If you’re anything like me, the thought of digging up a bulb during the fall months and keeping it somewhere safe until spring is a bit daunting. Will I do it? Yes, but it doesn’t particularly top my list of fave “to-do’s”. So for this week’s 3 x 3 Garden Trio, I decided to focus on some of the best-loved perennials…plants that will keep coming back despite the icky winter weather we can get here in the Midwest (although we haven’t seen much of it this year). This is a wonderful trio for those of you who have larger garden beds located in sunny areas and are looking for some low maintenance plants to fill in over the next few years. The bright colors and varying textures of this trio play off of each other adding quite the accent to your landscape. An additional benefit of this grouping is that all three are known to attract butterflies and even a few hummingbirds!  The three amazing plants in the following garden layouts are Black-Eyed Susans, Liatris, and Fireball Monarda.

Black-Eyed Susans (5 total plant starts)

Well-known by gardeners and nature observers alike, the simply beauty and everlasting cheerfulness of the Black-eyed Susans are unmistakeable. The blooms are long-lasting whether left to enjoy in the landscape or cut to be enjoyed in a crystal vase. Growing 18-30″ tall, the foliage of this plant creates a nice mounding habit and provides an attractive backdrop for the bright orange-yellow blooms. This particular variety of the Black-eyed Susans is perfect for the “mid-height” ranged of any garden bed in a sunny spot.

Liatris (10 total bulbs)

One of the tried and truest “prairie-type” perennials, the Liatris plant is a great textural addition to this trio with its vertical flower stalks and pineapple-like foliage. The height of this plant in its maturity (topping out at 36″ tall) makes it perfect for the backdrop of any sun perennial garden. The vibrant purple of its blooms are sure to catch the eye even when used in a property line berm or garden bed. A favorite of honeybees, butterflies, and hummingbirds!

Fireball Monarda (7 total plant starts)

A smaller version of its parent plant, the Fireball Monarda couldn’t be more perfect in this garden trio. Typically reaching no more than 18″ tall, this plant fits in the foreground of this trio with ease. This plant loves just about any kind of soil and can get by with a little less water than normal. A vigorous grower, the Monarda produces bright fiery red blooms which can be seen from quite a distance. One of hummingbirds’ favorite sources of nectar!

Garden Layout #1: Rectangular Bed

The tall height of the Liatris makes it a wonderful backdrop in this rectangular garden bed layout. Space the (10) liatris bulbs evenly in a diagonal pattern along the back half of the bed, approx. 12″ apart. Place the black-eyed Susan plant starts just below the soil surface diagonally in front of the liatris a bit further apart (15-18″ or so). Arrange the monarda to then fill in the space between the black-eyed susans and the front edge of the bed, planting them again just below the soil surface. This should fill a bed approximately 40-50 square feet in area.

Garden Layout #2: Berm Bed

As I mentioned earlier, the bright vibrant bloom colors of these three amazing plants make them excellent selections for flowerbeds or planting areas viewed from a distance, such as those in a berm or along a property line. The other characteristic of these plants which make them ideal for this application is that they are all somewhat “drought-tolerant” so can stand to be watered less often…this means less time dragging the house out to those “far reach” corners of your yard! In this layout, I wanted to show how they can easily be tucked into existing planting beds to add some color to an otherwise boring part of the landscape. Again, start with the tallest plants (the liatris) in the back, the black-eyed susans in the middle, and the monarda filling in along the front. This planting layout should be viewed simply as a guide since the location of your existing plants/trees and the shape of the bed can vary greatly depending on your particular situation.

Garden Layout #3: Circular Tree Bed

This trio is ideal for planting around a tall-growing tree since the taller height of the liatris will not be dwarfed by the massiveness of the mature (or not-so-mature) tree in the center. Start by placing the liatris approximately 8-12″ apart around the base of the tree, leaving at least 8″ of space between the center of the bulbs and the bark of the tree. Place the (5) black-eyed susans around the latris in a star pattern as shown on the diagram. Then again fill in with the monarda between the black-eyed susans and the bed edge. This layout should cover a circular bed at least 7′ in diameter.

New introductions to the landscape can definitely be fun and exciting, but there is a reason why some of them have stood the test of time. Hopefully this 3×3 Garden gave you some ideas for ways to use those tried and true perennials of the “sunny garden world”. Like the others, this trio collection is available for 50% off from Holland Bulb Farms. Chick here and get started now!

With hands in the dirt and head in the clouds,

P.S. TODAY is your LAST CHANCE to enter the 2012 Homegrown Recipe Contest! We’ve received some amazing entries so far but would love to have even more! Submit yours here today before it’s too late!

