CITY OF VANCOUVER DESTROYED!

Entire City of Vancouver eaten by deer...

Their hoof marks left no doubt. Don't know why they found this clump so tasty, but a new application of Liquid Fence was applied.  

Ruins of Tulip "City of Vancouver"

Tulip "Tennessee"

Gavota is a delight.  A rich burgundy is edged by white that blends into a creamy yellow on the pointed petals of this beauty.

Tulip "Gavota"

Kees Neilis and baseball.  Spring is here.

Tulip "Kees Nelis"

Little League behind our house.

Tulips So Far This Spring

It's been a marvelous spring of tulips!  I planted lots of new bulbs in the fall and most have produced wonderfully.

The first to bloom was this Fosteriana tulip "Pirand."  It lasted well through several hard frosts. The other Fosteriana in my garden, "Juan" bloomed later.

Tulip Fosteriana - "Pirand" Early 12-14" (observed Early 14")

Tulip Fosteriana "Juan" Mid-Late 18" (observed Early 12")

Then came "Toronto" and "Quebec"... these early tulips are from the Gregii and Kaufmannia groups.  Mottled leaves and fluted bloom are typical of these compact and dense growers.  They are particularly suited for an exposed area where high winds won't mangle them.

Tulip Greigii "Orange Toronto" Mid-Early 14" (observed Early 12")

Tulip Kaufmannania "Quebec" Early 12-14" (observed Early 12")

From the Martha Stewart collection is Brown Sugar.  From a distance the reason for the name is obvious. It renders a beautiful bronze effect.

Tulip "Brown Sugar" Mid-Late 14-20" (Observed Mid-Late 16")

These triumph types did not have a cultivar name but they were also dirt cheap at the Christmas Tree Shoppe. The red and white is a favorite.  

Tulip Purple Triumph Type (Observed Mid 16")

Tulip Red and White Triumph Type (Observed Mid 14")

This was from the Biltmore collection.

Tulip "Tennessee" Mid Season 18-20" (observed Mid 13")

Packaged together these were from Lowes. I have discovered that if you are lucky you can get some great bulbs form Lowes... but you can also waste your money... and the prices are not really a bargain in the plant department. 

 Tulip "Angelique" Late 16-18" (observed early-mid 12")

Tulip "Blue Diamond" Early-Mid 12-20" (observed Early-Mid 12")

From Bristol's, a local nursery... "Mickey Mouse" is my favorite!  The painted look is really spectacular.

Tulip Kees Nelis Mid 16-18" (observed Mid 12")

Tulip "Kaiserskroon" Mid 12-14" (observed Mid 12")

Tulip "Mickey Mouse" Mid 12-14" (observed Mid 12")

Tulip "Gavota" Mid 16-18" (observed Late 14") 

Many have commented that "Angelique" blooms less prolifically and has less color the second season.  I have noticed that even the first year the color deepens rather than fades as the bloom is out...

Tulip "Angelique" 2nd season Late 16-18" (observed Late 14")

These are from a low priced, large quantity of Darwin Hybrid Mix. Though stunted by the strange spring, they are big and showy. I don't care for the combo of bright pink and Yellow/Red blooms.  I have marked the Yellow/Red bulbs to replant them in their own spot.

From Darwin Hybrid Mix (observed Mid 19")

Just bloom is "Happy Generation" and some others I cannot identify...

Tulip "Happy Generation" Mid 18" (Observed Late 13")

Tulip Unknown Peach-Pink (observed Late 16")

Tulip Unknown Purple White (observed Late 14")

Red Oxford and Gold Oxford are blooming as well. Some have yet to bloom or are lost.  

Spring Bulbs in Bloom

King Alfred type Daffodil

One of a "Mixed Trumpet" daffodil blooms. Note the tiny variety below.

Tulip - Blue Diamond is a "late bloomer" ... but not in 2012!

Another late tulip, "Angelique" is also blooming early this year.

"Brown Sugar" actually tends more toward bronze than this photo shows.

Some Shots from My Tundra

The early spring and subsequent 2 weeks hovering just around freezing at night has produced a tundra-like version of many spring bulbs. The usually late spring blooming Angelique and Blue Diamond double tulips are about to open at half their normal height.  Daffodils mostly were up before the frost and some of them have survived nicely.

From a collection of mixed trumpet daffodils comes this bright yellow
cultivar with a tiny orange trumpet...

...and this white with a trumpet of burnt orange

This tulip, "Brown Sugar" is deer resistant, though everything here
got a good treatment of liquid fence.

"Quebec" is a beauty

"Mickey Mouse" has just started to bloom

"Juan"

Hard Freeze

After 2 glorious weeks spring, a hard freeze is occurring right now.  Overnight it is scheduled to get reach 23 degrees.

Bed C-3 includes Daffodils and Tulip Fosteriana "Pirand"

Many Daffodils are in full bloom as well as Tulip "Pirand."  Many other tulips are budding.

Attempts to cover Bed B-1 as a hard freeze approaches

I have tried to cover some irises and bulbs with burlap, and put some iris packing material over two areas where peonies are on their way up.

It is just wait and see now.