Apr
22
Posted under
Flower bulb care
Autumn is the time of year when the weather cools, the tree leaves turn vibrant colors and we gardeners need to think of the Spring. What? Think of spring in autumn? Why? Well, Autumn is when we must plant the bulbs that will give us those early flowering beauties which herald the growing season.
Before summer is through the garden centers are already bursting with possibilities. There are great displays of Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Snowdrops, Grape Hyacinths and Alliums among others. My mailbox is full with mail order catalogues which offer a greater variety of these old-time favorites plus others you might never see in stores. I defy anyone to look through a few and not fall in love with something new and different every Autumn. Those catalogues are a danger to wallets so pace yourself. In general you won’t spend a single cent without it giving you endless payback. Bulbs multiply readily with some naturalizing quite enchantingly.
When wishing to create a dazzling Spring flower display one needs to prepare the planting sight which should get ample sun exposure. Remember that in early Spring there are no leaves on trees to shade out the sun so planting under trees is usually all right. Ridding the intended space of weeds and fortifying the bare soil with compost tilling it in well is the best thing you can do to ensure wonderful productivity. Good rich, well draining soil is a must. This has to be done first because once planted these bulbs need never be disturbed except for dividing.
After the sight is prepared one needs to decide what flowers to plant. The best Spring displays I’ve seen in Botanical gardens (and I’ve seen plenty in my many travels around the US) are those with a long blooming time. To achieve this a good mixture of bulbs is required. This doesn’t mean you have to have Daffodils with Tulips or Hyacinths with Crocus unless you like that look. Combinations look amazing when done with contrasting color and shapes. Experiment and you might surprise yourself. Most people, however, seem to prefer a bed devoted to one flower. The look is stunning I must admit but I find it limited. Once they flower, mostly all at once, you’re left with bare ground again. How boring it that?
What I see as the good alternative to the sole flower approach for the home garden is layering the bulbs this way you have a continuous display which can last for over three months if properly thought out. When purchasing these bulbs they are usually labeled
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Feb
05
Posted under
Flower bulb care
In the summer, the sun is shining and everything is vibrant. Even the summer flowers are brighter and bolder. No meek pastels or pasty whites here; summer flower bulbs are vivacious. While less hardy plants are dried, brown, and dying, summer flowers are bright, alive, and thriving. Summer flower bulbs are flowers that bloom in the summer. Some examples are daylilies, lilies, gladiolus, dahlia, begonia, and caladium.
Summer flower bulbs should be planted in early spring. They need to be planted in an area with adequate drainage. Flower bulbs will rot in standing water. For this reason, they should never be planted at the bottom of a hill.
Summer flower bulbs vary in their sun requirements. Dahlias, lilies, and daylilies, for example, thrive in full sun to partial shade. Gladiolus, on the other hand, requires full sun and iris prefer partial shade. When planning your arrangement, pay special attention to the amount of sun your garden or flowerbed receives and pick your flower bulbs accordingly.
All summer flower bulbs require loose, workable soil. If the area has never been used for growing, add some compost or peat moss. Most bulbs will not require any special fertilization, but follow your package directions carefully.
These flowers work best in masses. For the best effect, do not plant a single bulb or a thin line of bulbs. They look best when they are clumped as in the wild.
Summer flower bulbs should be planted when the soil is dry and free-flowing. Did the hole six to eight inches deep, and place the bulb in with the pointed side facing up. Cover the hole with dirt and pack firmly. Water thoroughly.
If you plant your summer flower bulbs in an appropriate location and give them the most basic attention, you will be abundantly rewarded. When all the other plants and flowers are dying, you will have a bed of bright, vibrant flowers.
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Jan
02
Posted under
Flower bulb care
Planting spring bulbs is a fairly easy project. You dig a hole a little deeper and little bigger than the bulb you are planning to put in the spot and put a little plant food in the hole along with the bulb then place the bulb with the biggest part down and the point of the bulb up.
Most bulbs come with fairly complete instructions on the package about the depth and the conditions you need to provide for the plant to flourish. Often the directions include a chart or drawing which makes it very clear to the new gardener.
It’s a good idea to put some fertilizer in the hole as you plant. Any hardware store or garden center will stock the general fertilizer you will want to give your bulbs a good nutritious start on their life in your garden.
