The Chanticleer Orchard in Spring
Planting
Impressionist Dreams of Bulbs
Eric Hsu, Plant Information Coordinator at Chanticleer
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NYONE WHO HAS EVER MARVELED AT CARPETS of winter aconites, snowflakes and daffodils can appreciate the beautiful ease with which bulbs brighten our spring gardens. Their colors are a punch-drunk tonic for winter-weary souls. And it’s our bulb spectacles in spring and in autumn that draw visitors to Chanticleer and other majestic public gardens. From the ‘Actaea’ and ‘Ice Follies’ daffodils under the Japanese flowering cherries and crabapples in the Orchard to the surprise lilies (Lycoris x squamigera) and colchicums in the Bulb Meadow, bulbs bookend the blooming seasons. Although bulb catalogs often use the terms naturalize and perennialize interchangeably, not understanding the distinction can affect your approach to planting bulbs. In addition, understanding these terms can shape your strategy in maintaining your bulbs’ longevity in future years. 26
County Lines | April 2021 | CountyLinesMagazine.com
PERENNIALIZING Perennialize means that bulbs are like perennial plants, returning year after year and increasing under ground. An easy way to understand the term is to look at your peonies or hostas and observe how the clump multiplies in size each year. After some time, you can lift up the clump and divide it into several pieces for replanting elsewhere in the garden. These pieces retain the same characteristics—like flower color or variegated leaves—that make the plant desirable. In fact, many plants like daffodils benefit from being divided when crowded. Overgrown clumps produce diminished flowering, even when in full sun. To rejuvenate such tired clumps, wait until the leaves begin to splay apart or start yellowing. Being clones, each bulb division will be alike.
