425 Bulbs

So here are the 425 bulbs that planted last weekend - before going into the ground.

You can see each variety has a sheet underneath that was printed from the John Scheepers website.  I have been ordering bulbs from them for over ten years, and have been very pleased with the quality and performance of their stock. The information sheet includes a picture of the bulb in flower and the catalog description. I wrote on the form the depth and spacing for each, and attached a cut-out catalog picture so we could know the colors.

Most of them are forms of daffodils and narcissus - I still cannot tell when one or the other name is supposed to be used!  In addition to the daffodils, there are Scilla, Anemone blanda, Puschkinia, and three Eremurus or Foxtail Lilies.  All are chosen to deny the deer any tasty morsels.  In previous years, the Eremurus have had mixed results, so hopefully this year the right site will make all the difference.

Most are earlier, smaller varieties because they are planted among other perennials such as day lilies or they are massed in the very narrow strips in the labyrinth.  Our hope is that those planted in the strips will be dying back to the ground by the time the labyrinth paths need mowing so the mower can run over what is left.  

There is no picture of the bulbs after they were buried - all you would see is the smoothed over earth.  This is an exercise in delayed gratification, because there will be a long wait to see any results.  But, pictures will be offered next Spring, so that you can see the individual varieties and how well the mixing up by color and bloom period works.