples have you seen marketed as blue in the hopes of swaying you? The Celestial Chionodoxa Blend features a genuine blue, a color treasured by gardeners because of its scarcity, and a pure white. The bulbs are best planted in a liberal drift so the delicate early-spring blooms can blanket an area in their calming blend of azure and white. They would be beautiful, for example, banking a driveway or path in full sun or light shade. Because the bulbs are small, they only require a 3-inch planting depth. This means you can scatter them over a raked surface and then top dress with a generous helping of compost and mulch, making planting a large grouping a less arduous chore. And if you lack a deer fence, no worries: Chionodoxa are also deer and rodent resistant, which means you can use them almost anywhere. A river of blue and white flowers could be in your future.
Your Spring Forecast: Blue Sky and Fair-Weather Clouds
How many blue-leaning purples have you seen marketed as blue in the hopes of swaying you? The Celestial Chionodoxa Blend features a genuine blue, a color treasured by gardeners because of its scarcity, and a pure white. The bulbs are best planted in a liberal drift so the delicate early-spring blooms can blanket an area in their calming blend of azure and white. They would be beautiful, for example, banking a driveway or path in full sun or light shade. Because the bulbs are small, they only require a 3-inch planting depth. This means you can scatter them over a raked surface and then top dress with a generous helping of compost and mulch, making planting a large grouping a less arduous chore. And if you lack a deer fence, no worries: Chionodoxa are also deer and rodent resistant, which means you can use them almost anywhere. A river of blue and white flowers could be in your future.
Unusual, Delicate, Distinctive
Snake’s Head Fritillaria is relatively short in stature but large on charm. The improbable geometry of its checkered blooms is sure to draw attention in the early-spring garden if the bulbs are planted near a pathway or along the side of a garden stair to bring the flowers, which dangle from 10-12” stems, closer to eye level. It’s such a wonder to see something natural that has such precise markings, as if it were gridded out. Snake’s Head aren’t normally browsed by deer, making their demure, mostly rosy-maroon blooms (with an occasional white chiming in) an easy add tucked beneath shrubs in part sun. A well-drained soil that is high in organic matter will help this plant keep going, as it doesn’t want to dry out excessively during its summer dormancy.
And Now for Something Completely Different
Crown imperials are also fritillarias, though their height (3’) and form will have you wondering. Their blooms are orange-red or yellow and downward facing below a thatch of spiky foliage that definitely draws attention. They have a distinctly skunky aroma, which keeps animals away but might not be appreciated if it wafts in through your kitchen window. Crown imperials are an unusual and striking choice for slightly later in spring and can be interplanted with early-flowering tulips like Best White to give a dynamic, two-tiered display. They need a sunny spot and fertile soil to bring them to their full glory. Some people plant the bulbs on their sides to prevent water from collecting in the divot on top; well-drained soil is definitely recommended. Even then, these are not the longest lived of bulbs. Still, I mention them because they are hard to beat for wow-value. Give these rock stars a chance to blow you away with their unusual presence.
And Now for Something Completely Different
Crown imperials are also fritillarias, though their height (3’) and form will have you wondering. Their blooms are orange-red or yellow and downward facing below a thatch of spiky foliage that definitely draws attention. They have a distinctly skunky aroma, which keeps animals away but might not be appreciated if it wafts in through your kitchen window. Crown imperials are an unusual and striking choice for slightly later in spring and can be interplanted with early-flowering tulips like Best White to give a dynamic, two-tiered display. They need a sunny spot and fertile soil to bring them to their full glory. Some people plant the bulbs on their sides to prevent water from collecting in the divot on top; well-drained soil is definitely recommended. Even then, these are not the longest lived of bulbs. Still, I mention them because they are hard to beat for wow-value. Give these rock stars a chance to blow you away with their unusual presence.
Camassia is one of the few spring-flowering bulbs that doesn’t mind wet feet.
Wet Soil? No Problem
Camassia have me diverging from early-spring suggestions (they bloom as the late tulips are finishing) because they are a lifesaver for a moist spot. Consistent moisture can be the death of bulbs. These winsome plants don’t mind moisture and, in fact, require some level of water through the summer to keep the colony strong. Tall (3’ or more), and with delicate, blue-leaning lavender flowers that will steal your heart, Camassia blend beautifully with many color schemes. They would make a good choice near a sunny pond or stream side, accompanying other moisture-loving plants like Hosta ‘Sun Power’, blue cardinal flower (Lobelia siphlitica), and Chinese globeflower (Trollius chinensis). Camassia can make that damp dip or difficult-to-mow streamside a star instead of a problem.
Tuck in some surprising moments for yourself, tackle that troublesome wet spot in your garden, and extend your season with delight and color. There’s always room for one more plant.