Bulbs can be planted with a special tool which takes just the rights size plug out of the ground or with a standard trowel or shovel. The spot can be quite shady and can be in the middle of a lawn because in the spring the sun will warm the soil before the leaves come out on trees and the bulb in the lawn will come up and bloom before the grass is very tall. When it fades and you can mow over the spot with no worry for the bulb which is tucked in under the lawn.That is called naturalizing.
Bulbs can be layered also with several planted in one spot one above the other so that they bloom successively. They can also be put into pots and planters and even window boxes in the fall so that there is an early show which is movable and can be enjoyed wherever you decide to place it in the spring. The containers can be wintered over in any out of the way spot in your yard and moved in the spring to a showy spot to be enjoyed. They can even be brought in to the house for an early show of color or the flowers can be cut and displayed in a vase.
Sometimes people decide that after the plant has bloomed they don’t like the looks of the leaves which remain behind. If you feel that the leaves of your faded tulip or daffodil annoy you don’t cut them off. Either tie them in a knot so that they are a bit more inconspicuous or just leave them alone until they fade. You can plant something else in front of the fading leaves to mask it a bit if you want to distract the eyes of the viewer.The leaves do a special job of gathering the sunshine to nurture the hidden bulb.When the leaves have faded to brown and shriveled you can safely clip them and put them in the compost heap.
Whether you choose to plant in a carefully arranged flower garden,naturalize your bulbs by scattering them among your grass or pot them, bulbs can provide a beautiful spring show for a few dollars and a small amount of effort. Most bulbs will give you years of enjoyment and when they multiply you can give their offspring away to your family and friends so that they can share your pleasure.
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Dec
28
Posted under
Flower bulb care
In case you are just starting out gardening, or you have a number of years of gardening experience, there is every possibility that you may consider planting bulbs. Most seasoned gardeners always make it a point to grow bulbs due to their toughness, convenience, and vivid hues.
Bulbs are capable of unfailingly blossoming several times in very season without the need to replant them, and if you properly schedule and tenderly plant them, you can enjoy those gorgeous bulb hues from the end of winter to about June.
After the bulbs are planted, they require very little maintenance and are quite simply are placed in the garden area or in containers.
Then, what exactly are bulbs? These are plainly, a kind of a nursery meant for the plant seed or embryo; now, in this nursery, adequate food and shelter are made available to the plant embryo. The moment the bulb is planted in the soil, there is nothing much to do save for watering it regularly, observe it slowly growing, and appreciate the attractive hues on display by early February or March!
So, now we come to the issue of selecting the suitable kind of bulbs for your garden. In the first instance, as usual, you should consider the environment in which the plant is to grow. When the groundwork for that is completed, you need to reflect on the possible colors you prefer to flaunt in your garden and the right time you desire your garden to be in full bloom.
A majority of gardeners propose tulips since they occur in a kaleidoscopic range of hues, virtually spanning from black to white. Then there are daffodils, which are also an excellent selection, appearing in yellow hues or in intermingling shades of white and yellow.
Still another popular preference of the bulb gardening variety are crocuses, which occur in yellow, white, or purple shades. Of course, you should give free rein to your imagination and fashion bulb blends to produce a captivating display of brilliant colors.
Then again, if you prepare meticulously, you can possess a garden that blooms nearly all the time, by planting myriad bulb variants. Crocuses, tulips, winter aconite, snowdrops, and daffodils all bloom early in the spring season.
Grecian windflowers and Grape hyacinth tend to blossom in the middle of spring, while Persian buttercups and lilies tend to blossom in early to the middle of summer. Begonias, amaryllis, eucomis, dahlias, caladiums, and elephant ears all bloom in summer, even as meadow saffron blossoms in the fall. It is important to commit to memory that the bulbs that tend to bloom in spring should be carefully planted in autumn, while the ones that bloom in summer as well as autumn should be gently planted in spring.
After you have resolved the kind of bulbs you wish to grow, the time has now come to set off to the gardening outlet to pick up the bulbs. In the first instance, bulbs are also known as rhizomes, tubers, or corms, and hence if you come across these tags, you can safely take them without much ado. Always opt for the biggest and most compact bulbs that you can get hold of; gardening specialists will inform you that the larger bulbs bring forth larger blooms.
