[pbs] Slow time on the bulb scene (James Waddick)
Kathleen Sayce
ksayce at willapabay.org
Mon Jul 6 19:24:21 EDT 2009
Here on the SW coast of Washington, late spring bulbs are just
finishing off (Nectarscordum, some tall Ornithogalums ), a few onions
are underway, and later Alliums, Lilium, Crinums and Amaryllis
belladonna are yet to start. I have three largish Crinum x powellii,
which for some reason survived snow, hail, heavy rain, even more
snow, and generally prolonged cold wet conditions last winter. All
were killed back to the main bulb, and a Crinum 'Hanibal's Dwarf'
nearby did die, but these three eventually put up new leaves and
started growing again. Amazing. I was sure they were going to be the
stars of my Winter 2009 Ex Plant List. No sign of flower buds on them
yet this year, but just surviving last winter was wonderful.
Pacifica iris finally quit flowering about a week ago, and seed pods
are forming. Speaking of seed pods, I was watching several
Erythronium & Tulipa pods ripen, and about two days before I planned
to pick them, local deer neatly nipped them off. I know, a dog, a
fence, either would help with this situation. . . they really like
Calochortus too, very tasty to a deer, and interplanting alliums does
not deter the deer at all.
Summer being the time for vacations, I also met a PBS member in
person this week, Dave Brastow, from Olympia, WA, who was down on the
beach for the 4th of July weekend. He came bearing gifts: Trillium
ovatum, several Erythroniums, and a mystery iris seedling, along with
a young Scadoxus seedling--the name of which I still need to get from
him, if he reads this.
Kathleen
On the Pacific NW coast in Summer, where the tourists are swarming
and foggy days alternate with sun.
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