When I did the garden design styles series, one reader had a comment that had me laughing so hard and I’ve not forgotten it. Now every time I see a photo of a garden with a boxwood hedge I think of it.
Casa Mariposa said, “I don’t like structured, formal gardens and little boxwood hedges drive me nuts. I just want to take a pair of shears to the side and cut an escape route for all the plants penned up inside.”
The image of cutting an escape route for the plants stuck in boxwood jail (such as the tulips below) brings a smile to my face every time.
Looking at these photos, I’m a bit sad that I don’t grow more tulips, but it seems like a worthless cause when every critter around seems to line up to eat them.
I’ve discovered some of the fancier kinds of daffodils and that helps me forgot that I’m missing tulips. I love the doubles and many of them have a lovely fragrance too.
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| The Impatient Gardener photo |
Every spring I tell myself that I’m going to plant more spring bulbs come fall and then every fall I decide that I have too many other chores to do in the garden so I skip it. The only negative about spring bulbs as far as I’m concerned is having to deal with the foliage after the flowers have faded. The more daffodils I have, the more braiding of leaves I have to do and that gets tiresome. Still I doubt that few things can stir a gardener’s soul more than the springs first flowers.
What are your favorite spring bulbs?
All photos from Houzz.com. Click on the photo for more information.
9 Responses
It is a informative post , thanks for sharing
That is hilarious – laughing about that cut-out path 🙂 When my gardener friends all get together, we have a great time comparing notes, critiques, etc. You braid your daffis? Ooooh I feel so lazy now. I just ignore mine. BTW, I planted these mulit-flowered daffis (lemon drops) and they are always falling over…..like the heads are too heavy. I've decided to pull them up after they flower this spring. Need to try a new variety. Cheers, L
hi erin, just discovered your blog, and am in love!
now if only spring would come to chicago, still in the 30's
debra
I know what you mean about the tukipa being eaten, our squirrels love them. But I perservere because I love them so much. My favourites though are the crocus which bloom first, announcing to the world that there is more joy to come.
Thanks for the tip on the braiding! It does get rather labor intensive after a while.
Beautiful photos — thanks for sharing a breath of spring! But I read that the braiding of leaves is no longer recommended by horticulturists. It doesn't do any harm, but is entirely unnecessary work. I might just push the foliage behind another plant, if I wanted to get it out of the way. Less work, more bulbs!
Ha! That is hilarious – our neighbors have a boxwood hedge. Maybe I should sneak over with my clippers one night.
I DARE you! That would be hysterical. Perhaps you can leave a little gnome holding a "Free the plants" sign.
That's hilarious!