Hi all

I got my garden landscaped recently
with a very modern feel (I designed it
but got landscapers to do the work)

The planting (at my request) is all
green, but it needs some colour now

Anyway get to the point..

The shrubs are all nice and I want to leave them
so my colour will be filling in between them

So I plant bulbs now for spring, Im okay with that,
but when the flowers are done and leave them in the ground
do the summer flowers go in between them?
Do I / Can I take up the bulbs?

How do you guys know whats there?
Do you have tags reminding you what bulbs are there?

I was looking for showy exotic varieties for all year round
Am I best off with summer bulbs rather that bedders
(The most interesting thing I have found so far is the
frittalia maxima rubra)

I would love to take some digi snaps and
have you guys look at my garden
and maybe give me pointers on plants/ schemes etc
I am really pleased with the structural elements of the garden
but need the plants to do it justice

The 10foot thistle thing is a huge thistle like artichoke family plant
Huge silver grey leaves with large purple flowering heads
(Bumble bees all over them) Anyone know the name. I was lead
to belive that these (3) will die off to nothing in winter and start again
Could I plant spring colour there or would they upset each other?

Sorry this is getting long--Im off

Many thanks

Niall






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In article , Niall Smyth
writes

The shrubs are all nice and I want to leave them
so my colour will be filling in between them

So I plant bulbs now for spring, Im okay with that,
but when the flowers are done and leave them in the ground
do the summer flowers go in between them?
Do I / Can I take up the bulbs?

I wouldn't bother. Why make work?

How do you guys know whats there?

I don't! It's a lovely surprise each season ;-)
If I dig something up by mistake, I replant it.

Do you have tags reminding you what bulbs are there?

I was looking for showy exotic varieties for all year round
Am I best off with summer bulbs rather that bedders
(The most interesting thing I have found so far is the
frittalia maxima rubra)

You'll probably need to dig up the summer bulbs and give them frost
protection through the winter. So from that point of view you might as
well use almost anything - try, for example, tuberous begonias - big
flowers in very bright colours (seems to have been this year's favourite
theme plant for pub hanging baskets), brugmansia (big dangling bells
8inches or more long), coleus for bright red and other colour foliage,
lilies, some of the brightly coloured ginger relatives. Look at the
houseplant section of your GC as well as the summer bedding.

I would love to take some digi snaps and
have you guys look at my garden
and maybe give me pointers on plants/ schemes etc
I am really pleased with the structural elements of the garden
but need the plants to do it justice

The 10foot thistle thing is a huge thistle like artichoke family plant
Huge silver grey leaves with large purple flowering heads
(Bumble bees all over them) Anyone know the name.

Probably a cardoon - close relative/variety of the globe artichoke.

I was lead
to belive that these (3) will die off to nothing in winter and start again
Could I plant spring colour there or would they upset each other?

Die off to *almost* nothing, but it will have a big root under.
Difficult to plant there I would have though, but you could always stand
a [pot on it for a while.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

--
(remove the troll to reply)

http://uk.profiles.yahoo.com/aquitanium

Always look on the bright side of life.... di do di do di doody doody do
"Niall Smyth" wrote in message
...

SNIPPED

The 10foot thistle thing is a huge thistle like artichoke family plant
Huge silver grey leaves with large purple flowering heads
(Bumble bees all over them) Anyone know the name.

Many thanks

Niall
Possibly Echinops (Globe Thistle) not to be confused with Echinopsis
does it look like the photo in these links ?

http://www.manntaylor.com/plantweek17c.html

http://photography.fine-focus.co.uk/shop/prd294

Jeff

"Niall Smyth" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I got my garden landscaped recently
with a very modern feel (I designed it
but got landscapers to do the work)

The planting (at my request) is all
green, but it needs some colour now

Anyway get to the point..

The shrubs are all nice and I want to leave them
so my colour will be filling in between them

So I plant bulbs now for spring, Im okay with that,
but when the flowers are done and leave them in the ground
do the summer flowers go in between them?
Do I / Can I take up the bulbs?

How do you guys know whats there?
Do you have tags reminding you what bulbs are there?

I was looking for showy exotic varieties for all year round
Am I best off with summer bulbs rather that bedders
(The most interesting thing I have found so far is the
frittalia maxima rubra)

I would love to take some digi snaps and
have you guys look at my garden
and maybe give me pointers on plants/ schemes etc
I am really pleased with the structural elements of the garden
but need the plants to do it justice

The 10foot thistle thing is a huge thistle like artichoke family plant
Huge silver grey leaves with large purple flowering heads
(Bumble bees all over them) Anyone know the name. I was lead
to belive that these (3) will die off to nothing in winter and start again
Could I plant spring colour there or would they upset each other?

Sorry this is getting long--Im off

Many thanks

Niall






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.518 / Virus Database: 316 - Release Date: 11/09/2003



Thistle thing is either an Artichoke or Cyanara Cardunculus )cardoon)--both
look almost identical--both dye in the winter and resurface early spring.
You could plant a few daffs in close proximity

Fritillaria is a good exotic choice--but I have not had great success moving
them.

Best bed for spring bulbs is to plant them in pots or any suitable
container--sink them into borders and if you need the space after flowering
then remove the pots and let foliage dye back .