Monday, January 5, 2009

Firsts

I am so pleased to report that I saw the first of the crocus popping out of the soil today. They might have been up for a few days but this is the first day in some time that I have felt like a well human being so I haven't been outside much.
Another first are these bulbs protruding from the ground. They look like they have been heaved somewhat. They sure are brave bulbs because they are showing some green. I think the 50F weather we had a couple of days fooled some of the bulbs. These naked ladies just can't wait to start showing off. They are the old fashioned, light pink variety.
Both of these are growing out front where we took out the Rugosa Rose this fall. Maybe they are just happy to have more sunshine and space to grow. Another first for the year are the bulbs I found at the local nursery. I saw a big sign that said 60% off of everything in the place. I am sure they wanted me to be buying some Christmas decorations but I fooled them. I had to go into their unheated garage to see what bulbs hadn't been sold. As you can see I found a few.

I bought 12 Red Riding Hood Tulips, 12 Kolpakowskiana Tulips, 12 Saxatillis Tulips, 7 pink Squamigera and 7 Yellow Spider Aurora Squamigera.
The Squamigera didn't have a price on them and I didn't get many because I didn't know what they would cost. I wasn't quite sure what they were either by looking at the pictures. Imagine my surpise when I looked them up on the internet and found that they are a fancy version of the Naked Ladies, or Lycoris. The pictures sure don't look like my old fashioned Naked Ladies.
I took a few of the tulips and a three of the pink squamigera and put them just outside my window. I want to be able to see these beauties when they pop up this spring/early summer. I planted them on the left side of the tree behind the feeder while I planted the Chionodoxa on the right side of the tree. It will be intersting to see a little color early in the year. The pink Squamigera are supposed to be much darker than the old fashioned variety. We will see.
It is supposed to rain tonight so I hope my little bulbs will get all snuggled in for a short growing season.
I kept one of the yellow Squamigera out of the ground and put it on my one bulb vase. It was trying its best to start growing. I sat it in the kitchen window with the rest of the vases. I have no idea if it will take to growing in a bulb vase but since it is already showing signs of growing I can hope. It will end up being awfully tall. This could be an interesting experiment.
I can't wait to get into my chair tonight with my new gardening journal and start the year off right with an entry about planting something. Whoooooo hoooooooooooooooooo... I am hoping this is a good omen for the growing year.

27 comments:

  1. Little crocus shoots already? Now I want to go out with a flashlight to see if by some miracle, I have some. It has been warm this past week. Too bad that is over today and it is back to winter weather again... perfect weather for staying inside and writing in a new garden journal...

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  2. Hi again Lisa:-)

    Well done you! I can see you have taken as long as I have to get over your illness. I am starting to feel human again too. Mm… now if I only could get back to talking without coughing!! Wishing you all the best :-D

    It is wonderful to get out planting at a time of year you don’t expect to be. Our ground is too hard now and we have more snow forecasted for tomorrow. Mm… you have me thinking now. I wonder if any of my bulbs are starting to come through my lawn :-D

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  3. I love off season Finds. :)
    especially when it comes to garden stuffs , you know one day its 5Cents then suddenly its in season and 5.Dollars.

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  4. You have crocus already?? Wow! I hope this means that spring will be early, but I'm sure it doesn't. Still, that gives hope, doesn't it?

    I would have bought bulbs too, if I'd come across any. I didn't buy many at all this past fall. Just some tulips and a few lilies. And then Romie chopped up 18 of the tulip bulbs before I could get them planted. I had just laid them down and along he came with the mower. I can't believe he didn't see them!

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  5. Isn't that just amazing! We won't see those for more than a month. What excitement even in a sleeping garden. God bless.

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  6. No way!! I am so amazed to see this little bulb peeking out! Wow! Spring can't be far behind now.

