guide to bulbs

[greenfinger]

Here another teaser for George to read in a rare moment of leisure.
The book is titled 'The Complete Guide to Bulbs' by Patrick M. Synge.
Ref.: London, Collins, 1961, 320 pp. 357 bulbs illustrated including 330 in color.

The next two pictures show a typical spring plant raised from bulb: Fritillaria meleagris. The photos were taken this morning in my lawn.

[Palustris]

The trouble with that book is that most of the bulbs I want to know about are not in it and also many have now changed their names. A more modern book is Bulbs by John Bryan. Mind it does cost £60 ish at full price!

[ideasguy]

One great thing about Fritillaria meleagris - they compete with grass - so well suited in my garden where grass is my biggest threat in my borders.
I notice mine are currently in bloom, so will get a photo with my NEW camera 

Matter of curiosity, how did that beauty get into your lawn André? Did it self seed?
Ive collected seed once and got seedlings, but as they die down in summer, I'm not sure in which tray of "dead" seedlings the are in 
I'll go looking this afternoon to see if theres any sign of them!

[NightHawk]

André, you must truly have a 'greenfinger'  / green thumb or something along those lines, to get plants like that popping up in your lawn.

We have managed to kill off wild poppies in our soil flower-bed without much effort, to never appear again, let alone have anything growing in our lawn. 

Either that or you've got exceptional germination capabilities in your soil.

Laurie.

P.S.  George!!!!!!!  You've got me all excited now - what's your NEW camera, pray tell all.  Can't wait to see your new piccies

[greenfinger]

One takes a digger and makes a hole approximately 4 inches (10 cm) deep. Some honorable authors write about a much deeper hole. Obstinate as I am in my old age I haven't followed their directions.
One buys a baggie with bulbies and drops one (I mean a bulbie) in each hole till one hears the following sound: "Ploink!". One fills the hole with the soil and grass in the digger.
This all happens in the fall.
Then you go inside the house and wait, wait, wait... till the gardener men have a beard of considerable length and the gardener women become all Rapunzels.
And loo and beholth: in the month of April you have Fritillaria in your lawn!

[ideasguy]

Ah, youre in fine mood today, my friend 
I'd just never have thought of planting Fritillaria in the lawn. Thanks for planting the idea 

[ideasguy]

RE: From Laurie (a few postings back in this thread)

P.S.  George!!!!!!!  You've got me all excited now - what's your NEW camera, pray tell all.  Can't wait to see your new piccies

To avoid wandering off topic (yet again), Ive posted a reply here:
http://www.flowergenie.co.uk/ideas/forum/index.php/topic,594.0.html