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,

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.”by Robert Burns

This quote couldn’t be more fitting for me today. Some of you may remember the post I wrote back at the end of September entitled “To Bouquet or not to Bouquet” in which I described two different methods of planting. In this post, I included photos from my own planting expedition in my front yard. I planted over 300 bulbs that day of a variety of types, heights, and colors and boy was I proud of myself!

After a long afternoon of dirt and dust, digging and “troweling”, I rewarded myself to an evening of laying on the floor, playing with my girls and resting my tired muscles, all the time well-aware of the fact that I still had a bucket of bulbs sitting on the back steps waiting to be planted. This bucket of bulbs included a mixture of muscari and scilla, a beautiful combination which I intended to plant in a layer above the more deeply-planted tulip bulbs. As I lay there on the floor with crumbs of Goldfish crackers in my hair, I promised myself I would get the rest of those bulbs planted within the next day or two.

Unfortunately, life got in the way and days turned to weeks and weeks to months. It is now the beginning (almost middle, eek!) of December and I have yet to revisit my landscape. While filling the bird feeder the other day, I happened upon that bucket of beautiful bulbs and noticed something different about them: not ONE SCILLA bulb remained! The gorgeous blue-purple outer covering lay in shards all over the porch steps but hardly any resemblance of  anything “plantable”.

It’s no mystery what caused the disappearance of my scilla bulbs. We have more squirrels than you can shake a stick at in my yard (and believe me, I do!) and while they provide endless entertainment for my 17-month old daughters, I would prefer they not mess with my gardening expeditions. All of this time, I’ve known scilla to be deer resistant, which I simply assumed meant rodent resistant, too. Apparently not MY rodents. The good news is, they left the muscari completely untouched! Smart little buggers…I guess I can’t be too mad at them. After all, if I had just gotten myself back out in the dirt as I had originally intended, they might have lived to see another day. Instead, I practically spread a tablecloth on the back porch steps and lit dinner candles for them to enjoy.

So the moral of this story is two-fold. Number one: rodents eat scilla. No doubt about it. Number two: my new take on the above-mentioned quote is “The best laid plans of men often go astray because of squirrels.”

With hands in the dirt and head in the clouds,

If you’re anything like me, your yard is a constant work in progress. More often than not, I’ll get done with tending to one area of the landscape only to turn around and see a huge thistle rearing it’s ugly head in a bed I just finished weeding  the day before. Regardless of how much time I have spent in my flower beds, there always seems to be that one (or sometimes two or three area of our yard that still isn’t quite what I’d like it to be. But yet, thinking about tearing the whole thing out and starting over? That sounds way too involved. If I’m honest with myself, I have to face the facts: if it’s not a project I can get done during a two-hour period while my girlies are napping, it’s not going to happen.

The way I get over this hurtle is to think of my “garden makeover” in smaller terms. For instance, this spring I found myself staring at the front of our house, wishing I could remove the large, overgrown yews, add topsoil to bring the area up to grade, amend the existing soil, and plant the dream landscape design I’ve had in my head since the day we moved in. I found myself rather frustrated and disappointed when I realized I neither had the money nor the time for a big-scale makeover such as this. How happy I was, however, when I realized there were much smaller projects which I could afford and did have time for which made a big improvement. The following are some ideas for small ways you can make a big difference to that eye-sore area of your yard:

1. Weed, weed, weed. I know it sounds a little bit like a no-brainer, but sometimes I find myself just letting an area go, even to the point of not caring about the weeds that are growing, simply because I don’t feel it’s worth caring about. So the area may not be exactly what you want it to be, but it’ll only look worse if you allow it to be overtaken by thistles, dandelions, and clover.
   

   Add quick color with annuals

2. Mulch. It is absolutely amazing what a fresh layer of mulch can do for an area! Just the smell of freshly laid mulch is enough to put me in a good mood (ok, so I’ve never claimed NOT to be a nature freak…). One thing to be careful in this regard, however, is “over mulching”. Too much mulch can cause problems for plants by not allowing enough air and moisture to the root systems. If adding mulch will bring the depth to more than 2″ for perennial areas and 3″ for tree and shrub areas, remove the old mulch first and toss it in your compost pile before adding more.
3. Prune. This kind of goes along the same lines of weeding, but is just as important. Again, just because that planting bed doesn’t have the plants you desire or the shape you seek, doesn’t mean you can’t keep it looking somewhat cared for in the meantime. Most “leggy” shrubs will greatly benefit from a “rejuvenation pruning” by cutting it back to within
   6″ of the ground once every few years.
4. 

