Crocus kotschyanus

Crocus kotschyanus is a fall-blooming perennial bulb, flowering in late September & early October.  There are several subspecies from Turkey, the Causasus, Syria & Lebanon.  They can be blue, pink, lilac or purple, usually with conspicuous veins.  They are said to spread readily from seed, but that wasn't true in my garden.  Foliage appears in spring.  The are xeric to the point of needing little or no irrigation.  They can be ordered online or by catalog from various bulb companies.  There are many other species of  Crocus that bloom in the fall.  But most are not easy to find.  If you like Crocus, consider searching for them.

Eucomis comosa

Eucomis comosa is one of the most beautiful perennial bulbs.  It usually blooms in August in Seattle.  The first blossoms open at the bottom of the stalk & slowly proceed to the top.  The dark red seed pods are also quite attractive.  Eucomis comosa is known at the Pineapple Lily because of the tuft of leaves at the top of the flower stalk, which cause it to resemble a pineapple.  This plant is native to South Africa, but hardy in Seattle.  The flower spikes multiply every year.  It comes in colors from white through light pink to deep burgundy.  It is easily available through mail order, the least expensive way to buy it.  You can also get it at nurseries when it is in bloom, but the number of plants available are usually rather few.  Eucomis comosa needs full sun, regular water & rich soil to grow well.  It does not tolerate dryness.  It looks lovely in pots, but does much better in the ground.  I think they look very nice combined with oriental lilies, as shown in the photo above.

Allium karataviense

Allium karataviense is a bulb with a flower about the size of a baseball.  The usual color of the flower is a very pale pink.  Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen' has white flowers.  There is also an uncommon form named 'Red Globe'.  Allium karataviense blooms in May, earlier than most Allium, which generally bloom in June.  The plant is not very tall, maybe 6 to 8 inches.  Each bulb produces one flower & just a few blue-green leaves.  Allium karataviense spreads slowly by the division of the bulbs & also by seed.  It takes some years for the seedlings to flower, but one flower can produce many seedlings.  A large group of flowers may arise in dry & sunny locations with good drainage in winter.  There is no need for summer water.  Allium karataviense grows naturally in the dry mountains of Central Asia.  It is sometimes called the Turkestan onion.  I think this is one of the more beautiful Allium, both in leaf & in flower.  Rainwater is often cupped at the base of the leaf pairs like sparkling jewels.

Allium in the Cascadia Garden

Allium 'Globemaster' May 2009

Allium karataviense May 2010

Allium cernuum June 2009

Allium cristophii June 2010

 Allium unifolium June 2009

I love Allium in my garden in Seattle.  I got my 1st Allium bulbs in 1995 from John Scheepers, Inc.  They were Allium karataviense & Allium neapolitanum.  The Allium neapolitanum soon became a thick mass of foliage with no blooms.  Allium karativiense slowly spread through the garden, with & without my help.  It has beautiful foliage & pretty flowers.  Allium foliage tends to dry up as the flowers begin to open.  Next up was Allium christophii, which remains my favorite.  The flowers heads are huge, the color stunning.  Then came the impressive Allium 'Globemaster' with large, dense flower heads on tall stems.  Nectaroscordum siculum is an interesting Allium relative with large, nodding bells.  The other Allium I like, but don't love.  I can see that Allium cernuum would easily spread to every sunny inch of the garden.  Now I cut off the small flower heads before they set seed.  I've included the bloom times I've observed in my garden. Allium require no care & very little water.

List of Allium in the Cascadia Garden (with bloom times)
Allium aflatunense 5-08-10, 5-18-09, 5-18-08
Allium cernuum  6-12-09
Allium cristophii 5-16-10, 5-26-09, 5-25-08
Allium ‘Globemaster’ 5-04-10, 5-18-09, 5-18-08
Allium karataviense 5-01-10, 5-09-09, 5-10-08
Allium neapolitanum
Allium nigrum
Allium schubertii 5-22-10, 5-23-09, 5-25-08
Allium senescens 9-05-10, 9-12-08
Allium taquetii  7-02-08
Allium unifolium 5-27-10, 5-30-09, 5-25-08
Nectaroscordum siculum (formerly Allium bulgaricum) 5-07-10, 5-20-09, 5-22-08

Tulipa in the Cascadia Garden

Tulipa vvendenskyi 'Tangerine Beauty' March 2010

Tulipa turkestanica March 2009

Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn' April 2010

Tulipa 'Little Princess' April 2010

 Tulipa batalinii ‘Apricot Jewel’ May 2009

I think tulips are beautiful, almost all of them.  I have a particular fondness for species tulips.  Perhaps this is because they are small & cute.  But it is certainly because they have more staying power than hybrids.  While almost every hybrid tulip I have planted has dwindled & disappeared, many species tulips have increased in numbers.  The only hybrid tulip that has lasted for me is Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn' which has remained for more than 20 years.  Tulipa dasystemon & Tulipa turkestanica have increased dramatically, while most of the rest have expanded slowly.  I have lost a few species tulips after their position changed from sun to shade.  The fact that tulips require no irrigation is a big plus.  Tulipa turkestanica is a very early bloomer.  Most tulips are native to Turkey & central Asia, with few extending west into Europe in the Caucasus, Balkans & Crete.  I ordered my tulips from John Scheepers, Inc. & McClure & Zimmerman. The most beautiful book I own is Tulipa: A Photographer's Botanical.  The list below includes bloom times.

