Bulbs and things

[Jolly C. Pancakes]

With all this discussion of bulbs and so forth, I want to remind
everyone about taking care to purchase only bulbs which are known to be
nursery grown. This isn;t a problem if you are buying the standard
Darwin tulips, Prof. Einstein daffodils and hybrid crocuses. But many of
of the so-called "little bulbs" - the fritillaria, the species crocus,
the trout lilies, iris bucharica, etc. - have in the past been collected
primarily from the wild. Whole hillsides in Greece, Turkey and Spain
have been devastated by bulb collectors. As people became more conscious
of this as an issue, the Dutch (who control the world-wide bulb
business) extended the term "nursery-grown" to include wild bulbs which
had been put into pots and grown at a nursery for a few weeks.

So take the time to find out where those bulbs are coming from.
Look for a statement in your catalogue that the company is serious about
their sources and that they take some trouble to be certain all their
stock is nursery grown.

In this respect, as in others, Smith & Hawken is the best
mailorder company with which I deal. They have a wide selection of bulbs
and they will tell you when they won't carry a particular bulb because
they cannot certify the source. Their prices are good on most things,
and their service is excellent. (Phone support is good too) Catalogue is
printed on recycled paper with soya inks. The best items this year seem
to be the lilies. They have a whole bunch of the stunning
Columbia-Platte hybrids at better prices than anywhere else. They also
have 'Casablanca' which I swear is the most beautiful lily I've ever
seen - it makes huge white flowers like soup plates, so white they seem
to glow in the twilight, with a wonderful fragrance that fills up
the yard at night. Get some!

Other companies I can recommend include McClure & Zimmerman, who
have finally woken up to the wild-collecting problem and are being much
more careful these days. They have the most extensive selection I've
seen anywhere, in a very dense little catalogue with no color pictures
at all. Their prices are usually very good. Burpee has pretty much the
usual varieties at the usual prices, their service is dependable and
phone support is good. They have a good selection of the fancy split
corona daffodils, and lots of Optimara african violets.

A word about daffodils, narcissus, jonquils, whatever you want
to call them. Botanically speaking, they are all Narcissus and they get
divided into groups under that according to whether they have trumpets,
or their coronas are swept back, etc. Most daffodils with large trumpets
are not fragrant, nor are the split-corona types (Marie Jose, etc). The
original Poet's Narcissus (poeticus) and it's hybrids - Pheasant's Eye,
Actaea - are very fragrant, as are all the Triandrus hybrids (Thalia
is one). Many of the miniatures are fragrant, as well -
Minnow, Jack Snipe, Baby Moon, some of the cylamenous species
and the species jonquils. Among hybrid types, Geranium is one of the
most fragrant. It has a white corona and an orange cup, with multiple
flowers per stem. There is a doubled form called Erlicheer, which is
also fragrant. Cheerfullness is a nice cream yellow colored fragrant
double. I find that the fragrant types tend to be later bloomers - don't
depend on them for early color. The miniatures are especially good for
rock gardens and between patio stones and the like. Also for pots when
combined with crocus and other little bulbs.

Other companies - White Flower Farms is often pricey but offers
a good selection, good quality and service. I chose carefully when I buy
from them as usually I can get the same quality at a better price
elsewhere (not not always! they surprise me at times, some real bargains
on page 37 of the fall catalogue). John Scheepers has little that
interests me these days, and they have the most garish color photos I've
ever seen. Still, they have good buys on bulb collections, and I am
getting a Lilium martagon from them too.

I order from Jungs and usually do well with their quality. Their
bulbs are not as big, and their plants not as well established but
things generally come up when you expect them to, and the price is
cheap. Otherwise, I tend to stay away from the bargain catalogues. My
tastes and space requirements are such that I shy away from the big
gaudy tulip hybrids and the like, and the cheap places don't carry the
species types I like or can't certify their sources.

Definitely stay away from SpringHill, Gurneys and Henry Fields.
I've had more plants die than survive from all of them. (Bulbs do better
than plants, but still, I don't like to deal with them at all.)

For perennials only (they don't do bulbs), I have found
Milaeger's to be a good source with a very informative catalogue and a
huge selection at good prices (especially in quantity). They have a $25
minumum order but I usually don't have any problem meeting that. :-)
Plants arrive in pots (not bare root) and they are pretty large and
sturdy, will bloom the first year. I also get perennials from Wayside
Gardens (great roses, too). Better to order in the fall than the spring
for most things from them, as they can get shipped in hot Southern
temperatures. Of course, your best source for perennials is a local
nursery owner who cares about plants (not Frank's Garden Center, ok?). I
deal with a local man who has just gotten into the business and sells at
the farmer's markets in the area. I like to support his business and he
gives his selection individual attention (plus, he's cheap).

If you've made it this far, I hope you have found this to be
helpful.

--
jcpatilla j...@decuac.dec.com

Otter, otter, floating light on the kelp beds of the night,
What tasty bits of squid or eel doth keep you on your even keel?