Moreover, squishy bulbs are generally not in good condition and tend to bloom feebly or will not produce any blooms at all. Positively pass up blooms that have scars or cracks, as this too, signifies sick plants, and you never should choose bulbs that already are growing roots; such bulbs, in all probability, will not blossom satisfactorily once planted in the soil.
By now, you have selected your bulbs, given them the once over, and carried them home. Then the next step is that in case you do not wish to plant them at once, ensure they are stored in a dry, cool place, not exposed to direct sunshine, until such time you are all set to plant them in the soil or grow them in containers. When you are all prepared to plant, begin to hollow out the ground to make holes, which are three times the bulbs’ diameter that you are about to plant.
There are quite a few gardeners, who favor a structured appearance and hence plant the bulbs in precise rows.
In case you fall into this category, you need to acquire a bulb planter, which is a cylindrical shaped implement with a grip that helps to extract small tufts of the earth in a systematic and consistent manner.
There are other bulb gardening enthusiasts, who fancy the unaffected, natural appearance and will in fact, put in a couple or more bulbs into a single hole, trying to create a ‘clumped’ look.
Whatever the impression you wish to create, prior to putting the bulbs in the holes, you should ensure that a little quantity of fertilizer is placed in the holes and a light layer of soil is showered over it. Then put the bulb inside the hole over the soil layer (it should not have any contact with the fertilizer as it may spoil) with the end up and the flat side against the soil.
Pack the holes with soil, tapping it downward firmly; there should not be any air pockets and the bulbs need to be held in position by the soil. The planting conditions with regard to bulbs should be the very best since bulbs are lasting add-ons for your garden.
Finally, you can revel in the visual work of art that you have fashioned! However, preserving this stunning visual requires some effort. One common method of ensuring your bulbs are healthy and are blooming is to de-head them. This process entails taking out wilted flowers to encourage plants to bring forth more flowers. Always, commit to memory, especially where bulbs are concerned, that leaves should never be taken out until they begin to become brown.
In conclusion, remember that in warmer climes, most of the bulbs can be left in the ground in winter and they will not spoil. On the other hand, in colder climes, before the winter sets in, the bulbs need to be taken out from the ground and kept in a cool and dry place.
In fact, there are a few tender bulbs, such as dahlias, that are unable to survive the winter season, even when planted in warmer climes, and therefore should be taken out. Yet again, brush up on the subject and be aware of the bulbs’ requirements that you select for your garden.
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Dec
19
Posted under
Flower bulb care
Understanding the best ways to take care of your flower garden can be the difference between a garden that you can be proud of, and a garden that is nothing more than mediocre. Following are some simple tips to make your garden bloom with health, color and vitality.
1. These essentials should always be given major consideration.
Your flower garden needs to have an adequate supply of water, sunlight, and fertile soil. Ant deficiency in these basic necessities will greatly affect the health of your plants, and, consequently, the overall appearance of your garden. Remember to Water your flower garden more frequently during dry spells.
When planting bulbs, make sure you set them at the correct depth. When planting out shrubs and perennials, ensure that you don’t pile up soil or mulch up around the stem of your plants. If you do so, water will drain off instead of sinking in, and the stem could develop rot through overheating.
2. Mix and match perennials with annuals.
It is not necessary to replant perennial flower bulbs because they grow and bloom for several years, whereas annuals grow and bloom for just one season. If you mix a few perennials along with the annuals, it ensures that you will always have something blooming in your garden.
3. Encourage blossoming through deadheading.
Deadheading simply means snipping off the flower head after it wilts. This will cause the plant to produce more flowers. The one point to watch out for here is to ensure that you don’t discard the deadhead on the garden because mildew and other plant disease will likely attack your plants.
4. Learn which insects are good for your garden, and which are bad.
Perhaps surprisingly, the majority of garden bugs do more good than harm. Butterflies, beetles and bees are known pollinators. They fertilize plants through the unintentional transfer of pollen from one plant to another. Interestingly enough, 80% of all flowering plants rely on such insects for survival.
Sowbugs and dung beetles together with fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms are vital in aiding in the decomposition of dead plant material, thus enriching the soil and allowing more nutrients to be available to growing plants.