List of Tulipa in the Cascadia Garden (with bloom times)

Tulipa batalinii ‘Apricot Jewel’  4-22-10, 5-03-09
Tulipa clusiana var. chrysantha  3-26-09, 4-15-08
Tulipa dasystemon  3-26-10, 4-16-09 4-18-08
Tulipa eichleri  3-01-10, 3-26-09
Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn'  4-04-10, 4-17-09
Tulipa humilis ‘Persian Pearl’
Tulipa kaufmanniana
Tulipa kolpakowskiana  3-16-08
Tulipa linifolia  4-29-08
Tulipa ‘Little Princess’  4-03-10, 4-20-09, 4-21-08
Tulipa orphanidea ‘Flava’  4-20-09, 4-15-08
Tulipa praestans ‘Zwanenburg’  3-26-10, 4-09-09, 3-30-08
Tulipa saxatilis
Tulipa turkestanica  2-21-10, 3-17-09, 3-6-08
Tulipa vvedenskyi ‘Tangerine Beauty’  4-16-09, 4-15-08

Narcissus in the Cascadia Garden

Narcissus 'Tete-a-Tete' February 2010

Narcissus 'Mite' February 2010

Narcissus 'W P Milner'  February 2010

 Narcissus poeticus 'Actaea' March 2010

 Narcissus 'Itzim' March 2010

 Narcissus pseudonarcissus 'Princeps' March 2010

  Narcissus 'Seagull' March 2010

Narcissus are some of my favorite plants in the Cascadia Garden in Seattle.  Narcissus is the birth-month flower for March, the month when I was born.  I can't remember a birthday when I didn't receive a bunch of Narcissus.  I'm very attracted to the very common Narcissus 'King Alfred'.  But I really love them all.  I'm particularly fond of the miniatures, which bloom earliest, often toward the end of February.  I've included the bloom times for Narcissus in my garden, below.  Narcissus have been grown for millennia.  They appeared in the gardens of ancient Rome.  Most are native to the Mediterranean Basin, many in Iberia & Morocco.  Narcissus serotinus is a fall-flowering species which grows as far east as Israel.  Narcissus pseudonarcissus, the Daffodil, grows as far north as England.  The native range of Narcissus jonquilla, the Jonquil, is limited to the Iberian Peninsula.  There are perhaps 45 species of Narcissus divided into 10 groups, the largest of which is the Pseudonarcissi.  Most garden varieties are derived from Narcissus cyclamineus, Narcissus jonquilla, Narcissus poeticus, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Narcissus tazetta & Narcissus triandrus.  Species, hybrids & cultivars are divided into 13 horticultural divisions.  A good source for Narcissus is John Scheepers, Inc.  Heirloom Narcissus can be found at Old House Gardens.

Narcissus in the Cascadia Garden:

Narcissus ‘Beersheba’ derived from Narcissus pseudonarcissus, introduced in 1923.  Bloom times: 3-01-10, 3-25-09, 3-16-08

Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Golden Bells’ Bloom times: 3-27-08, but not since.

Narcissus ‘Hawera’ derived from Narcissus triandrus & Narcissus jonquilla, introduced in 1928  Bloom times: 3-27-10

Narcissus ‘Itzim’ derived from Narcissus cyclamineus, introduced in 1982  Bloom times: 2-27-10, 3-17-09, 3-3-08

Narcissus ‘Jenny' derived from Narcissus cyclamineus but said to be a hybrid, introduced in 1943.  Bloom times: 2-27-10, 3-25-09

Narcissus jonquilla 'Baby Moon'  Bloom times: 3-13-08

Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ derived from Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. major, introduced in 1890.  Bloom times: 2-27-10, 3-25-09, 3-3-08

Narcissus ‘Limbo’

Narcissus ‘Little Gem’ introduced in 1938.  Bloom times: 3-13-09

Narcissus minor var. conspicuus  Bloom times: 3-25-09, 3-3-08
Narcissus ‘Mite’ derived from Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. obvallaris & Narcissus cyclamineus, introduced in 1965.  Bloom times: 2-14-10, 3-3-09
Narcissus nanus ‘Little Beauty’ introduced in 1965.
Narcissus x odorus a naturally occurring hybrid of Narcissus jonquilla & Narcissus pseudonarcissus.  Bloom times: 3-03-10

Narcissus poeticus ‘Actaea’ introduced in 1927.  Bloom times: 3-05-10, 4-04-09, 3-27-08

Narcissus pseudonarcissus ‘Princeps’ introduced in 1830.  Bloom times: 3-12-10, 3-13-08

Narcissus ‘Seagull’ derived from Narcissus poeticus, introduced in 1893.  Bloom times: 3-14-10, 4-06-09

Narcissus ‘Small Talk’ derived from Narcissus minor, introduced in 1965.  Bloom times: 2-07-10, 3-2-09, 2-22-08

Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ derived from Narcissus cyclamineus & Narcissus tazetta, introduced in 1949.  Bloom times: 2-07-10, 2-27-09, 2-28-08

Narcissus triandrus ‘Ice Wings’ introduced in 1958.  Bloom times: 3-16-10, 4-04-09, 3-27-08

Narcissus ‘W P Milner’ derived from Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. moschatus, introduced in 1884.  Bloom times: 2-11-10, 3-5-09, 2-28-08