Last fall I bought a bag of tulips, but never got around to planting them. About a month ago, I stuck them in some empty planters and pots, hoping for the best. Well, whaddaya know? They're the first (in my yard) to bloom. They're short yellow ones with a salmon colored stripe.
If I could find the plant tag, I'd tell you exactly what kind.* You see, I really do save all my plant labels. I have this nifty little binder that is divided into sections of my yard. Within each section are all the plant labels for that space. It really helps me keep things straight...though I must confess I have a hard time figuring out what is marjoram and what is oregano. I have too many varieties of each to keep them straight! Anyway...the main problem with this binder is that I don't add the plants right away. I plant them, stash the label/tag somewhere (usually an empty pot) and then add them after I've acquired a bunch. Yeah, this method does lead to losing a few, though some do turn up a year later when I'm cleaning out my gardening bench area.
So, back to my nameless tulips*...
I just love them! They open up all the way in the morning, start closing up in the late afternoon, and completely close up at night. I know other flowers (and some tulips) do this; I've just never seen the tulips that do it. All of mine gradually open up until they're scraggly and fall apart.
When I find the plant tag, I'll let you know what they are!!*
* I found the plant tag!! The package says they are "Greigii Quebec" tulips. Click here to learn more about them.
My neighbor next door has some of those tulips by her mailbox. They look fabulous. I love your notebook idea. I can toss the guts of my old neglected DIET notebook and switch it over to plant lables. I leave mine in a pot or jar outside, thinking I can use them for reference, then the plants die and I toss them. I guess I need to get something to stay alive.
ReplyDeleteHow funny...my plant tags are also in a pot outside! That's where I stash them until I file them in the notebook. I still have a bunch to file from last year. Oh, and I have to toss a few labels too....the ones that have died off. Happens to all of us!
ReplyDeleteOh how I LOVE these sweet tulips. I would really love to know the name of them when you find the tag! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'll let you know what they are. I'm hoping to dig through and file last season's plant tags (what I can find...) in the next couple days.
ReplyDeleteI liked these tulips too, and hope to get more of them. They're at their end now, and what I've really liked is that they don't get all sloppy/floppy in their final days. They open and close and then the petals simply fall off the stem when they're done blooming.