Bulb Log 20/04/07

[Maggi Young]

Here is the patient, very subdued again, having returned for her walk to find that there is still no Bulb Despot to greet her... not even a toy can cheer her up !

[Maggi Young]

Glad to have you posting, Rob! Where are you, somewhere in the UK?

[Rob]

Hi Maggi

I've filled in my signature to show Midlands, UK.

I'm in Hereford, so I'm hoping to get to the spring show at Malvern next month as it's not too far away.

Rob

[Maggi Young]

Excellent, now we can picture where you are when you start moaning about the weather... which I'm sure will be sooner rather than later, gardening being what it is! Good idea to put Midlands rather than Hereford, I'm in the UK and hopeless  ( Malvern seems "south" to me, must go check the map! )but we have so many overseas forumists that they will aprreciate the placing, too.

[Maggi Young]

Malvern seems "south" to me, must go check the map!

Just had a look at the map.... Hereford is just about where I thought it was but I imagined Malvern to be much further south.  Heigh ho! So much for my knowledge of the English counties!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I prefer Craigton cover girl to a lot of other cover girls !!!
She's a real stunner !

[hadacekf]

Ian, what a delight it is to see your stunning Erythronium.   Thank you

[Ian Y]

What a hectic week first my trip up to Shetland for my Exhibition and then off to Dublin for a talk.
Here are a few pictures of my Dublin trip, I will get around to Shetland during the weekend.
The bed outside the Lecture Theatre at Glasnevin Botanic Garden was a stunning sight even in the fading evening light, and as Mark says the colour was matched by the fantastic scent.

[Ian Y]

Glad you enjoyed the Erythroniums Franz, there may be more in next weeks log.

Billy Moore and his wife Anne were my very generous hosts for my stay and Billy kindly drove me around and arranged for me to visit Mount Usher Garden and also Helen Dillon's Garden.
Both very different but equally impressive in their own unique style.
Mount Usher is full of wonderful trees and shrubs many of which were new to me and Helen's garden is a master class in design and colour. Even though Helen kept apologising for the garden being out of season it looked wonderful and full of colour to me, I can imagine what it must look like when it is in full flower.
My sincere thanks to Billy for driving me and to Helen and Mount Usher for opening especially for me and the personal guided tours.

[Ed Alverson]

Whew, the Bulb Log has finally arrived!  Thanks Ian.  Being deprived of the new installment for two days shows how important the Bulb Log is to our weekly routine! 

Interesting to hear how good your weather has been for Erythronium flowering, they really are at their best on warm dry days.  Doesn't it seem that Erythroniums are especially susceptible to varying their appearance depending upon the weather?  In my experience it is not just whether or not the flowers are wet from rain, but also the morphology (and especially how reflexed the tepals become) seems to vary depending upon the temperature, sunshine, relative humidity, or other factors.  Warm and dry is best. 

Unfortunately here in Oregon we have been going through a relatively cool wet spell after a nice warm start to spring, so our Erythronium displays have not been nearly as satisfying as yours in Scotland.  But there is always next year!

[Armin]

Ian, very nice garden impressions. I like the picture of Mount Usher River. That reminds me to purchase a licence for fly fishing - season for trouts started...

[Paddy Tobin]

Ian,

Ian, glad to see you visited two excellent gardens while on your visit to Dublin.

Mount Usher has the advantage of that river setting and the planting makes  the most of the situation, an excellent garden to visit at any time of the year, great tree interest especially.

Helen Dillon has been an inspiration to Irish gardeners, and certainly to me, for many years. She always extends the warmest of welcomes and refuses to allow one leave empty handed. My garden has many many plants whose labels read 'ex H.D.' and these are plants that I will always treasure for their association with Helen and because they remind of the generosity of a great gardener and plantsperson. OK, as you can see I am a big fan.

Hope you enjoyed both gardens as much as I always have.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

The last photo of the spring bed at Glasnevin shows the wonderful Tulip 'Queen of Sheeba'. I feel a spring bedding display happening in my tiny patch. At least one person was very impressed with Ian's enthusiasm.

[Maggi Young]

My goodness, Mark, you had me worried there... I thought for a second you meant ONLY one person was impressed with Ian's enthusiasm... now I see you write, "at least one"...I  nearly thought the Boy was losing his touch!
He is full of tales of the lovely gardens and kindness shown to him on his visit, he had a great time with you all. Special thanks to Anne and Billy Moore for their hospitality and generosity with their time, it is much appreciated.

[johngennard]

Ian,I am really envious of your erythroniums as I am sure most people  are.The images are fantastic.Being a newcomer tom the forum I am still working through all of your previous logs and find them most informative.I have sown lots of seed over the years and also scattered it in situ.but without achieving your results,but I am still persevering.Alas,Father Time will probably beat me before I get there.As a matter of interest I have'nt seen any mention  of E.Harvington Snowgoose.I acquired this two years ago and I wondered whether you know of it's origin.It is a very nice thing.
I enclose some pics.for your perusal.