battle of the bulbs

 

There was a point last week when we realised we had a bulb battle on our hands. As a result of my bulb-buying enthusiasm in warm and sunny August/September, and despite having already planted a few hundred already, we found ourselves on a cold and wet December weekend with quite a few hundred more yet to be planted. There was nothing else to it: adopt a military approach, arm ourselves with spades and trowels, and blitz the bulbs by digging wide trenches and not taking any prisoners.

 

We have long used the Dutch strip method of planting; this is not a technical one you'll find in any gardening books, just that we prefer to use mini-Holland-style lines of bulbs rather than tasteful but very time-consuming naturalistic inter-planting. But this year we went for extra-wide trenches because we knew the light would fade fast, the rain would inevitably fall, we would sink in the mud, and the battle would be lost.

And this year the campaign was helped by the fact that I was out there as a bulb-rank-and-file-planting-private instead of bulb-directing-operations-officer for a change. It was lovely - excellent exercise and fresh air, and we even caught an hour or two when it was sunny and still, and long, long shadows were being cast.

And here we are, privates on parade, Simon with his spade, looking for all the world like illustrations from a Laura Stoddart book. In the end, after a battle royal, we won. Every single bulb is where it should be. Victory for the diggers.

Comments

[Rebecca]

I love that last image Jane, it's very intriguing and look forward to seeing the colourful results of your toil as the days begin to lengthen once more.

[Kim]

Gosh, I love those shadows!

[Julie]

Love the photgraphs of the shadows.

[Pomona]

When I saw the first shadow I thought you would just be there in supervisory mode - that shadow has an intimidating air. It was very kind of you to join in working with the minion and I hope that he is truly grateful for your beneficence.

Pomona x

[Jennifer]

What a wonderful problem to have. So glad you were all able to get them planted, you will be so happy you did come spring.

[Gemma]

I shall be even later than you, what with illness and one thing and another mine aren't in either and now I've finally started a new job there seems to be precious little time to do it!!! Fancy renting out Simon one weekend? :o)

[knittingoutloud]

Looking forward to the spring (will that be February where you live?) photo.

[Dottie]

Hi,
I love all the books you reference through out your posts. You have introduced me to some wonderful ones. Keep going strong. I just wish my library carried them here in the States. I just don't have enough money to buy every book I want, so will have to live with viewing them on Amazon.
I love tulips and other bulbs. Can’t wait to see them pop out of the ground.

Merry Christmas.
Dottie

[mesclun]

As soon as I saw the shadow pictures I thought they looked like some kind of illustration - and they really do look like Laura Stoddart's work. I wasn't familiar with her before, but I clicked on the link to her book and loved what I saw. The book is now at the top of my Wishlist. Thanks, Jane!

[Charlotte K]

I am so glad to know I'm not the only one. The big bulbs are in, but I'm still planting the minor bulbs and we've already had a snow fall here in New England (but the ground is not frozen yet!)

[vanessa]

I was just about to leave you a comment saying Laura Stoddart illustrations! Then I read your last prargraph and realized I'd been pipped to the post! I was friends with laura at college, even shared a flat for a year, but we no longer have any contact. I still look out for her work, which I adore. I never see her work around much these days, which is a pity. I have all her books, and some of her greetings cards. Shame they're not being produced by Roger La Borde any more. Vanessa xxx