Other insects such as lacewings and dragonflies are natural predators attacking and neutralizing the bugs that inflict the real damage on your plants, like aphis.
An occasional application of liquid fertilizer when plants are flowering will have them blooming for longer.
Always prune away any dead or damaged branches. Fuchsias are particularly prone to snapping when you brush up against them. However, if you do snap a branch, don’t worry because it can be potted up and grown, in time, into a new plant, so it won’t be wasted. Virtually any gardening course will tell you how to do this.
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Oct
19
Posted under
Flower bulb care
There is nothing quite as welcome as those beautiful spring flowers that seem to emerge from nowhere to welcome the arrival of spring. Bulb type flowers are really unique plants, because they spend most of their days resting quietly beneath the surface of the soil. Then right on schedule, up they come, full of bloom and vigor, and then almost as fast as they came, they go. Except for the green leafy part of the plant that tends to linger longer than we would like them to.
Despite their short bloom time and unattractive foliage after the blooms are gone, they are still a wonderful addition to any landscape. But how should you care for them? First lets talk about how to use them in your landscape. Flowers of all kinds are best when planted in groupings. Many people buy 25 or 50 bulbs and just go around the yard planting helter skelter. Thats fine if thats what you want, but when planted that way they tend to blend in with the landscape and really dont show up well at all. When you plant them in large groups they are a breathtaking showpiece.
In the early spring start thinking about where you would like to create a bed for flower bulbs. Prepare the bed by raising it with good rich topsoil, and if at all possible add some well composted cow manure. Do this in the spring while you are in the gardening mood; you may not be in the fall. Over the summer fill the bed with annual flowers to keep the weeds down, and to pretty up your yard for the summer. Come fall all you have to do is pull out the annuals and plant your bulbs to the depth recommended on the package.
If you think you could have a problem with squirrels digging up the bulbs and eating them, you can also wrap the bulbs in steel wool, leaving just the tip of the bulb exposed so it can grow out of the little wire cage youve created. Or you can just plant the bulbs and then cover the bed with chicken wire or plastic fencing until the bulbs start to grow in the spring.
When the bulbs come up in the spring and start blooming, you should clip off the blooms as they start to wither. This keeps the bulb from producing seeds, which requires a lot of energy, and you want the bulb to use all of its available energy to store food in preparation for the bulbs resting period. Once the bulbs are completely done blooming you dont want to cut off the tops until they are withered and die back. The million dollar question is how to treat the tops until that happens.
Many people bend them over and slip a rubber band over them, or in the case of bulbs like Daffodils tie them with one of the long leaves. This seems to work because it is a very common practice among many experienced gardeners. However, Mike is about to rain on the parade.
I strongly disagree with this theory because back about 6th grade we learned about photosynthesis in science class. To recap what we learned, and without going into the boring details, photosynthesis is the process of the plant using the suns rays to make food for itself. The rays from the sun are absorbed by the foliage and the food making process begins. In the case of a flower bulb this food is transported to the bulb beneath the ground and stored for later use.
So basically the leaves of the plant are like little solar panels. Their job is to absorb the rays from the sun to begin the process known as photosynthesis. If we fold them over and handcuff them with their hands behind their back, they are not going to be able to do their job. Its like throwing a tarpaulin over 80% of a solar panel.
In order for the leaves to absorb the rays from the sun, the surface of the foliage has to be exposed to the sun. On top of that, when you bend the foliage over, you are restricting the flow of nutrients to the bulb. The veins in the leaves and the stem are a lot like our blood vessels. If you restrict them the flow stops.
You decide. Ive presented my case. Bending them over seems to work, but Ive spent a lot of money on my bulbs. I want them running at full speed. What I do is clip the blooms off once they are spent, and just leave the tops alone until they are yellow and wilted. If they are still not wilted when its time to plant my annual flowers, I just plant the annuals in between the bulbs. As the bulbs die back the annuals tend to grow and conceal them. If one shows through I clip it off. It seems to work well for me.
