bulb question
 

in the process of digging up ancient gardens here in the hope
of growing something besides wildly invasive perenniels &
weeds, i've been digging up loads of bulbs.
i'm not good at bulb ID. i know some are daffodil/narcissus,
but none of what i've dug up so far looks like a daffodil or
narcissus bulb. the bigger bulbs so far actually look like
tulip bulbs, but in 5 years i've not seen a tulip bloom.
most of the bulbs are tiny, 1/4" to 3/4". those might be
squill or snowdrops? then there are some kind of squat ones
with a fiberous covering, again very small, under an inch.
i have seen snowdrops, squills, a few crocus & daffs
blooming, but these bulbs are really huge clumps, so maybe
they're too crowded to bloom? anywhere on the web that has
good photos of bulbs? or should i take some pictures & post
them? i'm going to divide & replant as many as possible (i
have a 5 gallon bucketful already & i've only done one 3'x5'
corner...)but i'd like to have some idea which are what so i
know how to place them.
oh, and do astilbe transplant well? i've been moving them to
a temporary garden until i'm done.
lee

--
It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still
differentiate
between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing
the vital
connection between them. -Leo Buscaglia, author (1924-1998)

there is an excellent book on Bulbs titled literally Bulbs by Roger
Phillips & Martyn Rix, an oversized paperback book that has 254 pages in
full color of not only the bulbs and what they look like, but of the
bulbs with the flowers and leaves attached in glorious detail. Put out
by Random House, it will cost you about $30 but well worth it. There is
also a series of other books by these two men that are equally
informative and awesomely done. Perennials divided up in two volumns,
early and late, Shrubs which is well done, just could use a bit of
updating (I bought it several years ago), Roses, Herbs, and Trees. I
don't have those, but could probably attest that they are equally
informative and well put together. I love the four I have.I hope this
helps.
madgardener

enigma wrote:
in the process of digging up ancient gardens here in the hope
of growing something besides wildly invasive perenniels &
weeds, i've been digging up loads of bulbs.
i'm not good at bulb ID. i know some are daffodil/narcissus,
but none of what i've dug up so far looks like a daffodil or
narcissus bulb. the bigger bulbs so far actually look like
tulip bulbs, but in 5 years i've not seen a tulip bloom.
most of the bulbs are tiny, 1/4" to 3/4". those might be
squill or snowdrops? then there are some kind of squat ones
with a fiberous covering, again very small, under an inch.
i have seen snowdrops, squills, a few crocus & daffs
blooming, but these bulbs are really huge clumps, so maybe
they're too crowded to bloom? anywhere on the web that has
good photos of bulbs? or should i take some pictures & post
them? i'm going to divide & replant as many as possible (i
have a 5 gallon bucketful already & i've only done one 3'x5'
corner...)but i'd like to have some idea which are what so i
know how to place them.
oh, and do astilbe transplant well? i've been moving them to
a temporary garden until i'm done.
lee

madgardener wrote in
:

there is an excellent book on Bulbs titled literally Bulbs
by Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix, an oversized paperback book
that has 254 pages in full color of not only the bulbs and
what they look like, but of the bulbs with the flowers and
leaves attached in glorious detail.

thanks Maddie. i'll see if i can order it from Border's.
there are literally thousands of the really tiny bulbs.
apparently they've been happily expanding there for many many
years. strangely, many of these bulbs are under the astilbes.
i don't remember seeing anything blooming where the astilbes
were, well, besides the astilbes :) perhaps they were too deep
for such tiny bulbs? more than 2" deep.
lee