Monthly Bulb Log 2023

[Ian Y]

The Bulb Log will now appear just once a month here is January's issue featuring Narcissus, Galanthus, Cyclamen and moss.


https://www.srgc.net/documents/bulb%20logs/230118105020BULB%20LOG%200123.pdf

[Ian Y]

February sees the garden waking from its winter slumber with the appearance of Eranthis, Galantus, Crocus, Narcissus all featuring in this Bulb Log a few others are also showing their intentions along with a brief discussion on sensations - click the link to reveal all.


https://www.srgc.net/documents/bulb%20logs/230215110351BULB%20LOG%200223.pdf

[MarcR]

Here in the mid-Willamette valley of Oregon, we have been getting a lot of arctic air; which is keeping temperatures in the 30s and 40s F. (-1 to 7.5 C).
My Galanthus and Crocus are showing green shoots; but, no flowers yet. My Eranthus have not yet broken grounnd. I have Erica, Primula, and Cyclamen in bloom; and Ferraria and Iris crestata in bud.

[Robert]

Hi Ian,

I am definitely not an artist and struggle with beauty and design in our garden. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your insights. Crafting something beautiful in this world is so very important to me. Thank you again for helping me, and most likely many others, along this worthy path.

I have always been aware of the feeling in my feet as I walk in the garden. Why is the feeling of warm summertime earth on my bare feet in the garden so visceral and agreeable? Why do certain scents of foliage say “home”, “California” to me? Through all of this (the totality of our gardening activities) it seems that we can all create a small piece of paradise. Sharing our gardens with others can help expand the borders of paradise beyond their current limits.

[Ian Y]

Thanks for your comments Marc and Robert it is always good to hear from you.

Even within Scotland there is a big difference in when plants come into flower a few weeks ago we were seeing images of what is now flowering here while others, like you Marc, are still waiting.

Robert our gardens reflect our own creativity and influences and without doubt my main influence is nature.

[Ian Y]

I started photographing plants for this months Bulb during some nice spring like weather but  changes came and winter returned.


Click the link to read.
https://www.srgc.net/documents/bulb%20logs/230315103113BULB%20LOG%200323.pdf

[Robert]

Hi Ian

I enjoyed your latest Bulb Log immensely. Seeing your naturalistic gardening style in action is very inspirational as Jasmin and I continue to develop our garden. A number of scenes from this Bulb Log have a very similar appearance to some of our high elevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The plants are completely different but the patterns and textures share similarities. I think that I can pull this one off in our garden here in Sacramento, at least with some trial-and-error, and some happy accidents. I find that when desirable plants seed themselves around, most often this creates the most naturalistic and pleasing affect. Sometimes the volunteers need to be removed or moved, however more often than not the volunteers are in the perfect location.

I do have some questions regarding your experience with Erythroniums in your garden. If I remember correctly, at one time you had a colony of Erythronium americanum that spread vegetatively but produced very few flowers? I observe this same trait in some selections of Erythronium multiscapideum both in the wild and in our garden. Both in the wild and in our garden there are also selections of Erythronium multiscapideum that bloom well to various degrees. Have you observed this flowering variability in Erythronium americanum or any other Erythronium species that you grow?

I have observed that the Erythronium species that I grow will self pollenate with reluctance. The Erythroniums species in our garden seem to be strongly but not completely obligate out breeders. Do you have any thoughts or observations concerning the outbreeding preferences of Erythronium species?

[Jasmin]:  We very much enjoyed your Bulb Log this month.  Happy accidents, when the plants themselves decide to naturalize of their own accord, create the best garden displays.
     Perhaps this is a stupid or ridiculous question, but how is it possible to not have ants?  Except that our governments would not approve, I would gladly send a small selection of the “nicer”!  There are the mid-size/large black ones, which aren’t too bad—they invade before rains, and have a weakness for sugars, but the red ones are nasty biters, and the worst is this itsy, bitsy, little black ant that is much smaller than a flea, but it bites worse than anything.  It is very hard to see, but it makes its presence known!
     In your dictionary of Scottish terms, can you find a word for the type of snow that has been rained on, but soaked up the water rather than melted?  It seems there is a good Scottish or Norwegian word for this.  We have plenty!

[Maggi Young]

Jasmin: the term we use most for any kind of "changed" snow - is Horrible!!
 But see some of the over 400 Scots words for snow here: https://www.inquisitr.com/2477038/421-words-for-snow-appear-in-new-scottish-thesaurus

As for the lack of ants - I have no idea - they exist around about us, but not in the garden. We've never seen one in our garden, though I've met some walking up the road outside. It is truly a mystery!

[MarcR]

Hi Maggi,

That was very interesting!  Words are my favorite toys!

[Ian Y]

Thank you for your comments/questions Robert and Jasmin.

Jasmin Maggi has answered your questions many of the 400 plus Scottish words for snow are regional I know best those in the Doric our regional dialect one word to describe snow turned to ice would be skitie. The lack of ants is a mystery especially when we have created areas of a woodland type habit which you would think should be attractive to ants.

Robert there is no doubt that Erythroniums will produce most seed after cross pollination but selfing may give a smaller number of seeds per capsule.
Yes we have the form of Erythronium americanum the can be reluctant to flower
. What happens is immature bulbs produce stolons with secondary growths and so that cycle is repeated every year with no bulbs growing to maturity. If left to spread flowering bulbs with two leaves will start to form towards the centre of the colony surrounded by masses of single leaved non- flowering ones.
I have experience of a form of E. Dens canis that behaves in this way so can well believe that certain clones of other species could do the same.

[Robert]

Hi Ian,

The weather has cleared for a few days before the next set of storms is forecasted to arrive. It is a good opportunity to get some gardening done. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the genus Erythronium and answering my questions.

[MarcR]

Ian,

Viewing your Bulblog, I noticed that we have many of the same species in bloom at the same time.  That suggests both similar temperatures and similar tastes.

[Ian Y]

Ian,

Viewing your Bulblog, I noticed that we have many of the same species in bloom at the same time.  That suggests both similar temperatures and similar tastes.

Mark I have noted a for many years a similarity between plants and timings between those we grow in NE Scotland and the Pacific north west.

[ashley]

Trying to improve my rather mixed success in germinating Tropaeolum led me back, via the Index, to Bulb Log 33 of 2021. 
What a wonderful compilation of experience on germinating geophytes & acclimating them to our local conditions
Many thanks Ian.

[Ian Y]

This months Bulb Log looks at some of the flowering highlights of the last four weeks. As winter transitions into spring some Snowdrops  flowers hang on and are joined by Eranthis, Crocus, Corydalis and Erythronium among others.
Click the link  to  view all.


https://www.srgc.net/documents/bulb%20logs/230412102416BULB%20LOG%200423.pdf