caladiums and snowdrops!????

Goodness it is November already -mind you you it has been a really busy acting year this this.  #plays finished already and now rehearsing for the next one.  A fairly new Christmas play at Centre Stage in Greenville SC  It is called Sleeping Indoors
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Anyway on Nov 14th just before this next bout of really cold weather kicked in, I took a couple of photos in the garden -Snowdrops -very early -and caladiums in a sheltered spot that survived the cold nights this year.  Appropriately they are caladium White Christmas -mmm is that an omen for the winter to come?

What is going on here???

Lycoris for sale!

 

We have lycoris in stock now!  And now is the time to plant so call us at Marlboro Bulb company -1-800-999-0567 or email info@marlborobulb.com

Lycoris

Well, the lycoris are blooming already this year -about 3 weeks earlier than usual -in fact some of the red ones are over already but the first yellow one of the season has just opened -I need to get a photo on the blog for you to see -they are so lovely and the yellow is not so often seen -it can be more temperamental than the red or pink so I will try to capture it while I can -I'll be back later with that picture!

Time to order fall bulbs

Dahlias?  Still planting at the end of August???? Really -we had a bunch of dinnerplate and cactus dahlias left so we weeded a space, threw them on the ground and covered them up with some topsoil.  Well it was worth a try -I will keep you posted on the results.  The dahlias were individual prepacks in peat moss and most were sprouting well -so we will see.

It is time to order fall bulbs too -so check us out for tulips, daffodils, alliums,  muscari, crocus etc etc.  And don't forget those Amaryllis bulbs and paperwhites for indoor planting.  www.marlborobulb.com   email: info@marlbrobulb.com  or call 1-800-999-0567

It has been a strange year weather wise though - we are still getting regular rain and the pasture is sooo green -the ponies love that -normally the fields have been brown for a month.

Lycoris time

Goodness the first lycoris, (spider lilies and naked ladies are other common names for this plant) are blooming already and we have only just finished planting the last of the dahlias!!!!

Back to the lycoris -the yellow ones are just gorgeous this year, the pinks are doing well -no sign of the reds yet -but I wasn't really expecting  to see any for another couple of weeks.  We still have new season lycoris bulbs -so give us a call on 1-800-999-0567 Marlboro Bulb Co  or see www.marlborobulb.com or email info@marlborobulb.com  

Double daffodils, Iridescent Iris and Help???Mystery

What a glorious time of year -with so much in bloom and so much colour.  A twelve month garden is a must -every day is different, every day a joy to walk around and see what new leaf or bud has emerged.  And it is no so difficult to acheive with colorful barks and early blooming shrubs like Lonicera Frangrantissima and hammemalis and Edgeworthia to name just 4 ideas.  Of course the drawbacks are there too as the weeds also start to flourish -but the beauty outweighs the weed.  The daffodil above is the double Ice King.  It starts off more yellow in the centre then turns to white -heavenly!

And here is Crocus bluebird a dainty species crocus -only planted in late Dec.  Next winter it will bloom earlier.  And here is the lovely Iris reticulata

 

And what is this????  This daffodil and a few others like it are blooming in a clump of N. Ice Follies.  Is it a sport?  Has it reverted?  Or has a virus affected that clump of Ice Follies?  This is a real mystery daffodil.  Any ideas out there?

 

 

Delightful Daffodils

The daffodils are really starting to put on their show now.  They are popping up everywhere.  Above you see St Keverne, one of the early varieties. But there are many others too -such as the darling little Narc. Tete a Tete. This has been blooming for 2 or 3 weeks now -Gorgeous!  N. Ice Follies is also flowering well and the N. February Gold.  Iris reticulata and many of the species crocus are also showing their bright faces along with hyacinths and Triteleia (Ipheon).  You can't help but smile when you see such a beautiful patch of sunshine can you?

And still planting!

Planted yet more daffodils -Carlton and the little cyclamineus Narcissus Jenny.  She is a little beauty with swept back white petals and pale lemon trumpets that fade to a creamy white.  The little species crocus are still blooming despite 26 degrees C on Friday night.  The Narcissus Grand Soleil d'Or likewise are still giving a great show.  They looked pretty flat and dejected on Saturday morning but soon recovered in the sunshine.  And the snowdrops -my goodness they have been incredible this winter.  The first ones were open on Dec 9th and I still have giant snowdrops in bloom.  The few muscari also have braved the cold so far to keep on blooming.  The first yellow crocus were open today -the species one E. P. Bowles.  People are missing out not planting more of the little species bulbs.  They may be smaller but they pack quite a punch at this time of year.  I love them. They are wonderful around trees and on rock gardens, in planters and in the front of borders.  Also if oyu have a mini Fairy garden as opposed to a micro mini you will find they look awesome there too.  If I could upload a photo I would.  Oh and before I forget, the first yellow daffodil Rijnveld's Early Sensation opened today  and there are quite a few in bud following on its heels.

Now I am having trouble uploading any photo -the option to browse the computer files seems to have disappeared.  Wish I were more of a hi-tech girl!  There must be an easy way to find my pictures.  So help needed again please!!!!

Still planting!!!

The weather is awesome isn't it?  Well, it is here in sunny South Carolina!  I was planting bulbs yesterday and today -I even got up early so I could plant for an hour before going into the office at Marlboro Bulb Company.  We have had a cool fall/winter so the bulbs are still in very good shape.  I was planting daffodils, iris reticulata, miniature and greigii tulips which perennialize well in the south.
It feels good to be digging and planting.  Many daffodils are through already of course though it will be a while before they bloom.  I am hoping for a really good spring this year after the night frosts we have had so far.