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  7. Now that's some beautiful green punctuating your brown! I love Squamigera and I have a Lycoris that is a stunning red...they call it a spider lily, too. I sometimes forget the ladies until they pop up...fantastic! You are going to love them. gail

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  8. Sorry you've been feeling poorly, Lisa. I'm sure it made you feel a lot better to see the crocus shoots. Spring is on the way, hopefully it will be as beautiful this year as it was last.

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  9. Lisa, I hope you are well on the way to being healthy. I would think it's too early for the spring bulbs, but maybe they know best. :) Don't you love a graden bargin! Can't wait to see what your new flowers will look like.

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  10. Hi Lisa, I am so glad you are feeling like a well human now, that way you got to see the cheering sight of emerging bulbs! Great score on the bulbs too, I have never seen the yellow type, hope yours will give you a bloom to share with us!
    Frances

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  11. Lisa, I'm glad you are feeling better. :-) Things are popping out of the ground all over the place here. I'm afraid the worst of the cold has yet to come, I hope not.

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  12. Lisa, I'm glad you are feeling better. Those crocus shoots must have helped to lift your spirits. I certainly haven't seen anything green popping up around here yet. The Squamigera is something new to me--can't wait to see your photos of them when they bloom!

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  13. I love those colorful vases in the window. I need to collect a few to give my window some color.

    Can't wait to see the first green bulbs of spring. It will be a long time in my area.
    Marnie

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  14. Grrreeeeaaat! So many Crocii! Awesome. I still have my twenty bulbs that my sis bought me from Germany tucked in the corner! Yet to plant them... [sigh]

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  15. Hi Lisa, how wonderful, you are one lucky girl! / Tyra

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  16. crocuses already, how do they ever get through icy ground.oh my god, it cheers me up no end, this post!

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  17. Your garden is indeed the very first which shows the first Spring harbingers. Enjoy them! Here everything is still covered with snow. Maybe the first crocus are under this snow "carpet" ;-) !!
    Barbara

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  18. I haven't seen signs of life here yet. Another two months. Glad you are up and out! Love the green shoots and look forward to following your bulb's progress.

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  19. Dear Lisa,
    You have sprouts!! Wow!! My crocuses inside are growing up a storm but outside is too cold. I love all your colored vases. I know the bulb will out grow it's vase but it looks pretty now...
    I think my dish gardens will start blooming today. Getting your bulbs from the cold warehouse was great...pre-chilled are always expensive and yours were that perfect price of less than 1/2.
    I too have started my gardening journal...wishes and dreams and plans. I really want to grow a dyers garden. Looking for my seeds!
    Happy jotting, glad you are feeling better.
    Sherry

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  20. Good morning Lisa, glad you're feeling better!

    I'm glad you got a breif respite from winter with those unseasonably warm temperatures. Days like that are so welcome in the dead of winter!

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  21. Lisa,

    How exciting to see those green shoots peeking up above the cold soil. I must say I'm in love with your pretty bottles of-many-colors as well. What a lovely way to grow some bulbs indoors for your enjoyment. I hope you continue to feel better.

    Have a Happy Healthy New Year!
    Dawn

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  22. lucky you to have bulbs growing. They always make me high, be they mine or not!

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  23. It's hard to believe a garden anywhere has green shoots. I have more ice on the ground. The only shoots are those very very slowly coming from my forced bulbs. I won't post about them till they get a little further on.

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  24. I love your collection of bulb vases Lisa. They look so pretty lined up on your window sill. The first sighting of crocus is so exciting. We've had a big snow storm for the past few days ... everything in my garden is sleeping under a big white eiderdown :-)

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  25. SOOOO nice to see those sword tips!!

    I hope there are some in my yard...under all the snow and ice!

    You find the most interesting plants--Squamigera--what a great name!

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  26. Geez Louise! You must be turning tropical around there. I can't believe it. We have snows and snows and snows before flowers show up.

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  27. Wow... what a pretty bud vase that is! I love the unusual shape. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your lycoris does well in it. Happy New Year, Lisa! :)

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