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Oct
13
Posted under
Flower bulb care 
Bulbs are among the most popular of all flowering plants, due to their hardiness, low price and beauty. It is hard to beat the color variety of a garden bed full of bulbs, and planting bulbs that bloom in different seasons can guarantee a season full of beautiful flowers.Hyacinths (Dutch Hyacinth)
The Dutch hyacinth is one of the most instantly recognizable, and most popular, of all the varieties of bulb plants. The Dutch hyacinth blooms in the spring and features the well known foot high spires with their small bell shaped and very fragrant flowers. Hyacinths come in a wide varieties of colors, including red, pink, buff, white, blue and purple. The Dutch hyacinth grows best in colder areas, and it can last from year to year. In these cold water climates, the hyacinth is best planted in September of October.Those of you not familiar with the latest on varieties of bulbs – bulb gardening now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come. Keep Goin!Irises should be planted in July or August in cold climates and in September or October in warmer areas. Irises are actually rhizomes, and they should be spaced from one to two feet apart, with the tops placed right below the surface of the soil. Irises grow best in full sunlight or light shade, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule during their growing season.Oriental lilies bloom later in the year, usually in midsummer or early autumn. Oriental lilies have stems from two to ix feet in height, and they feature large and fragrant flowers up to nine inches in length. These beautiful flowers feature pink and white petals with stripes and speckles, and they provide a striking addition to any garden.Lilly bulbs should be planted as quickly as possible after they are bought, since these particular bulbs do not keep well. If it is necessary to delay planting, the bulbs should be stored in a cool place. It is important to examine the bulbs carefully before they are planted, and any shriveled bulbs should be placed in peat moss or moist sand until they have recovered. Lilies tend to do best in full sun or partial shade, and like other bulbs they benefit from regular watering during their growth and blooming phases.
Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about varieties of bulbs – bulb gardening into just one article. But you can’t deny that you’ve just added to your understanding about varieties of bulbs – bulb gardening, and that’s time well spent.
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Oct
04
Posted under
Planting flower bulbs
Flowers are a favorite of many backyard gardeners. Thanks to their ease of planting and relatively low cost, flower bulbs are a popular choice for flower gardens. Not only are flower bulbs beautiful, but planting them is a very simple undertaking.
Planting flower bulbs is so easy, in fact, that its almost foolproof. The most important consideration is timing. Flower bulbs need to be planted when the ground is coolnot too hot and not too cold. Its best to plant them about six weeks before the ground freezes.
The next consideration is location. Youll want to choose a place where the soil drains wellbulbs do not grow well in areas with standing water. Bulbs also need a location that is well lit and sunny.
Make sure that the soil is loose. It does not require any fertilization or special treatment. However, you might want to add compost or peat moss if youre working in a new flowerbed.
The next consideration in planting flower bulbs is purely cosmetic. Youll want to consider the placement of the various flowers. Generally, bulbs should be densely plantedthey do not look as nice planted alone or in thin lines. Taller flowers should be planted behind short ones. Consider the finished product as you are planning your flower beds. Think about which color combinations work best together, as well as which varieties of flowers best complement each other.
Once you have determined placement, you are ready to plant. Dig your holes about six to eight inches deep (follow package directions). Place the bulb in the ground with the pointed end facing up. Cover the hole and pack it firmly to release any air holes. Water the ground thoroughly.
As you can see, planting flower bulbs is a fun and easy project. With a little patience and creativity, you can have a beautiful and enjoyable flower bed.
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Sep
20
Posted under
Flower bulb care
At Ultra Growth we like to plant our bulbs without much fuss or expense, using as few gadgets as possible. We prefer a garden shovel and pointed trowel. Most gardeners do not plant enough bulbs to make much of an impact in their early spring flower beds.
In fall when the garden is still full of foliage from the summers perennials and annuals, it is hard to remember how stark the beds can look in early spring. The following is a sure fire step by step guide to planting your spring bulbs.
1) Spring flowering bulbs thrive in full or partial sun. Good drainage is a must for healthy bulbs. Do not plant your bulbs in soggy or low lying areas of your garden as water will pool in these areas during spring thaw.
2) Once you have chosen a site, prepare the soil by adding some compost and/or peat moss mix. This is also a great time to add Ultra Growth Compost or Ultra Growth Soil Conditioners. You really want to make sure you have good drainage and healthy soil at this point.
3) Bulb size will dictate how deep to plant them, i.e. large bulbs 8 – 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) deep and smaller bulbs 4 – 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) deep.