   Add window boxes and containers

   Plant annuals. Whether your area receives sun or shade, there are plenty of options for bright splashes of color you can achieve through the use of annuals (plants that only live one season). Sure, they won’t come back next year but they’ll make a huge impact this growing season and if you re-do the bed next year, you’ll have nothing to worry about transplanting later.

5. Re-edge. Sometimes all a planting bed needs to look a little better is a more defined edge. If you have some kind of plastic or metal edging in place, it could probably benefit from an adjustment. Dig it out and replace it. If you have a naturally-edged bed, take a flat shovel with a sharp edge or a sod knife and re-dig the boundary. Again, it is amazing what a difference this will make.
6. Add planted containers to the area. Planter boxes, pots, and just about anything else you can think of that will hold soil and plants are a fun and easy way to renovate an area. The great thing about using containers in the landscape is that they can be moved at any time (most of them) for a new look and you can change out the plants/fillers based on the season. I use the pots in the front of our house year round: redtwig dogwood branches with evergreen bows in the winter, bulbs in the spring, bright tropical annuals in the summer, and curly willow with gourds and pumpkins in the fall.

The next time you get down about that less-than-perfect spot in your landscape, take a step back and think about the little things that you can do right now to improve it. If we all waited until we had enough time and money, none of us would have anything worth looking at in our yards!

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!

Beat the Winter Duldrums: Start Planning your Summer Garden TODAY!

For those of us who live in “cold winter” areas, as Begonia and I do, right about now the snow is beginning to “lose its luster”. The holidays are over with nothing left to look forward to but another several months of wet boots, red noses, and frozen car doors. So why not bring the spring and summer INTO your home by starting your “summer dreaming” a little early this year?!

Did you realize that many online as well as catalog bulb and perennial companies have already started accepting pre-orders for spring planted items, such as cannas, callas, dahlias, and assorted perennials? You can be far ahead of the game just by beginning to plan now and making your selections before the spring rush begins.

So you may be wondering: how do I even begin to decide what I want to plant this year? Even though this may seem like a daunting task, planning your garden should be one of the most fun and enjoyable things you do! Make it easy on yourself this year by following these easy steps:

1. Decide on a location. Pick a spot of your yard that you feel needs “extra attention”. Or perhaps for you it’s simply your favorite raised planter or decorative container. Have a specific project, such as a flowerbed around your mailbox or in that shaded part of your already existing garden? Perhaps this is the year you want to tackle it! Whatever you do, don’t “over-commit” yourself. Doing so will only leave you tired and frustrated. Have the courage to a pick a slightly smaller project and do it WELL rather than taking on more than you can handle and leaving yourself disappointed by the results.
   

   Let your imagination bring the warm weather to you even on the coldest day!

2. Start collecting ideas. Collect all of the information you can find: garden magazines, website and blog articles, plant catalogs, and web addresses to some of your favorite plant sources. When you see something you like, tear it out or print it off and begin a “summer dreaming” journal. Try not to get too hung up on plant height, color, light requirements, etc. at first. These will only limit your creativity.
3. Look through your treasures. Once you feel you have collected a good amount of information, sit down with your journal and sort through what you have found. Can you find any common themes in the plants/ideas you’ve selected (formal garden settings, color patterns, exotic-looking plants?). Begin to think about these ideas in relation to the location you had pre-determined to “fix-up” this year. Will they work here? Does the area get enough sunlight or too much? Do the colors go together or do they clash?
4. Begin building the dream. Now that the information you have collected has been somewhat organized, decide which direction you will take and separate the plants/ideas that will be included this season. Do NOT throw the rest of it away! Keep all of these ideas in a folder to re-visit at a later time and don’t EVER tell yourself “no” to an idea you truly love. Yes, it may be true that you don’t have the money to have an 8 foot tall marble fountain in the middle of your backyard surrounded by 5′ cannas. But that doesn’t mean you can’t someday do something very similar, just on a smaller scale. Again, it may be true that you just don’t have enough sunlight in your backyard to grow the climbing wisteria vine  you’ve always dreamed of but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other climbing perennials which would work wonderfully in a more shaded landscape and provide just the same effect.
5. Go shopping! Join newsletters and email lists to your favorite websites and suppliers and begin watching for coupons. Start finding specific sources for your purchases and don’t wait too long to place your order. Once the weather starts to warm up, there will be many gardeners thinking about making these purchases and you won’t want to get left out in the cold

From now on, whenever the winter rain, sleet, or snow starts to get you down, head to your favorite garden website or magazine and continue your “summer dreaming”. It won’t be long before it’s here and you want to be ready for it, don’t you???

Until next time,

Have a question about your “summer dreaming” 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!

