Welcome to the first post in my 3X3 Garden Series!

Those of you with lots-o-sun and an eye for color are going to LOVE this combination! For my first “3×3 Garden”, I’ve chosen three plants that are sure to “light up” your garden spot or container. This trio consists of canna and calla lilies. These two types of plants go together as well as peanut butter goes with jelly, cookies with milk, and cheese with wine. Not only are they all in bloom approximately at the same time in mid-summer, they also complement each other in height and texture. The three amazing plants in the following gardens are the Lucifer Dwarf Canna, the Flame Calla Lily, and the California Gold Calla Lily. Allow me to introduce you to each of their great qualities:

Lucifer Dwarf Canna (4 total rhizomes)

A smaller version of its cousins (hence the name “dwarf”), the Lucifer is a perfect option for smaller scale areas as well as containers. It tops out at about 36″ tall and spreads as a normal canna would with lush foliage abounding. Its deep red petals are each edged with a thin margin of golden yellow. The rhizomes should be planted just under the soil surface as not to receive too much moisture. And yes, you guessed it, they LOVE direct, warm sun!

Flame Calla Lily (3 total rhizomes)

The Flame Calla is a perfect complement to the Lucifer Dwarf Canna both in its color and height. Its petals glow with a warm orange color, offering just small hints of yellow. As with most other garden-grown calla lilies, it grows approximately 10-16″ tall which makes it perfect for fitting around the Lucifer in a pot or in front of it in a garden. The rhizomes of calla lilies should be planted not much deeper than the cannas and, while they will tolerate a little more shade, are just as sun-loving.

California Gold Calla Lily (3 total rhizomes)

Again, a great partner for the Lucifer Canna! The brilliant golden yellow of the blooms on this 10-16″ tall calla really help to bring out the yellow on the petal margins of the Lucifer Canna. Like the Flame Calla, it fits perfectly in height next to the Lucifer and also adds a bit more of a finer texture to the garden and container.

So now that we’re familiar with these 3 fabulous plants, let’s look at how we can use them!

Garden Layout #1: Round Planter or Container

This is the perfect combination for that medium- to large-sized pot on your front step or back patio/deck. I recommend using a pot at least 24″ in diameter for the amount of plants in this collection. If the pot is standing in the open (not against a structure), place the (4) canna rhizomes in the center, leaving approx. 6-8″ between each. Be sure to just cover them each with soil and not plant too deep. If the container is located against a wall or other structure, you may want to place these taller-growing plants more toward the back of the container in the center. Then alternate the location of each of the (6) calla lily rhizomes so that the orange mixes with the yellow around the canna rhizomes. These should be spaced approx. 6″ apart. Once these are in place, feel free to fill in with your favorite yellow, orange, and red sun-loving annuals along the container margin or add some trailing plants to soften the edges of the container! *Note: Have two pots to mirror each other? Simply double the quantity of each bulbs and mirror the design in the second pot. Have 2 pots smaller than 24″ in diameter? Use only half in each!

Garden Layout #2: Mailbox/Lamppost/Statue Garden Bed

Obviously, the location of your “structure” may differ than the diagram I’ve provided, but this should give you the general idea. To soften the look of the post, plant the (4) canna rhizomes evenly spaced (approx. 10-12″ apart) around the base just under the soil surface. Then lay out the (6) callas, again alternating between colors in front of the cannas or all around them, depending on the location of the post, leaving at least 6″ between each one. These callas will look best if planted using a diagonal pattern rather than a straight line as shown in the diagram.

Garden Layout #3: Rectangular Garden Bed

This is a great application for beds which border more upright aspects of the landscape, such as the side of a house/shed or along a fence or tree line. You’ll want to place the canna rhizomes in the back, spacing them approximately 10-12″ apart. Then plant the callas, again alternating between colors, approximately 6-8″ apart in front of the cannas. Just as in the mailbox garden bed, I would recommend planting these more on a diagonal than in a straight line for a more natural, full look.

So there you have it! The first entry in my 3×3 Garden Series. Hopefully this helped to familiarize you with three spring-planted bulbs you may or may not have known much about before and also gave you some ideas on how you might use them in your landscape. Don’t have a lot of sun? Not to worry! The 3×3 Garden next week will be specially designed for you shade dwellers! Oh, and one more thing: for those of you who may be interested in trying this combo at your own home, Holland Bulb Farms has made it easy to do so! You can purchase this combination of plants for a specially discounted price in one easy click right here. Each garden combo I feature will be added in this category for easy access for all of my readers as each new post appears! Nice of them, isn’t it??

