Making work for myself!

Bulbs! 

It's that time again - every year I think that I don't need to put any more bulbs in and every year I end up leaving Fentongollan Bulb Farm with a bag full!

Most of my garden still needs clearing, weeding and pruning, some of it needs redesigning and rationalising, the 'to do' list is very, very long so quite why I've added planting bulbs to it I'm not sure. Except that I just can't resist them.

So what have I got this year? 

More Muscari Latifolium. Regular readers will remember I planted some of these last year and they were a success (unlike the Ixiolirion which didn't show at all)

    

The Tulips from last year were half successful, one pot did well, one didn't show, so I thought I would have another go with some mixed pots of Black Parrot and Angelique (which weren't from Fentongollan).

I am replanting some Alium Nectaroscordum, which I planted about 7 years ago and which still appear but in the very oddest places. This isn't because they have moved, it's because things have grown and spread and I have redesigned and adapted things without informing them! So now I would like some that look intentional - although precisely where is a conundrum.

I am trying some Chionodoxa Lucilliae Alba because my Anemone Blanda last year were very disappointing and I thought these might be an alternative...

...and I can never get past the Daffodils without buying some, this year a double, miniature variety called Pencrebar.

I always find Daffodils slightly baffling. They are supposed to naturalise well and grow and multiply over time but mine seem to dwindle year on year whatever the variety and wherever I plant them. But then I suppose it's just as well - if they did spread and multiply as they should I wouldn't be able to move for them I've planted so many.

For the veg garden I've got some more garlic. I haven't bought garlic bulbs for the last 3 years, I have just saved one of my own bulbs and planted that. Whilst that has worked ok, the bulbs I've harvested have got steadily smaller over the years, so I decided it might be time to start again.

So I will go out armed with some slow release bulb food and some sand (sand in the bottom of the planting hole avoids bulbs sitting in water and rotting), and spread some spring love around the garden. Although quite when that will happen I'm not sure (the planting not the spring - spring will almost definitely be in spring!).

So half term has come and gone and I can't help but notice that I have achieved the same amount as I achieved this time last year - there is a pattern emerging and it isn't good!