In perusing my favorite gardening websites the other day, I came across some really cool, different looking plants such as the Purple Fritillaria and the Hair Allium. These guys were super unique and I had to find a place for them in my garden. If you’re anything like me,

The repeating red hues of this garden help to unify the landscape in spite of the many different types of plants used.

you love plants. You love getting creative and experimenting with new plants and bulbs that add a different twist to your garden and make it stand out from all the rest.

While creativity and boldness are great attributes of wonderful gardeners, sometimes this “all caution to the wind” approach can leave a garden looking random and not extremely pleasing to the eye. While each individual plant was selected for its unique and excellent characteristics, planting too many different varieties and not enough of each can create more of a jumbled mess then anything else. Does this mean you have to give up your love for trying new things and being adventurous? Most definitely not! By paying attention to the following attributes while selecting your plants, you can create a garden space that is not only interesting but also pulls the eye in with common characteristics which will lead the on-looker visually through the garden:

Color: Most everyone has at least two or three colors which they find most pleasing in the the landscape. So you want to try allium and coneflowers? Why not stick within the same “color palette” rather than trying to do too much with a little space? This can be done with many different plants. If you’re in love with daffodils but want to avoid the “one of everything” look, try repeating the yellow of the center of the daffodil in the petals of another. By playing off some of the insignificant colors of one flower, you can make a much more “connected” and cohesive look with all of the other flowers.

Texture: So you’re in love with ornamental grasses but don’t want to stick to just one variety. That’s fine! Plant clusters of like-varieties throughout your garden space to carry on the theme. If you’re big into succulents but still want variety and interest, couple them with

The pure yellow daffodils intermixed with the others helps to bring out the yellow centers of the white blooms.

other plants of the same texture like Hens and Chicks or different varieties of the sedum. The same can be true of bulbs. If you love the thin, elegant foliage of the dutch iris, planting it among another thin-leafed perennial like daylilies can help blend the two plant types together.

If you’ve found something you like in the garden, stick with it! Want to add variety? Go right ahead! Just remember to try to avoid the “hodge podge” look by playing off some of the key elements. This will add harmony to your landscape and be very pleasing to eyes of all who pass by!

Until next time,

Have a question about which fall planted bulbs to plant in your garden 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 with Holland Bulb Farms!

Our breezeway entrance, beginning to show life this spring!

My husband and I are relatively new in our neighborhood and have not yet had a chance to get acquainted with our neighbors. When we first moved into our house at the end of last fall, the landscape was quite stark, like a blank canvas just waiting for the artist’s touch. In the small amount of time I had before the snow fell,  I planted over 150 daffodil and tulip bulbs in the front yard. So you can imagine how thrilled I was this spring when the foliage began peeking out of the soil and continued to produce beautiful blooms. Did I mention that I also realized not one other house on our street had a yard as beautiful as ours???

Ever since the first sign of growth, my husband and I have been “charting” the plants’ progress. In fact, one day he said to me, “Bridget, I swear that I can actually see those tulips growing taller–they seem to be growing so fast!” It made me happy to have my husband as excited as I was at the success of the spring blooming bulbs I had planted.

The beginning of spring in the front of our house!

For a few weeks now, we’ve enjoyed the tulip and daffodil blooms and have made notes of which ones bloomed first, second, third, and so on. It is always interesting to me to observe how a garden can “evolve” over the course of a month or two while one plant finishes flowering and the next one takes over. And as it turns out, I wasn’t the only one admiring my spring blooms…

The tulips and daffodils brightening the walkway to our breezeway entrance.

This past weekend, I was dusting our living room (one of the worst house chores there is) and I happened to glance out our front bay window. I did a double take as I realized a young teenage couple, dressed to the nines standing in front of my flowerbed! As I took in the situation, I also noticed a corsage and boutineer, complete with a proud mother snapping photographs of the “prom-ready” couple! At first I couldn’t help but think, “The nerve! This is MY yard and these are MY flowers!” But just as I was about to run out into my front yard waving a baseball bat, I suddenly felt flattered. These neighbors of mine, whom I had never met before, had thought enough of MY flowers to want them in their picture! What better compliment could a gardener receive?!

The front flowerbed near to full bloom...and also the backdrop to a couple's pre-prom photograph

Now I’m not certain that I would ever have the guts to pose for a picture five feet in front of a house owned by someone I had never met, but the experience definitely made me feel good. After all, do we not plant flowers to beautify our surroundings? I like to think that my little piece of the earth makes it a nicer place to live. And for this young prom couple, it made a beautiful picture which will be viewed in photo albums long after the flowers fade.

Until next time,

Have a question about which bulbs are the most photogenic or any other 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 with Holland Bulb Farms!