A box of new tulip bulbs arrived this week from Holland. John mail-ordered them months ago from the Breck's catalog when we were stuck at home. I call it the flower porn catalog. It has pages of lurid air-brushed photos gardeners can't resist! Ha.
They arrived at the perfect time. The soil is finally moist and I planted them in loose clumps, trying to avoid digging up old bulbs. And it makes a better display than scattering them around. They were chubby, healthy-looking bulbs but time will tell.
Planting bulbs in the fall is an act of faith. There they sit underground, mysteriously sprouting and growing roots and if we're lucky, a beautiful surprise in the spring as reward. Some people have problems with squirrels digging up bulbs. Our squirrels are little devils, but they don't have a taste for bulbs. Occasionally they will dig one up just to look at it.
Mr. Nguyen came yesterday and gave me an estimate for the laundry list of fall garden chores, including 2 cubic yards of compost delivered.
I suggested letting the hedge add some height to block the view of the new house. He said, "No, no, no, you let that go high and it soon cost you much money!" Sigh. Well, what doesn't cost "much money" in Seattle?
But he's right. Leyland Cypress, left to its own devices, can turn into a dreadful monster on a city lot. When I planted it, I thought that would be someone else's problem someday. Here I am.
Anyway, regarding those windows looming over our backyard. Mr. Nguyen sensibly said, "Maybe they not look in."
My gardener philosopher. Why sweat the stuff you can't do anything about?
I am here with a bulb lady who has the same feelings. Big box coming in next day or two of many varieties, mostly lilies. At least she has dug the holes.
ReplyDeleteIn my part of the world, we have a type of grass (a species of Bermuda grass) that dies in the winter and grows back from roots in the spring. Several people I know plant "bubs" in amongst their lawns because the bulbs will have sprouted, blossomed and have done their thing before the grass comes out. It's a nice spring surprise when your lawn full of dead grass sprouts crocus and nasturtiums and whatnot long about March.
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