With hands in the dirt and head in the clouds,

I’ll admit it: up until a few years ago, I didn’t mess around with bulbs that weren’t hardy in my area. I only grew those plants which I knew would reliably return year after year and if I did grow anything that wouldn’t survive the winter, well, I grew it as an annual and just planned on replanting the following season. However, I soon grew tired of spending large amounts of money each year on plants and bulbs that would simply be lost to earth once the snow began to fall. It was finally when I fell absolutely head over heels for a dahlia which I grew that I decided to try the concept of overwintering some of these bulbs. I soon realized that my fear was not a legitimate one and the process was actually quite easy!

First of all, you will need to identify which bulbs are hardy in your zone and which are not. For those of you in the warmer zones, such as southern parts of 8, 9, 10, and 11, most of this will not apply. However, for anyone in the northern region of zone 8 or above, most of the spring-planted bulbs (such as dahlias, cannas, calla lilies, caladiums, begonias, etc.) will need to be overwintered indoors in order to keep them for next year. If you are unsure of your zone, simply enter your zip code here.

Once you have determined which bulbs you need to save from the winter weather, you are ready to get to work! Follow these simple steps to save yourself time and money next spring:

1. Once the leaves of the plant have yellowed or been affected by a light frost, carefully dig the bulb, tuber, or rhizome from the ground.
2. Brush off as much of the dirt as possible from the root system and place on a dry surface, such as a on top of a paper bag or screen of some kind.
3. The time it will take for the root system to dry out (or “cure”) will depend on the specific type of bulb. Dahlias, for instance will be dry in a half of day, cannas will be ready overnight, and gladiolus take a couple of weeks. If in doubt, leave the bulbs for several weeks and check them for moisture. If any foliage or dirt remains attached once the root systems are cured, remove them.
4. Once the bulbs are dried, you will want to place them in a shallow pot or tray and cover them with dry planting material, such as peat or sawdust. If you are overwintering any gladiolus, place them in a bag of breathable material but do not cover. Make sure to label your pots/bags with colors and varieties so that you know what you have when it comes to planting time in the spring!
5. Place these containers in a cool, dark location which receives good air circulation and remains dry throughout the winter. Once the threat of frost has passed in the spring, replant and enjoy them again!

Now is the perfect time to start this process for many northern parts of the country. If the idea of overwintering your tender bulbs intimidates you, maybe just start with a few and give it a shot…I’m guessing you’ll find it easier than you thought!

Until next time,

 
Have a comment to share with other readers? Feel free to post below. Have a question specifically for Bridget? Feel free to email her at bridget@bulbblog.com!

When you think of “flower bulbs” what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you immediate picture fields of tulips and daffodils, or maybe groupings of hyacinth.

While this idea of bulbs is definitely a correct one, it is also somewhat limited. Did you realize that there are actually two planting seasons for bulbs? These planting seasons are classified as “fall planted” and “spring planted” bulbs.

Fall bulbs are extremely popular and add great color to the spring garden!

Fall planted bulbs, as I mentioned earlier, are definitely the more well-known bulbs in the group. These include your allium, crocus, daffodils, fritillaria, hyacinth, iris, muscari (grape hyacinth), scilla, and of course, the tulips. These bulbs are typically planted sometime between mid-September and mid-December, depending on  your hardiness zone and then bloom the following spring. Many of these bulbs actually require a chilling period (the winter season) in order to bloom and grow correctly. Therefore, gardeners who live in Zones 2 through 7b/8 can grow these without any special care and leave the bulbs in the ground year round. On the other hand, gardeners who live in warmer climates (Zones 8 through 11) and don’t receive this chilling period naturally outdoors, need to provide these bulbs with the cool period artificially, such as in a refrigerator prior to planting every year.

Dahlias are just one of the many amazing spring planted bulbs that can add great color to your late summer and early fall garden.

Spring planted bulbs are somewhat less well-known in the “bulb world” but are just as valuable to the landscape! These bulbs include anemone, begonias, calla lilies, canna lilies, dahlias, elephant ears, gladiolus, oriental and asiatic lilies, and herbaceous perennials. These bulbs are best planted between early March and late May, again depending on the hardiness zone in which you are located and then bloom in the summer and/or fall. Many of these bulbs (with the exception of oriental/asiatic lilies as well as herbaceous perennials) are not frost hardy and therefore need protection or special care during the winter in Zones 2 through 7b/8. However, the gardeners in Zones 8 through 11 can leave most of these bulbs in the ground year-round without the worry of frost damage.

Since the spring planted bulbs are often overlooked but yet have oh-so-much to offer, I figured it might be good to review them. Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to lead you through the land of the spring planted bulbs. Each article will focus on a different type of spring planted (summer/fall blooming) bulbs, highlighting their great qualities as well as pointing out any maintenance tips that may be important. So follow me on this wonderful journey and open your eyes to this wonderful world of spring planted bulbs!

Until next time,

Have a question about when to plant a certain type of bulb or any other bulb gardening topic? Ask Bridget! Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com! If she features your question in a future post, you’ll receive a Holland Bulb Farms coupon for your next order at Holland Bulb Farms!