Latest Bulb Log 2016

[Ian Y]

Bulb log 21 online now features Ramonda nathaliae growing in a trough, with twenty pages perhaps the most I have posted in a Bulb Log.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016May251464175709BULB_LOG_2116.pdf

[Jan Jeddeloh]

I have friends (Jan and Dave Dobak) who also live in Portland who managed to successfully grow Pteridophyllum racemosum.  I wouldn't say it looked ecstatic but it survived and flowered.  They grew it within a copper slug ring since we grow slugs big in Portland.  I'm not sure if they took it when they moved locally but I imagine they either did or gave it to someone who had a chance with it.

Ian's latest bulb log is certainly a feast for the eyes.  Lots of gorgeous pictures of his jam packed garden.  Really worth a look just for the eye candy. 

Ian, I've been wondering for some time what you do with all the what must be hundreds or thousands of plants you raise.  I know you plant a lot out in your garden but do some of them show up at your local SRGC sales?  Or do you work with commercial growers?  I know you've been selecting erythronium cultivars and some of them are starting to be commercially available on your side of the pond but I'm not sure how this comes about.  Any chance someone will offer any to some of us deprived Americans and Canadians?  Some of us on the west coast would really like to get our hands on some of them. 

Jan in Portland, Oregon.  Who has a lovely husband who is working on putting up her new alpine house/greenhouse.  Whoo hoo!!!

[Maggi Young]

Hey Jan - we know Jan and Dave Dobak too!

[Ian Y]

Click the link for Bulb Log 2216 where peonies and rhododendrons bring flower power.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jun011464778432BULB_LOG_2216.pdf

[Robert]

Ian,

I am finally getting caught up with some of the past issues of the bulb log that I missed. There always seems to be some detail about your garden that I find helpful even in our hot dry climate. I had always wonder how shady your garden might be and I was pleased that you mentioned the "woodland" setting that has been created. Believe it or not, shade is an issue at our Sacramento garden (it was even an issue up at the farm). I am always looking for sites for our sun loving species (even with 40 C summertime temperatures    ). I find your discussions of pruning and garden management to be very helpful for their general principles that can be applied anywhere.

As always, your garden is incredibly beautiful and an inspiration.

Thank you so much. 

[Ian Y]

Ian, I've been wondering for some time what you do with all the what must be hundreds or thousands of plants you raise.  I know you plant a lot out in your garden but do some of them show up at your local SRGC sales?  Or do you work with commercial growers?  I know you've been selecting erythronium cultivars and some of them are starting to be commercially available on your side of the pond but I'm not sure how this comes about.  Any chance someone will offer any to some of us deprived Americans and Canadians?  Some of us on the west coast would really like to get our hands on some of them. 

Thank you for your kind words Jan, some of our plants do find there way out - the ones I name I give to various nurseries who will then have to build up a stock for selling so this takes time. Corydalis 'Craigton Blue' has been the most successful as it is relatively quick to increase plus it is so beautiful. I have no way of complying with the regulations to send plants to USA or Canada so it has to be through a Nursery.
I would be surprised if similar Erythronium hybrids are not around in USA or Canada.

[Ian Y]

Thank you Robert, I am always delighted to learn that the Bulb Log can be useful - I must reciprocate by saying I get great inspiration from your thread Robert's Adventures.  The pictures of plants growing wild that you share from your hikes are fascinating to me not only for the main subject but as importantly what it is growing with and how they relate.

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Sadly Ian I don't think anyone is really breeding or selecting erythronium clones in the US or Canada. Someone needs to select, like you do, for good multipliers.  Seems a bit odd considering so many are native to the west coast.  In fact oregonum grows wild in a nature park only a couple of miles from me.  And my Dad has a truly magnificent revolutum stand (grown from NARGS seed) so they definitely do well around here. I've even tried to dig up some that seemed to be good clumpers but they pull themselves so deep it's pretty hard. One of my eventual goals is to figure out how to tissue culture them from a flower bud.  If I can ever succeed in this (fell off the back burner this year) people could send me flower buds to culture.  They are, after all, "botanical specimens" and those seem to come thru the postal system OK. 

I know first hand how hard it is to arrange a phyto inspection in Great Britain and I understand why you'd leave that to the nursery people.  I tried to do it for my trip this spring and gave up.  Waaay too much hassle for a maximum of 24 plants.  Maybe I can convince some of my friends to go in with me on an order from Great Britain.  Splitting a phyto several ways would help.

Any chance we'll have an opportunity to buy erythroniums, either from you or other vendors, when the SRGC hosts the next international rock garden conference?  I suspect they'd probably be heading to dormancy but I wouldn't care.

Jan in very hot Portland.  Forecast today of 37C.  Tomorrow is supposed to be almost as bad.

[Ian Y]

Jan there is a good chance that someone will be selling Erythroniums when the SRGC host the International Conference in 2021 and hopefully there will be arrangements made for phyto inspections.

[Ian Y]

Log 2316 surveys some of  the troughs.


http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jun081465381839BULB_LOG_2316.pdf

[Maggi Young]

Some nice reactions to Bulb Logs from Twitter....

From Dave M.
"@ScottishRockGC suitably inspired by Ian's efforts I made a job lot the other weekend"
https://twitter.com/JFDIecologist/status/740611985751068673



and another trough enthusiast... Matt Mattus...
"An alpine trough doesn't have to be a stone or concrete one - sometimes, an old horse trough will do."
https://twitter.com/MattMattus/status/740314668254801920

[Maggi Young]

Matt Mattus - President of NARGS and blogger - amongst other things - writes about Ian and the Bulb Log...."Ian's Bulb Log is what got me started with Alpine Plants"

Matt's Saxifraga longifolia is also flowering now ....
https://twitter.com/MattMattus/status/740597843233284096

[Ian Y]

This week I celebrate reaching one of those significant numbers the
        700th Bulb Log.


Click the link to see BULB LOG 700, as I reach another milestone in this 24th week of year 14. http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jun151465988651BULB_LOG_2416.pdf

[Gabriela]

Thank you and to many more to come!!! 
It is truly inspirational, from any point of view -propagation, cultivation, garden design. I used to read them long before starting to be active on the forum and every time I end up knowing something more, wanting to repeat a planting combination...This time for ex. - those Arisaema ciliatum with the lily shoots in the background - wow!

[Ian Y]

Thank you Gabriela I am always pleased to here that my efforts are of some use and appreciated.
As for many more - I will commit to one more year which will be the fifteenth -  beyond that I am not sure.