MUST-HAVE PERENNIAL BULBS

While in Canada almost all bulbs are perennials this year's 'Best of the Best' collection is one of 10 bulbs which are even more reliable than your average bulb.

Original Release Date: August 2002

What a pleasure for a gardener to know that their careful selection and planting efforts will reap rewards for more than one season. That's what this year's 'Best of the Best' bulb collection is all about.

In Europe, an annual 'Bulb of the Year' election takes place in varous countries. In North America, the comparable award is the 'Best of the Best', a collecion of ten bulbs within a specific category, voted upon by an elite group of Dutch and North American bulb growers, horticulturists and exporters.

The 2002 collection is one of Perennial bulbs.

"Hmmm", you might be thinking, "aren't all spring blooming bulbs perennials?" Well, with minor exceptions, and given our Canadian climate, yes they are. However this collection is one of even better and more reliable perennializers than your average bulb.

Definitions

Frans Roozen, technical director of the International Flower Bulb Centre of Holland defines Perennial Bulbs as "those that will come back reliably for 3 to 5 years before diminishing", and Naturalizing Bulbs as "those which, one their own, increase in numbers year after year".

... and the 2002 winners are ...

Narcissus 'Salome'

Definitely one of the finest commercially available large-cupped narcissi. Its creamy white petals contrasting gracefully against its almost apricot cup, make a stunning display. It's an early-mid season bloomer, and grows to a height of about 35cm.

Narcissus 'Ice Follies'

A quarter of a century ago, a Dutch couple celebrating their silver wedding anniversary received a present of 100 big bulbs of Narcissus 'Ice Follies' to plant in their orchard. The following spring, the 100 bulbs provided 175 flowers, as a big bulb can often produce more than one flower stem.

As of this spring, descendants of those 'Ice Follies' bulbs were still growing and blooming. The white petaled, yellow cupped early blooming flowers may be a bit smaller now, and, on occasion, a few bulbs may have failed to produce flowers, but the floral display remains almost as dramatic as it was the spring after their silver wedding anniversary.

This long flowering, 35 cm tall flower is not affected by either wind or rain.

Tulip 'Orange Emperor' A spectacularly coloured tulip with outside petals in a carrot-orange flushed with chartreuse and inside petals in orage, bleaching slightly to a buttercup yellow at their base. A mid-season bloomer, growing to a height of about 40 cm.

Tulipa tarda One of Tulipa tarda's most eye-catching characteristics is the appearance of its spreading, narrow, slightly wavy leaves which seem to shuffle their way across the garden's surface. These tufts form the basis for short, only 15 cm high, star shaped yellow with white tipped flowers. Planted almost anywhere: in little spots where nothing else will grow; nestled among perennial ground covers; as bed edgings, this fragrant mid-season bloomer will thrive and come back again and again.

Crocus vernus 'Jeanne D'Arc'

An impressive large-flowering, pure white crocus ideal on its own; in layered plantings with narcissi and tulip partners; or, as a companion planting with re-flowering Tulipa greigii. The result is powerful visual impact which tickles the imagination.

An early bloomer, it grows to a height of 10 cm.

Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant'

Once the bulbs of Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant' have established themselves, their early flowering lilac-purple flowers emerge in seemingly infinite number, year after year. Because they are only 10 cm tall, they remain less affected by the wind and rain than many of their fellow crocuses.

'Ruby Giant' feels right at home in a lawn (scatter bulbs and plant them where they fall), but also thrives in borders and among botanical roses and other woody plants.

Camassia cusickii

Native to the marshes and wet meadows of western North America, it wasn't until about 25 years ago that botanists started taking an interest in Camassia. Today, not only is this species being cultivated for commercial purposes, but so are its cultivars (C. leichtlinii and C. quamash a.k.a. C. esculenta).

Camassia cusickii grows to a height of about 70 cm. Its lively, star-like, gray-blue flowers appearing in large numbers on sturdy stems with decorative leaves make it a perfect partner for perennial and biennial plants. Flowering right at the transition between spring and summer, it also fills a garden gap when flowering plants are few and far between.

Leucojum aestivum (Common names: Meadow Snowflake and Summer Snowflake)

Lush foliage and 30 cm stems, each bearing two to eight, 2 to 3 cm nodding white bells with petal tips spotted bright green, make this a stunning mid to late spring addition to the garden.

Summer Snowflakes prefer a moist location, where sun is not too harsh.

Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades' (Common name: Windflower)

Rarely exceeding a height of 15 cm, Anemone blanda is great for introducing colour to spots where shrubs are still waiting to put on their show of foliage and/or flowers. Its long-flowering habit is also handy for prettying up individually planted perennials with somewhat plain foliage. At its peak, its little purple to lilac flowers are about the size of a loonie. A mid season bloomer.

Scilla siberica (Common name: Siberian Squill)

The deep violet-blue of these star-to-bell-shaped nodding flowers surpass practically all other blue spring-flowering plants, and its leaves almost act as a ground cover.

Plant Scilla siberica's smooth little purple bulbs en masse, as 100 bulbs shouldn't cost much more than a couple of garden gloves. Ideal for shrub, tree and evergreen underplantings.

Early to mid season bloomer. Height, about 15 cm.

Plant once and enjoy for years to come. What could be easier?

 - 30 -

 End word count: 948