What’s Blooming: Bulb Displays

 

Narcissus romieuxii ‘Julia Jane’ blooming at The Gardens

What’s Blooming:  Bulb Displays
by Rita Jokerst, Horticulturist, Gardens on Spring Creek

 

Spring bulbs are a much-needed blast of color after a long winter, and we can’t wait to see our newest bulb installation pop in the Color Walk. Last fall Gardens staff, along with cohorts from the City of Fort Collins Parks department, installed 2,760 bulbs including a variety of crocus, daffodils, tulips and more. This year we will be rewarded for our fall toil with botanical treats in shades of pink, yellow and cream.

Crocuses are usually the earliest signifier of warming weather, and we could not resist giving ourselves that treat. Installed in the Café Grove, Crocus tommasinianus ‘Roseus’ may be the closest there is to a pink crocus. These plants are sometimes lovingly called “Tommies” and typically pop above ground even earlier than Dutch crocus varieties.

In addition to crocus, many gardeners’ early go-to bulbs are daffodils, and we agree they hold a fundamental place in the landscape. Daffodils, or Narcissus cultivars, are classified into divisions, which are based on flower form – particularly the ratio between the corona and perianth segments. Or, in other words, the ratio of “cup” to the non-“cup” parts. Other considerations for divisions include number of flowers per stem, flowering period and genetic background. There are 13 divisions provided by the Royal Horticulture Society, but buyers may see a “Division 14” daffodil for sale. This division is sometimes used to describe miniature narcissus cultivars.

A couple interesting daffodils slated for display this year are Narcissus romieuxii ‘Julia Jane’ and Narcissus ‘Sir Winston Churchill.’ The former is a Division 10 miniature daffodil with large, light yellow cups, skinny petals and extremely thin foliage. These were the Color Walk’s first bulbs to bloom this spring, aided by the warmth and protection of the stage, and one of the first honeybees on the site this year paid a visit to their delicate blooms in early March. ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ on the other hand is a Division 4 double daffodil with creamy flowers, flecked with orange. We hope the dense, fragrant blooms will add a romance and softness to the bulb blocks.

In addition to daffodils and crocuses, a variety of tulips is a must-have for a screaming display, but smarter picks for tulips are essential in creating a display that lasts longer than one year. Darwin hybrids, Fosteriana tulips and botanical tulips all are touted as more persistent options in the landscape. Darwin hybrid tulips are typically reliable performers, undeterred by frigid winters or vacillating weather conditions. They are sometimes called “perennial tulips” as they will likely give you multiple years of sizeable blooms. ‘Apricot Pride’ is one of the Darwin hybrid tulips we installed last fall, and we’re excited to see its peachy-apricot hue grace our Shade Terrace beds this spring.

Tulipa fosteriana 'Exotic Emperor'

Commercially available Fosteriana tulips, or Tulipa fosteriana, are derived from a wild strain of tulips from the mountains of Central Asia. Cultivated types typically have reliable early blooms, sturdy stems and large flowers, and they can naturalize to come back year after year. The one we chose for our site is ‘Exotic Emperor,’ and once in bloom it just might remind you of a peony with its fluffy white flowers, accented by greens and creams.

Botanical tulips too have potential for naturalizing, and they are also quite early blooming. Two types we opted for at the Gardens were Tulipa clusiana ‘Cynthia’ and Tulipa turkestanica. ‘Cynthia’ is a classic of botanical tulips; this bicolor bloom proudly displays its petals on sunny days only to close on cloudy days and at night. Tulipa turkestanica is a fragrant, award-winning and deserving-of-a-second-look tulip. In a patch of these flowers you can find up to seven different colors, depending on which part of the flower you examine.

There is so much more in the bulb display that can’t be mentioned here which means just one thing for our readers – come see the Color Walk for yourself and enjoy your first blast of spring color!