Season’s Greetings from The Green Owl.

We are right in the middle of Spring here in Nepal, the best season for all plant lovers. I love this season as I can see some of my favourite springtime flower bulbs and tubers bloom. How miraculously the green shoots appear and then the foliage, and before you even know it, out pops most gorgeous flowers.

 

While designing my new garden, I included a small space just for my bulb and tuber flowers. I want to invest my time and money in these prized perennials. Firstly, they flower with such intensity and colour. Secondly, they supply you with years of seasonal colour in your landscape. With various bulbs, it blooms from late January to late May. The most beautiful thing about these power plants is they are undemanding and are actual survivors. The only thing that bulbs and tubers are fussy about is water logging and rodents. If you can keep a check on this, believe me, you will have one of the most versatile colourful gardens.

 

Frequent visits to parks and gardens have led me to believe that bulbs and tubers look more attractive when planted in mass containers or raised beds. Imagine clumps of bulbs planted in clusters of five or more of a single variety. It is how you will be able to grow and make them look their best. Here are some bulbs and tubers that I managed to grow this season. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my hands on Tulip and Hyacinth bulbs at the required time, and I miss them the most.

 

Timing is of utmost importance when it comes to planning your spring garden. Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in mid-September through October when the cold starts to set in. Most spring bulbs require a period of chilling to enforce blooms, which means planting in fall.

 

The general rule of thumb for successfully planting spring bulbs is to plant them at a depth two to three times more than the height. We need to sow most large bulbs like tulips or daffodils about eight inches deep and eight inches apart. We should plant smaller bulbs like crocus and anemones three to four inches deep and three to four inches apart. Always measure planting depth from the bottom of the bulb.

 

Peruvian Lily are tuberous perennials. They are not true lilies, but their blooms and foliage closely resemble lily flowers. They add that exotic touch to your spring garden with their pretty funnel-shaped flower sprayed with brown freckles. Do not cut off the stalk once the flowering is over. Instead, pull them off with a twist, and encourage the tuber to form new shoots.

 

Dahlias, another garden favourite, is one of the most popular tuber plants. These asteroids appear in all colours except blue. They deserve their position as the most popular garden plants because they guarantee colourful flowers right through to autumn. They have the reputation of not liking too much contact so try not to plant them too close.

 

Different colours of Gladiolus and long bloom studded flowerheads look great when grown in groups. Mine is about two feet tall now, and it is time to give them some support so that they do not bend downwards.

 

Lilium is my absolute favourite. These charming, elegant flowers come in almost every colour but blue. The Lily’s flowering period is one of the highlights of any summer garden. You can plant Lilies where they can get full sun or at least half-day sun. They look best when planted in clusters of 3 or more bulbs. When your lilies have finished blooming, snip off the flowers immediately so that the foliage produces the energy needed for next year’s flowers.

 

Narcissus—or do you say daffodil?

Daffodil is the common name of Narcissus (a Latin word), and therein lies the confusion. Jonquils are also narcissi, in case you were wondering. Plant the bulbs in clusters alongside other bulbs to add vibrancy to your spring garden. Hardy perennials come back year after year. They even spread if they are happy and are convenient bulbs for beginners to grow.

 

Crocosmia grows from corms, which are closely related to bulbs. When grown in clusters, these plants produce masses of sword-shaped foliage and brightly coloured blooms giving out a beautiful scent which attracts the garden pollinators.

 

There is still a long list of spring-flowering bulbs that are on my wishlist for the coming year, but for now, I must learn to be happy with what I have. Plant hoarding - is there ever a thing like having too many plants?

 

May the month be a good one for all.