Bulbs - My 2010 selections (well, at least some of them)

Last weekend, I bought a few bulb types at the Lambrigg Plant Fair, and I plan to plant some this weekend (except the Tulip - I will keep that til Anzac day). Yesterday, I moved  all of the pots of bulbs from last year's plantings from under the shade/dry of an Elderberry, where they had been for the summer. I immersed the pots in water for a while, top-dressed them with bulb fertiliser, which I then scratched into the crushed brick topping that I use to keep the bulbs cool, and rewatered. Today, I will move them to shade (for shade lovers) or sun - a couple of types are up already!

The illustration in this blog comes from on-line images of the  rare books collection at Missouri Botanic Garden Library (Also see Botanicus, the Missouri Botanical Garden's digital library portal,).

Over the years, I have lost countless small bulbs in the garden, so now-a-days, I plant them in pots, at least for the first year or two. I use terracota. The modern experts say black plastic is better, but I think this may be the case in cold climates. Here in Canberra, I think the terracotta works well ,with the planting topped with crushed brick to keep cool and reduce weeds (terracotta breathes, black plastic may overheat in late Spring) and the bulbs in pots moved to a cool dry spot over summer (at least that's what I tried this year, Spring will see if it worked!)

Some of the 2010 bulb purchases (Lambley)

Ixia paniculata comes from South Afrlca and grows on damp sandy soils . Needs room (avoid crowding) with max sun and bulb mix soil diluted with sand and some blood and bone (Ref), and a risk of weediness in Western Australia. Pictured in the ABC Gardening Australia bulb profiles.

Ixiolirion tartaricum, the blue Altai lily or Tartar lily,  a native of western Asia from Turkey and Eqypt East to Siberia and Mongolia according to Philips and Rix Bulbs. (Curiously, my Google for this bulb only gave two entries! but a lot under the common name see here). The Lambley label says it is rare in Australia, but easy to grow in hot dry spots (another post says perfect drainiage, and very dry summers, and protection from excessive wet in winter), while elsewhere it says plant at 5-10 cm.

Muscari ambrosiacum. (Pictured left) Lambley label says sun or light shade and can take summer dryness!


Muscari macrocarpum . Lambley label says grow in a spot that is sunny in winter and dry in summer. Fragrant grape hyacinth (bulb bigger than common grape hyacinth).  Native to the Aegean region of Turkey and Greece, growing at 10 to 800 m on mountain rocks and flowering in early Spring (ref)

Tulipa neustruevae The Lambley label says they're from the Tien Shan and Pamir Altai mountains and from relatively warm areas so may also suit Melbourne gardens (as well as Canberra natch) plant in sun or light shade and takes summer dryness! The web says plant 10-20 cm deep in early autumn with blood and bone or bulb booster round the planting hole and in mostly sand to some clay soils. I always think it is good if there are bulbs that can be planted deeper than the usual garden digging! See pic from "Dig the Dirt'...

I'll report progress later in the year!