Spring bulbs: planning for 2014

I'm having a go at that from seed. Some of those others look rather smashing

 

When you get there compare qty as Anglia Bulbs have Allium moly 25 for £2.50 50 for £4.50 and they will be excellent quality (not to say that poundshop won't, but they are more likly to have been hanging about out of chilled storage)
http://www.angliabulbs.com/allium-bulbs-c-22.html

 

I got most of my bulbs from B&Q, they have 2 packs for £5.00 and all looked good and healthy. Have had a look at the £/99p stores and Wilko's, they looked ok too.

 

It's a fascinating genus overall!

I forgot this one which is one of my faves - Nectaroscordum sicilum..............


Talking of the 99p Shop, I bought Tritelia hyacinthina from there last year and they are a delight........................


If the spring is mild a pot of Pleione is worth the effort.....................

 

I picked up some crocus bulbs and 'double daffs' from Wilkos.

The daffs are now in the ground - along the side of a privet hedge . I've dug out a small trench surrounding a 'sewer access cover' in my front garden with the intention of putting some of the crocus around there - but not had chance to get them in the ground yet - that will get sorted this week. The remaining crocuses - or should that be crocusii - (it's a pack of 75) will go into a container and sit on top of the 'sewer access lid'. I can't cover the darn thing over completely, so thought it best to 'disguise it a bit'.

 

croci (although, seeing it written, my spelling looks wrong ...)

but "crocuses" is the more common form, and the form listed in the dictionary

 

Just finished planting 1,000 snow glories in the front yard this weekend to add to the 2,000 already there, kind eye balled the weak areas last spring for extra assistance.
Have some pink crocus to put in and Mountain lillies.
Did split a few clumps this past spring to spread the wealth.
So perhaps my number of total bulbs on our property needs to be revamped to about 63,000 bulbs.

 

So far I've got :

Apricot Daffodil blend


White Daffodil blend


3kg bag of Daffodil White Lion


Red Tulips


Selection of mixed Tulips (bought to give away but will keep a few)


Double early tulips Pippa


Ranunculus Peony mixed


Lots of seeds for summer too, as well as some bulbs on pre-order. My garden is going to be a riot of colour next year

 

Definitely!

 

I like all of them Merle , especially the Apricot Daff - stunning Looks like Morrisons have come up trumps ! I'll buy my bulbs later this month for November planting after I lift my Cannas. Do you have a bulb planter ? Probably the greatest gardening invention since the spade !

 

Not the one in the picture, sadly, IME - unless you have nice light soil ... the struts to the handle of the one I had just bent and collapsed on the first afternoon of use (heavy soil here).

Picked this Bulldog one up for a couple of quid at a car boot, built like a brick outhouse it does an excellent job. I also use it to plant out all my annuals, and the like, that I raise in 9cm pots - which fit neatly into the bulb-planter-hole and I then just water them in (like planting Leeks), which is a lot quicker than trying to use a trowel on my clay soil.

 

The spring loaded planter works great on my soil, I also use it for planting bedding annuals. Its a lot faster than a trowel . I nipped into my local GC this morning and I bought loose Daff bulbs. They had about 12 varieties in bins and you just filled a bag for £4.99 ,we got a mix of about 36 good quality bulbs

 

I do need a bulb planter so thanks for the recommendations

ETA : I Googled and came up with a Kingfisher Pro for £6.99 and free delivery (this weekend only). Got to be worth a punt at that price and if it's rubbish then I haven't lost a lot

 

I've seen that type and thought they looked flimsy, but I'd be interested to know how you get on with it. They were planting bulbs with one on Beechgrove, and struggling to get it into the lawn (ground rock hard I expect, mine would be hard to get into virgin ground just now) and it wasn't buckling or anything, so maybe me worry is unfounded.

I do have a fancy, and expensive , De Wit one, which is definitely not as effective.


but it does work well in loose ground - e.g. for planting Spuds. Save your money though, and avoid this one unless a rich relative gets you one for Crimbles

 

I have both the short and tall bulb planter. "But of course I do" . LOL.