Bulb Log 2021

[Carolyn]

Thanks, Ian, I have lots of seedlings growing in pots. Your experiment is giving me a few ideas for where/how to plant them.

[Tristan_He]

Likewise, thanks. The plot thickens for me though. I planted several Hepaticas years ago under some goat willow, in an area now dense with Cyclamen coum, Galanthus, Narcissus cyclamineus and Corydalis solida - so seemingly a decent area. They never really thrived though and expired after 2-3 years. I think they were pyrenaica and transsilvanica.

I still have some plants - a couple in the rockery which have been growing veeerrry slowly, and some seedlings from Anne Wright which seem a bit more vigorous and are planted in a large pan with a couple of lumps of limestone for interest and calcium (the only place I have seen them in the wild is in the steep limestone woods of Slovenia - which every woodland gardener should see before they die). More seedlings coming on, so there should be a bit of material to play with.

I don't think drainage is likely to be an issue here, at least not in the locations I have grown them. All very mysterious!

Ian when you say the pH in your Hepatica bed is acid, are you talking a little bit acid (around 6.5) or significantly acid (4.5)?

[Maggi Young]

It's a little bit acid, Tristan - not  less than 6 - 5.5 at most ,I would think.

[Tristan_He]

OK thanks Maggi, so roots could maybe still be getting some calcium from the concrete.

We're not all that acid here (I don't think) but the soil is lime-poor which I think affects some plants. Certainly some things seem to grow better near the house and paved areas where some lime presumably leaches from the cement.

[Leena]

Thank you again Ian for an interesting bulb log. I like how you showed a picture what was in the beginning and what is now, in only five years time.
Also this discussion of Hepaticas have given me some thought.

[Ian Y]

So much more colour in this Bulb Log with the spring flowering plants, such as Corydalis joining the last of the late winter flowers.


https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Mar311617185709BULB_LOG_1321.pdf

[Carolyn]

Ian,
Another lovely Bulb log. Do you find that Corydalis malkensis hybridises with C solida? This year I have found a few C malkensis with a purple or pink tinge in the flowers.

[Ian Y]

Ian,
Another lovely Bulb log. Do you find that Corydalis malkensis hybridises with C solida? This year I have found a few C malkensis with a purple or pink tinge in the flowers.

Yes we get a number of purple tinged Corydalis malkensis flowers and I have never worked out if that is a natural occasional colour variation or indeed a hybrid with C. solida.

[Ian Y]

There are lots of colourful flowers on Saxifrages, Primula and Rhododendrons in this Bulb Log then the snow storm hit......


https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Apr071617790869BULB_LOG_1421.pdf

[Ian Y]

The theme of this weeks Bulb Log is Beauty and the Beast find out more by clicking the link below ....


https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Apr141618391629BULB_LOG_1521.pdf

[Leena]

I was sorry to read about all the damage the weather had done in your garden, but it is nice to know there are more plants and flowers coming up  .

[Tristan_He]

Me too, but I've no doubt it will soon bounce back.

Ian, do you give your Anemone ranunculoides any special treatment? A. nemorosa does very well for me here but I have never had any joy with ranunculoides.

[Ian Y]

I was sorry to read about all the damage the weather had done in your garden, but it is nice to know there are more plants and flowers coming up  .

I do try and be philosophical about these events Leena but it is hard not to be saddened by the damage but now good sunny weather is repairing or covering over the damage and much more growth and flowers are appearing.

[Ian Y]

Me too, but I've no doubt it will soon bounce back.

Ian, do you give your Anemone ranunculoides any special treatment? A. nemorosa does very well for me here but I have never had any joy with ranunculoides.

It gets no special treatment Tristan just an annual organic mulch which the rhizomes love to run about in.

[Tristan_He]

Thanks Ian. I was afraid you would say that!