For my first #DailyPerennial I give you: Chionodoxa forbesii which is also known as ‘Glory of the Snow’.
It’s a fabulous Spring blue, though it’s only 10 cm tall. It looks good at the front of a border, in containers or under deciduous trees. You can also naturalise them in grass, and they will happily self-seed. You can also get pale pink and white Chionodoxa.
In this picture you will notice a little black beetle on them. This is a pollen beetle. It doesn’t cause any damage to the flowers, and in fact it an important pollinator for Oilseed Rape. Just remember to give any flowers you cut to bring inside, a good shake outside first to dislodge any of these beetles so you don’t end up with them in your house!
Friday 29th March - Tulip Turkestanica
Tulipa turkestanica is also known as a 'species tulip'.
Species tulips are those that haven't been hybridized and are from where original tulips descend. The Turkestanica species come from either Turkey or Turkestan - my research came up with both for it's origin. It's a dwarf tulip, only coming to 30cms high.
It can have up to 12 star-shaped flowers per stem, quite a lot for a dwarf tulip! It likes full sun and because it's small, should be placed at the front of a border. It grows happily in pots, and in heavy clay soil if you add some grit/sand when you plant the bulbs.
Like all bulbs, let the foliage die back naturally. This is the time that it captures and stores the nutrients and energy back into the bulb for next years flowering.
Saturday 30th March - Tulipa Humilus Odalisque
This has the most fabulous deep pink-magenta petals and it's quite the star in the border. The petals open when the sun is on them, then closes when it goes.
It has the same growing requirements as the previous species tulip (above post). It also has a sweet-spicy fragrance that stays with you. It's another favourite will pollen beetles too.
T. Humilus Odalisque is only about 10cm high, but it really has the wow factor.
Sunday 31st March - Fritillaria persica
This is also known as the Persian Lily.
These can grow up to 1.2 metres high. Mine about about 90cms, but it's their first year growing. They need a sunny spot and well-drained soil.
You plant most bulbs at twice their depth, but for F. persica, you plant then 4 times their depth. The bulbs themselves are c. 10cms wide and tall.
I think they are very beautiful, and are a dramatic addition to a border.
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