After a weekend off I knew there was a long list of jobs that needed tackling before the weather turns. So first thing Monday I went up to the plot and pulled out the cutflowers. The Zinnias, Rudbeckias and Calendulas all went on the compost heap and I lifted the dahlias to put in the shed to dry off. I’ve just left a couple of Asters because the bees are still enjoying them.
I sowed some more green manure. The packet said it was ok to sow up until November so hopefully they’ll germinate. Although the daylength is shortening and it looks like we might have a frost this week the ground is still warm so hopefully that will be enough for germination. The weeds are certainly still growing.
And then the bulb planting started. I know all the books say you shouldn’t plant your Tulips until November to prevent them getting viruses but by November the weather normally makes it difficult to work the soil. Either it’s too wet or too hard after a frost. I’m always intrigued by the idea that you should plant your shallots on the shortest day, December 21st. Firstly, who has time 4 days before Christmas to be planting shallots and secondly, and most importantly, when are the conditions right for this to happen. Personally, if I was a shallot I wouldn’t appreciate being shoved in some cold wet soil.
Also, Wellyman has had cold all week, so anticipating that I might catch it I just thought I’d make the most of a sunny day and get planting. No Narcissi this year, we have quite a lot already but there was Anemone coronaria, Gladiolus colvillei ‘The Bride’, Tulipa hageri ‘Little Beauty’, Tulipa ‘Odalisque’ and some free bulbs Tulipa ‘Ronaldo’.
I planted the Anemone at the allotment after soaking them overnight. With all the bulbs I added a small handful of grit to the planting hole. My soil isn’t particularly clayey but we do get very wet winters so I think they’ll benefit from that bit extra drainage. I also planted the Gladioli at the allotment. They are a hardy species variety which make a good cut flower apparently.
I decided to buy some of the smaller species Tulips this year. I saw a lot at Abbey House Gardens last year (a must see for Tulip lovers) and loved them. I also read that they are more perennial than the bigger Tulips and will slowly form a colony.
I do love the bigger Tulips and some do come back year after year but most, I find, start to dwindle in numbers. I know some people treat them as annuals but I can’t bring myself to spend a lot of money on them every year. So I thought I’d give the species one a try but as a bonus I got a free gift of 15 Tulipa ‘Ronaldo’ which is a deep carmine red. I don’t like bulb planting. The soil is hard work in some parts of my garden but we had some rain the previous night which made the ground more workable. But all the hard work will pay off next spring with, hopefully, a beautiful display.
I got my bulbs from Sarah Raven. She trials all her varieties and gives good informative advice in her catalogue and online.
wellywoman 
so happy to have visited, what a gorgeous selection of bulbs you’ve planted. Can’t wait to see them all next year!
So much to do – so little time. I love that little pink tulip and bought a load from Poundstretcher. I saw them last spring at Pensthorpe, where they had a rockery full of them – they looked spectacular when they all opened up to the sun.
Oh I love Pensthorpe it’s one of my favourite places. We went last September and had such a great day. All that wildlife and the beautiful Piet Oudolf garden, a perfect combination.
I planted some of the more wild type of tulips in the US – they are supposed to increase over time and were such a delight. I did find that I liked their foliage more than their more formal counterparts 🙂 I put Abbey House Gardens down to visit in the spring – thanks for the heads up 🙂 I have always wanted to go to Sarah Raven’s for an Open Day – have you been? XOL
No unfortunately not. It’s quite a distance from where I live here in Wales. We had planned to combine it with a visit to Great Dixter this summer but there was so much else going on we never got round to it. Maybe next year.
I had intended to plant some bulbs at the allotment this year for cutting for the house but I’m so behind with the allotment at the moment that I don’t think I’ll get round to it. We saw some gorgeous tulip displays at RHS Harlow Carr earlier in the year which really inspired me, but once again, time isn’t on my side. I must get myself more organised.
Glad I am not the only one to dislike bulb planting – but it all becomes worth it when you see them all pop up and flower the following year. Or so I keep telling myself… I am going to give up buying bulbs and dahlias from Sara Raven. Three years running now I have been sent at least one thing that is not what it was labelled as. Refunds are all very well, but in a small garden having the colour scheme completely thrown because what was supposed to be rich purple and deep magenta came up as shocking red and pastel pink is just too frustrating.
Hi Janet,
Oh that’s really disappointing to hear. I’ve, touch wood, never had any problems with Sarah Raven. I had problems with Crocus but I know a few people who use Crocus and have never had any problems. But I know what you mean amount getting the wrong plant and it completely upsetting a planting scheme. I bought some plants in the Spring from some plant nurseries whilst visiting family. They were herbaceous perennials that had started to grow but not flower. I wanted a terracotta colour Achillea and a hot red colour Achillea to go in my hot border. Instead when they flowered I got a pale lilac and a cerise pink! Strangely they worked ok but it was so far to go back to the nursery and 4 months later that I couldn’t be bothered. The most annoying thing was that I had spent such a long time planning what varieties to get and where I could get them from.
Eek, that’s quite a colour change! And yes, it’s when you have spent ages pondering what colours to go for and then you don’t get what you want. Glad you have only had good experiences from S.R., she does do amazingly good plant porn, and I will continue to use her catalogues as inspiration.