4) When spacing your bulbs size also matters, i.e. large bulbs should be spaced 3 – 6 inches (8 to 16 cm) apart and small bulbs from 1 – 2 inches (3 to 6 cm) apart. Always plant your bulbs pointy side up. If you are confused as with tubers like windflowers just lay them sideways and they will right themselves as they grow.
5) Now that you bulbs are planted, cover them with soil and water well. When the soil starts cooling later in the year apply 2 – 3 inches ( 6 to 12 cm) of some type of a mulch as this will help to prevent the soil from drying out as well as help stabilize the temperature of your bulbs throughout the winter.
By following these basic steps you will have great blooms from your bulbs year after year . When buying bulbs you want to look for healthy bulbs that are firm with no soft spots or white mold as these are signs of poor quality bulbs. Do not forget your bulbs are an investment in your garden and a part of your home.
Bulbs do not require any fertilizers at the point of spring planting but for really vigorous growth you can apply Ultra Growth Plant Food and a bulb booster rated at 5 – 10 – 10.
Make sure you do not allow any of the actual bulb booster fertilizer to come in to contact with the bulbs as the fertilizer will burn the bulb. By using Ultra Growth Plant Food and soaking the bulbs prior to planting will give you amazing results once your flowers poke their heads up and start their growth.
If you follow these steps you will have a beautiful spring display of bloom. After the flowers have faded, deadhead the plants so that they are not wasting energy producing seeds. Leave the foliage in place to allow the plant to recharge itself for next springs performance.
This will take some restraint as leaves may not look that presentable. Another idea is to look at your bulbs like annuals and simply pull out the clumps and put them into cold storage until next spring or even that fall. This can help you decide the perfect place to for a particular set of bulbs as you can experiment throughout your garden.
Hopefully this information will help you to ensure great results at a time when nature is just starting to show her colors, Spring. Personally we can not wait to get back to our outside gardens.
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Aug
25
Posted under
Flower bulb care
Although spring is upon us there’s still time to get your snowdrop bulbs in the ground ready for next year. Snowdrop bulbs can be planted right up to the end of September so if you are thinking of starting a garden then this is one plant worth considering.
Not only does it flower early in the spring but to me the Snowdrop marks the end of the winter, when I see the snowdrops up I know that it won’t be too long before the weather starts to get better and the summer will be on it’s way.
There are different types of Snowdrop you can plant and these can be bought from the garden centre in nets for around 2.50. At boot sales or in garden shops after the summer you can often find nets of snowdrop bulbs on offer at a really low price.
You can get autumn flowering varieties but it’s usually the white early spring varieties which are the one’s seen most in gardens and at the road sides.
The snowdrop will grow in any good soil, they also grow well in grass and it’s nice to see snowdrops popping up in little clusters around the lawns of some houses as your passing. They brighten up the wintery days and seem to signal the coming spring.
You can also grow them in pots but you might find that they don’t last as long as when they are in the ground, I have no ideal why this seems to be the case but if you haven’t a garden you can get a little bloom of snowdrops in a large pot to brighten up your patio or window box.
There are a few varieties to choose from.
Galanthus Elwesii as it is known is slightly larger than the snowdrop we see in spring, it’s flowers are still white but the inner segments are a rich green colour.
The G.Ikarie which flowers in March also has white flowers but these are more glossy than the other varieties.
The one we all know is the G. Nivalis, other known as the Common Snowdrop or Old English snowdrop and this has little white flowers. This will double if left in the ground so that the year after flowering you will have double the amount of flowers than last year. This makes it a good variety to plant and to forget about, it’s low maintenance and you if you plant it in the right place and don’t want to move it the year after it will come up year after year doubling in amounts of blooms each year.
There are a few other varieties to look for and you will be able to find them at the garden centres, the names of the bulbs will be written on the little sacks for purchase, quite often you will get a picture of the bloom on the pack which gives you more of an idea of what you will be getting.
For me the Snowdrop is on of the best plants around, it has great significance marking the end of winter and ever since I was little I can remember looking out for the first Snowdrop in the garden, then the thrill of seeing one cheers me up as I know that soon the weather will be warmer and the days will be longer. Barbecues, Relaxing, Holidays and everything good which follows the winter blues.
Have fun x
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