Flower Focus: Spring Bulbs (Allium, Narcissus & Tulipa)
One of the last big fall tasks on a flower farm is getting the bulbs in the ground so we can share them as soon as the winter wanes and warmer temperatures return. Amidst all the covid-19 anxiety, it’s a small comfort to watch the winter give way to spring. The allium (Allium acuminatum), daffodils (Narcissus), and tulips (Tulipa) are all on their way up through the earth. Perhaps even a little earlier than usual, given our mild winter.
In floriography, the Victorian language of flowers, allium are said to represent patience and unity. Narcissus illustrates regard, or unrequited love, while tulips’ love and passion can vary in meaning depending on their color. Red tulips are a declaration of love, yellow denote sunshine in your smile, and variegated varieties mean beautiful eyes.
With these three flowers, it is possible to have every color of the rainbow gracing your garden, or vase early in the growing season. Here at Sweet Earth Co., we have over 20 different varieties of flowers growing between just these three alone.
Daffodils are some of my favorite spring flowers.
They are one of the first signs of spring where I live. There are so many pretty varieties, more than the common yellow daffodil that first comes to mind. There are ruffled, double, trumpet, large cupped, small cupped, and many others. They even vary in their fragrance; some are sweet while others are spicy or musky. Below are some of the varieties we grow at Sweet Earth Co. Daffodils grow in clumps and every few years we divide the clumps to keep them producing vigorously.
I fell in love with tulips when I visited the Skagit Valley area of Washington where fields were planted with tulips as far as the eye can see.
Tulips have been extremely popular since they were cultivated in the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century. There are so many colors and varieties available. I am partial to the doubles, fringed and the large parrots. While tulips are technically perennial, they do not reliably bloom year after year. Here at Sweet Earth Co. we treat them like annuals and plant new bulbs every year. We plant them within an inch or two of each other allowing us to plant thousands in a small space.
Allium flowers, also known as Ornamental or Flowering Onion, are a must-have accent in the garden.
They are as much at home in a formal garden as they are in a colorful and whimsical one. These globe flowers are available in dwarf form, and up to 4 feet tall with blooms larger than softballs! Every year we add a new variety to our grow list. This year’s addition is Pink Giganteum. My favorite (for now) is Schubertti which looks great in dried form, too.
