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“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.”
– Albert Camus, 1913-1960, French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist, The Misunderstanding, 1943
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Here Come the Fall Bulbs!
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We’re happy to report that our many crates of sturdy tulips, daffodils, and other bulbs from our growers have arrived and we’re checking their quality and getting them organized for efficiently putting your orders together. We hope to begin shipping Monday, beginning with customers in extremely cold zones and then the customers who ordered last winter. We’ll send you an email with tracking information when your bulbs leave here. If we have your order now, we expect to have it to you by the end of October, a perfect time for most gardeners to plant. But don’t worry – your bulbs will come with directions on when different varieties need to be planted and how best to store them if you can’t plant immediately.
Sometimes we’ll hear from customers who see that the big box stores already have fall bulbs for sale and ask why we don't ship ours sooner. The main reason is that it’s better for the bulbs. All bulbs have to mature and dry after harvesting, especially daffodils which need to lose over 20% of their weight in moisture – and this takes time. But big box stores want to sell as many bulbs as possible before they start ramping up for Halloween, so mainstream growers have been forced to ship bulbs before they’re ready. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t – and we don’t want to take that risk with our rare jewels.
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Did You Move Over the Summer? Will You Be Away in October? Tell Us ASAP.
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If you’ve moved since you ordered, please let us know your new shipping address – we’d hate for the bulbs you’re eagerly anticipating end up sitting forlorn at your former residence or returned to us as undeliverable! If you know you’ll be traveling in October, please tell us what dates you’ll be away so that we can ship your bulbs to arrive either before you leave or after you return – unless of course you have a friendly neighbor collecting your mail while you’re gone!
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New Varieties Available (While They Last)!
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We’re always disappointed when a grower tells us that they’ve had a crop failure of a particular variety, so we were delighted this month when several told us instead that they had some heirlooms they thought we’d like to try – and of course we said yes! For fall planting we’re able to offer you the rare and exquisite ‘Prince of Wales’ tulip (1863), primrose-yellow daffodil ‘Hospodar’ (1914), and luxuriously fragrant ‘Pink Perfection’ lilies (1950). If you’d like to add these to a current order, please let us know right away – once we start shipping, it’s harder to make changes to fall orders.
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Tovah Martin on Drumstick Alliums
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In “An Impressionist Meadow,” garden author Tovah Martin’s Garden Design article showcases a flower-filled meadow garden which combines ornamental grasses with “strong-willed” perennials such as ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint, Gaura ‘Siskiyou Pink’, ‘Terra Cotta’ achillea, and our own purple-headed garlick! “Alliums extend the spring fling of bulbs,” she writes, “and even after most alliums have come and gone, the drumstick allium begins its suspended display of tall 2-to-3-foot stems that are crowned with a topknot of garnet flowers. But what makes this element exquisitely invaluable for a meadow garden application is the drumstick allium’s ability to pop up from beneath the skirts of any plant . . . for a flash of color while the neighbors are revving up. The fact that grass roots slurp up any available moisture in the soil does not faze this allium in the least.”
We’re big fans of these dependable, “exquisitely invaluable” alliums, too – and now is the time to order them for fall planting.
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Our Customers Rave about Dahlias
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We love reading your notes to us when you order or email, and rather than tell you our own favorites this time we’re passing on some customer reviews. Our fellow Michigander Kyle K. (zone 6a) reported that “Dahlia ‘David Howard’ is just now blooming and I MUST HAVE MORE. I've heard good things about this dahlia, and he has exceeded expectations. The depth of color and contrast with the foliage is wonderful, and the flowers just glow in the garden.” Kathleen C. in New York’s zone 4b says “‘David Howard’ is gorgeous, vigorous, and full of blooms. The dark foliage was a real stand-out. Lots of healthy tubers. ‘Glorie [van Heemstede]’ was the same, plenty of blooms, and the pale yellow is exquisite. Generally, I cannot grow dinner plates because of my cold, short season, but ‘Kelvin [Floodlight]’ rose to the challenge! It was such fun to show him off.” And at the other end of the temperature range, Gary P. from California’s zone 9b let us know that “A couple years ago I decided to put ‘Thomas Edison’ in the actual garden and was flabbergasted at the results. It grew over 5 feet and must have produced a non-stop gift of gorgeous flowers as it was protected from the later afternoon hot sun.”
If you’d like to tell us about your own star performers, please drop us an email – and photos are welcome too! Which varieties do you swear by? Which have never let you down? We’d love to hear from folks across the country as we can always learn more about how each of our heirlooms perform in different areas.
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Do Some Easy Fall Clean-Up to Protect Your Iris and Peonies
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If you’re waiting eagerly for your fall bulbs to arrive (or just have time on your hands!), why not give your peonies and iris some TLC and help them be strong and healthy next spring?
PEONIES – Although relatively care-free, peonies can be afflicted by powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. To prevent spores from overwintering, cut stems as close to the ground as possible, carefully bagging everything as you go. It’s best to do this earlier rather than later, before the leaves get dry and crumbly. Disinfect your tools with rubbing alcohol or bleach between plants to avoid spreading disease. Dispose of all clippings in the trash. Do not compost!
IRIS – Fall is also the best time to control iris borers which are a common pest in gardens east of the Rockies. Borers hatch in spring from eggs laid in the fall on iris leaves and anything similar that’s nearby. To destroy them, simply wait until a hard frost kills the adult moths and then cut back all leaves to a couple of inches. Don’t compost your clippings - throw them in the trash along with any nearby debris or mulch.
Healthier plants look better and bloom more – so get out there and give yours a boost!
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