Posts tagged fritillaria meleagris

Hello Yellow Bird

July 26, 2013 · Filed under trees · Tagged ,

I found a new friend while I was back in Canada in May. A gorgeous yellow friend. Funnily enough, I have never been a fan of yellow flowers, except in the spring. Yellow foliage I love, but yellow flowers, not so much. Most of them are in the daisy family, not for me.  But my new friend, yummy.

Of course, flowers in May (for me at least), strong, thick petaled flowers, who wouldn’t like him. 

So he came home with me, Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’.

And I decided a place on the front lawn, where I could admire him every day would be suitable.

He will be silhouetted against the dark green background of the cedar hedge,

so he will stand out even more. And he has a pyramidal shape, even better, because I can fit even more plants on my front lawn in the future. 

My front yard seems to be shaping up into another, more natural area. It already had a rounded sidewalk, rather then straight, which is more formal. And I can’t cut the grass until after the fritillaria meleagris has gone to seed (as I want a whole meadow of them), so that makes it a bit more messy informal. So a flowery mead on the front lawn, sound good?

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A Birds Eye View 2013

July 3, 2013 · Filed under design · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lucky you, it is that time of year again, where I brave life and limbs, standing on the roof to take photos of my garden. Don’t hold back your screams of delight, I can tell how excited you are.

So this is where it stands this spring, our 7th,

Front Garden

Last spring I planted Acer campestre ‘Carnival’ here, and you can just see it against the cedar hedge. What you can’t see is a purple smoke bush, Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ just to the side and behind it. I think it will be a lovely contrast between the Acer and the Cornus alternofolia ‘Golden Shadows’.

 

You can just see the Fritillaria meleagris (at least the white ones) in the grass.

Lime Walk

Note to self, finish extending the muscari the length of the walk!!!!!

Nothing to report on the Lime Walk, although my friend David Leeman had been here the week before,

 and had tamed the shaggy monsters the box balls had become.

Now I just have to keep them in line.

The Serviceberry Allee

The Allee just keeps ticking long, although I do have to get in, divide the Narcissus ‘Bridal Crown’ and space them through the length of the allee. These were forced pots from work, and I just threw them in the ground when I started the very first bed.

The Flora Glade and The Kitchen Garden

Here you can see the Flora Glade and Kitchen Garden.

Ooops, still have not got my path finished, the one that I was working on last spring, lol. That has to go on the list for the fall, it would be really, really embarrassing to show you the Flora Glade next spring, with the path not done.  Added a couple of shrubs here this spring, hopefully I remembered to take some photos of them before I left and I can update you.

And just for your viewing pleasure, a bit of a further away shot, called not using the zoom on the camera.

You can probably see what looks like a tall post to the left of the garage. This was a diseased red maple that we had cut down in the fall. I have the bright idea of growing a clematis up it, just another thing to add to the list.

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Fritillaria Fever

May 27, 2011 · Filed under bulbs · Tagged

I got the fever, FEVER!!!!

Fritillaria fever that is.  I feel like I must have a huge drift of them, a lovely meadow, like the one in Hyde Park that I would walk by, every day on my way to work.  I know that you have heard this before, my obsession with drifts of bulbs. Snowdrops, crocus, Scilla, it never ends, but luckily, (or unluckily enough for Ian’s wallet), I have the room. I can have a drift of bulbs, (one variety only at a time for more visual impact), in every corner of my garden.

Here is the start of the Fritillaria meadow.

May it only get larger!

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Digging, Digging, Digging

October 15, 2010 · Filed under bulbs · Tagged , , ,

Keep this woman digging!

I know it was my idea, although Gail had a lot to do with it. But who would guess that 1,000 crocus bulbs would take soooo long to plant.

I did think that I would get a bit more help from Ian, but (unfortunately) he found his own project to work on, and I was on my own.  (OK, not quite on my own, he did dig a couple of holes for me, maybe 80, before he bailed).

Lets see, 1,000 crocus tommasinianus bulbs divided by 80 holes = 12.5 per hole, I can handle that.

But I have 150 fritillaria meleagris bulbs to plant.  At 10 per hole, that was only another 15 holes, I can handle that.

Wait, I forgot the 50 allium christophii bulbs, I can handle that!

Hmmm, it looks a lot more close-up!

OK, due to circumstances beyond my control (Ian), I would not be back to Kilbourne Grove till Hallowe’en, so I wanted to get the bulbs in. I had already planted all the other ones, I was a woman on a mission!

The fritillaria are going in the front, on each side of the front sidewalk in the grass. (I saw that at Kensington Gardens in London and loved the way it looked).  That is only 7 holes per side, oh no, I did not order enough fritillaria!

It is going to look sparse, oh well, hopefully they will self seed, and there is always next year, lol.

Fritillaria bulbs are a nice size to pick up, drop them in the hole, put the chunk of sod back and firm down, there that didn’t take too long.

Now onto the back.

This looks a lot better. The holes are much closer together, hopefully I will get a nice show.

Ooooh, fiddly bulbs, why are they so tiny….slooow going!  Done!!!!!

The allium were a piece of cake in comparision, 10 holes in the Lime Walk, 5 per side, 5 bulbs in, and finished.

Come visit me next spring for the grand unveil, see you then!

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Bulb Madness

October 8, 2010 · Filed under bulbs · Tagged ,

Every year is strikes me.

I always think that I will remain strong and resist the urge.

But, I always fail.

What am I talking about? Just the urge to keep my bulb order to reasonable standards.

This was the scene Wednesday at Kilbourne Grove.  A gorgeous sunny day, and a sprinkling of bulbs to plant.  Yes, I said a sprinkling. Don’t think that the  252 I planted was the majority of my order. No siree, the balance still has to arrive, that includes my 1,000 crocus tommasinianus, 150 fritillaria meleagris (inspired by Barry Parker), and my Veseys order. That is for 105.

2010 =1,507  bulbs. Yay, highest score ever!!!!   (of course, that could still increase, the bulbs will be going on sale at the big box stores soon, and I have been known to pick up one or two on impulse!  Want to read how many I planted in 2009, you can here.

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