Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Lilac Tommies For My Garden


Crocus tommasinianus i.e.
One of the earliest blooming crocus and squirrel proof!


The fall bulb catalogs have arrived. Just in time, because I've been thinking about how beautiful this nearby hillside looks each spring and wondering what it would take to create a gorgeous river of Tommies through the garden.

I thought I might start with a 50 bulbs and then I remembered what 25 looked like~Beautiful, just not so impressive in a larger space. In for a penny, in for pound~what the heck, I ordered 1000! It seems like a huge number to plant until I remembered how very small a Tommie corm is! Twenty five corms fit in a small cup~Okay, that's 40 cups! But, I can do it!



Do you think I'm inspired or nuts like a friend of mine wondered! You can tell me the truth~I'm a big girl! (edit: and, yes, it's time to order, last year the good bulbs were sold out when I waited too long)

xxgail

For MA who asked the right question and for Frances who laughs with me!

32 comments:

  1. You are inspired! But, I wouldn't tell too many of your non-gardening friends how many you're planning to plant. They'll think you're nuts.

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  2. Gail, knowing when you set your mind to a project, can do anything! Summer hugs.

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  3. Hi Gail and Happy Belated Birthday! I am emerging from what seems like ages to visit blogs and yours is the first and amazing I might add. Goodness what energy and inspiration you have my dear! Wow! I think you are a bit wonderfully nuts (like most gardeners) and a great deal inspired. You should have a party to plant. ;>)

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  4. You can do it! Just--don't expect to do it all in one day. And invest in some knee pads, if you don't already have some. Do you know about my crocus bank?

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  5. I love your plan for more crocus....I don't think you can plant too many ;-)

    I haven't given much thought to my winter/spring garden, but maybe I need to start?

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  6. Gail girl of course you are INSPIRED .. I also am inspired (I think) .. I am going to plant old fashioned large trumpet plain yellow daffs all around "Frank" my Bloodgood Japanese maple tree .. that will be right next to my bulb circle that was so beautiful this past Spring .. yes .. we are leaping ahead of ourselves but after all .. we ARE gardeners girl !!

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  7. You are inspired! I would use an electric drill with a spade bit on it (not one of those auger ones, they throw a lot of dirt). Use the spade bit, maybe a 1" bit, to drill about 10 holes, drop a tommie bulb in each one then throw some top soil over the area, then move on to the next area. I planted 800 crocuses this way once, and it went quick, once you develop a rhythm to the work. (Now, am I inspired or nuts just knowing how to plant 1,000 small bulbs?) Oh, buy a couple of bits because they will wear down faster than you think in all that dirt.

    Good luck!

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  8. Dear Gail, Nuts? Not in the least!!! Having a vision and trying to achieve it is what makes life worth living and gardening worth doing! It will be gorgeous! Remember that you don't have to plant them all in one go. I can't wait to see them this spring, you will be so glad you did it.

    Thanks for that sweet linkage at the end, my friend. I love laughing with you! :-)
    xxxooo
    Frances

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  9. You are Inspired!!!! I have had that picture you took of the crocus in my mind since the spring. Searching for tommies (the species) in all the Canadian bulb catalogues and no one offers it, only the cultivars. I love that silvery pale look. I WANT IT!!!!!
    Good luck, can't wait to see the pictures in the spring.

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  10. Of course you can do it! And when it's done, it will be breath taking and mood lifting. H.

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  11. You are an artists with inspiration. Your garden is your canvas, crocus is the paint and your trowel your paint brush. What a beautiful picture it will make.

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  12. One cup a day? Maybe three cups per day and you will be done in no time.

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  13. Nuts? No way! Visionary is more like it, there is nothing more awesome than a drift of unexpected color!

    You may think you're nuts when its time to plant all of those bulbs, but we all know that the first bloom will be soooo rewarding, the nuttiness will be worth it all. :)

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  14. Lol, this reminds me of a year ago when I ordered 300 tulip and daffodil bulbs--it took me a week to get them all planted! But for visual impact you'll definitely need 1000 Tommies, and since they're so small, the planting should go faster. Can't wait to see the results next spring, Gail! Oh my, I'm still finishing up summer garden chores--is it time to think of bulbs already??

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  15. Inspired, but maybe we should all come to help plant. :) Can't wait for spring.~~Dee

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  16. Well, I think you are inspired but let me qualify that. Only if you can find five or more friends or a crew of landscaper's to help you plant 1000 tiny bulbs.

    It will look awesome. I've seen drifts like that and they look so good in the spring when we are starved for color.

    Marnie

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  17. oooh, you are going to be one tired gardener this fall but next spring it will be worth all the effort. Kudos to you my friend for having the guts to follow your vision. I think of doing things like that then don't follow thru because the task seems overwhelming. I'm rooting for you tho ~ I think you can definitely do it!!
    and yes, it's time to order. I ordered in June last year but still haven't this year. Thanks for the nudge!

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  18. Small bulbs look fantastic in large groups. After the barrens of winter, they make a great splash in spring, when you most appreciate them. Last fall I planted some large groups of crocus, and I was really pleased with them this spring. I found digging small holes about 1 foot square at a time, and putting a group in the hole worked well for me, and it went fairly quickly.

    Have fun planting, and then anticipating the display for next spring.

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  19. Oh, how I luved this spring-thinking post here in the heat of July. I've no doubt that you'll have those 1,000 bulbs planted in a jiffy.

    donna

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  20. Your yard will be lovely, for sure.

    Years ago, I was in our state capitol (Augusta) at just the right time to see crocus blooming every foot or so all over the state house lawn.

    Good luck, and get lots of Ben Gay for your knees.

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  21. Go for it. They will be lovely.

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  22. If it were tulips instead of tommies, I'd think you were daft (unless you were going to hire help!). But crocus won't be bad at all. I can't wait to see the result! I ordered 100 more lavender tommies myself. I love the cute little bulbs.

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  23. You aren't nuts and I feel honored to be a part of those who will get to see this masterpiece.

    I think of you right often Gail as I watch my 'White Dome' hydrangea grow to massive proportions. It finally like the morning sun and afternoon shade of its current location. Just wanted you to know that it took off and grew 4 feet this year.

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  24. Inspired, and ambitious! It will be gorgeous, Gail!

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  25. Fall planning already! I haven't seen a catalog yet but I'm sure they are coming. Those crocuses will look great!

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  26. Oh, my -- that'll make quite a nice river of Crocus! It will be delightful...Lisa

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  27. You may be a little nuts, but you're definitely inspired!! You can definitely make it happen!

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  28. Gailie,

    Just take care of your back dear! I want day lilies and lots of bulbs but I have very rocky soil....I'm not sure HOW to get them in the ground! But you say its time to order, hmm? Okay, but probably not 1000! Ha.

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  29. Of course I think that you are totally inspired. Can't wait to see them next spring. Although, yes it does seem odd to be seeing crocus this time of year.

    Jen

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  30. Hi Gail,

    That's a gorgeous little crocus! I'm looking forward to planting some spring bulbs as well. It's been a hot summer here in VA...bring on fall!
    Have a great weekend!

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  31. Hi Gail - well, better late than never to the party! Jennifer (who I work with) and I were just looking at your photos of Tommies because we went in on an order of them this past fall. I told her you had inspired me to get them. I hope your 1000 bulbs turn into your dreams! The squirrels keep digging up the measly 10 bulbs I planted, destroying some in the process. But several of them are still continuing to hang in there and bloom. Would love to see that beautiful scene of the Tommies by the creek in person. It must be stunning!
    xxoo
    Jean

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