Getting Ready to Plan

Yesterday was simply stunning. I got 80 Mount Tacoma tulips into the ground. They are a late variety - double white - and from the package photo resemble peonies. Rather than plant them one at a time; I dig a large hole at least 50 cm wide and at least 20 cm deep. I press the tulip bulbs into the bottom of the hole about 5 cm apart and then back fill with soil. What I like to see in the Spring is a drift of colour, rather than the very formal soldier plantings you see in front of large buildings. Last year, I combined old-fashioned orange, yellow and red tulips and planted in river shaped bands.

Instead of planting the whole box of 100, I saved 20 Mount Tacoma tulips to force, so that I'll have some colour inside during those bleak February months. I'll pot them up this week and tuck the pots under my deck for safekeeping and conditioning.

So aside from cutting things down and cleaning things up for Winter, I plan to take measurements and inventory of my plants in preparation for my new front yard plan. It has always been my official testing ground, I've got hundreds of different plants, and consequently it is far more work than it needs to be - my backyard, that I designed 5 years ago is a breeze to maintain, so my goal is to achieve an easier-to-maintain and prettier garden.