Photo: Chronica Domus
One day in late-March, after a brief but very welcomed rain shower, I stepped outside to assess how much time I would require to tackle the never-ending task of weeding the spring flower bed, the bane of gardeners everywhere. I took my camera with me as the tulips I had planted last November were beginning to unfurl. I planted sixty single late flowering Queen of The Night tulips, the darkest shade of any tulip available. As you can see, the color isn't really black at all, which comes as no surprise to me as I've grown these glossy luscious tulips in years past. In fact, I had not planted any black tulips for at least five years and specifically selected them last autumn in hopes they would flower in unison with the recently planted magnolia tree, which happens to be named Magnolia x soulangiana, Black Tulip. My plan, I am pleased to report, shaped up rather nicely and together with icy white narcissi Thalia, made for a very agreeable show this year. To say I was overjoyed would be putting things mildly. The garden can be such a humbling arena and any horticultural success, no matter the size, never fails to brighten my spirit.
The shapely blooms of Magnolia x soulangiana Black Tulip share a striking resemblance to Queen of The Night tulips
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
Just as I crouched down to snap away at the pretty cluster of tulips seen in the photograph at the outset of this post, my faithful canine companion Mavro decided to make an appearance. His name, incidentally, translates to black in Greek.
I thought it particularly amusing that Mavro was determined to see what all the fuss was about. He proceeded to waddle over to the flower bed, in the inimitable manner of the senior arthritic dog that he is, and stick his salt and pepper snout as close to the blooms as could possibly be. By all appearances my beloved Mavro had stopped to smell the tulips.
A charming moment of old black magic as Mavro sniffs away at the tulips
Photo: Chronica Domus
Within that fleeting ethereal moment, a little black magic was created and captured for posterity through the lens. Much like the ever-changing garden ruled by Father Time, Mavro was soon gone, shuffling off to investigate the next thing to tickle his olfactory fancy.
A partial view of the spring flowering bed just coming into bloom
Photo: Chronica Domus
The same flower bed photographed last week with tulips at full sail
Photo: Chronica Domus
Change is constant in the garden. This is especially so during the months of spring when plant life surges forth, leaping and bounding, reaching for the sunnier skies of lengthening days. I cannot wait for our next batch of blooms to emerge, fingers crossed.
What do you see flowering in your garden this month?
I was beside myself with excitement at seeing the peach tree blossom today! It's rainy out today but I couldn't be happier at the anticipation of more spring blooms to come.
ReplyDeleteHello slf,
DeleteI love the sight of fruit and nut tree blossoms at this time of year, especially so when it is a little windy and the petals flutter about like snowflakes. It sounds like spring has arrived in your neck of the woods.
Those tulips are just beautiful. Such an amazing color. And in my garden? Blooming? Roses, erigeron, native iris, mock orange, myosotis, dogwood, dicentra. It's the flowery time of year:).
ReplyDeleteThank you, LPC. I adore these darker shades of tulip in the garden, although I find that they do a vanishing act when viewed from afar. I must make a note to plant some contrasting colors for next year.
DeleteIt appears as though your garden is in full swing and as you say "it's the flowery time of year".
Love the photo of Mavro's snout with Tulips! What a perfect colour match you've managed to achieve with the magnolia and tulips… and surprising that there isn't a truer black tulip as yet, they look more maroon in the photos? Your garden beds look fabulous with the narcissus and forget-me-nots and box. Good luck with the weeding!
ReplyDeleteHello Heidi,
DeleteMavro's photobomb certainly was a surprise, and I'm so glad I was able to capture the moment as a lasting memento of this year's spring garden. He was the star of the show!
Horticulturalists the world over have long been fascinated with producing black (and in some cases blue) flowers. QOTN has been around since 1944 and does appear darker when not photographed in the glaring light - as mine were - although it is a long way from true black.
Magnolias are just the best!!! How stunning yours is. The magnolias are flowering here too and it lifts the mood so much! Tulips also hold a special place so your garden seems like perfection to me. My window boxes and pots are boring but my yellow roses are just starting to bloom and have yielded so many buds this year due to pruning and feed. It's s delight though not grand.
ReplyDeleteHello Naomi,
DeleteThank you for the kind comments on my garden. I shall make sure to plant a few tulips in your honor next spring. Do you have a favorite color?
If I had the space, I would have many more magnolias growing in my garden. I remember seeing them everywhere when I lived in Kent, and they were always one of the first trees to break out in cheery spring color.
How wonderful to have a healthy yellow rose producing so abundantly. Pictures please!
Asking me which color is my favorite is like asking a mother name her favorite child!!
DeleteMost amusing, and I know exactly what you mean. By the way, Parrot Tulips are particularly beguiling to my eye, no matter the color.
DeleteMy dear CD,
ReplyDeleteI'm luck to have a Hattattian reference guide to assist with these delightful botanical posts.
I'll have a Carlos Santana guitar solo assist in a 'Black Magic Mavro' soon to debut with a 6:20am shower curtain.
Hah, funny you should mention Mr. Santana as I recall spotting him in a clothing boutique late last year in one of the wine country towns we like to visit. He was patiently waiting on his "Black Magic Woman" as she browsed the racks.
DeleteOh they are stunning (and your garden has far fewer weeds than ours!).
ReplyDeleteI am envious as we have planted a lot of tulips, but for some reason they don't perform very well. I think it is because our winters are not very cold.
Your magnolia is very similar in shade to the one which we chose, Magnolia Cleopatra which is a New Zealand variety cultivated by Vance Hooper, by crossing Sweet Simplicity with Black Tulip.
Hello Lord Cowell,
DeleteTulips can certainly be pesky little things, as you've found out for yourself. They don't like encores (at least in my garden they don't), unlike daffodils which are my absolute favorite of all the spring flowering bulbs.
Now, saying all of this, I did once buy a superb batch of bulbs from a reputable dealer on the east coast of the country which had to be chilled in the refrigerator before planting. I believe those were late flowering Francoise or Maureen white tulips which came back again and again for around five years. I remember planting them deeper than the recommendation, but my reasoning for this would be that they'd be exposed to cooler temperatures down below. I'm now wondering if the deeper planting aided in their lifespan - you may want to try this in your own garden and let me know what happens.
I've just found an image of your beautiful Cleopatra magnolia and it sure looks to be right about the same color as my Black Tulip. Cleopatra has many more petals to her blooms and is stunning!
Hello CD, Your garden is certainly inviting-looking, with those carefully planned flowers against their background of bright spring green. Northern Taiwan doesn't have such marked seasons, but this is a good time to catch the late-spring flowers. I should try to go to one of the large parks soon to see what's in blossom.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim,
DeleteWhen I first moved to California, I did not think the area had true marked seasons, at least as I was used to in England. However, after I took up gardening, I could clearly see that even here there were many changes, some subtle, that provide us with our seasons.
The part of the garden that I show in the photographs included in this post is probably the most formal part of the property. The rest is a little more rambling, or perhaps wilder, with its own particular charm.
My Dear CD,
ReplyDeleteI can at long last report a Reggie Darling sighting as he is looking fit as a fiddle along with Boy Fenwick at a Society function. Send him another jar of marmalade along with a note that he is much missed !
Dear GSL,
DeleteAre you doing a little clandestine stalking in your spare time? There I was thinking you'd be neck deep in the details of getting your book series published.
CD,
ReplyDeleteYour tulips are beautiful. You've inspired me to pick some up this fall. I confess I gave up on tulips in favor of easier bulbs. I have had some trouble with tulips, even after their designated period of refrigeration. The little blue and white flowers, are those forget-me-nots? I have icelandic poppies, potato vine, roses and petunias in bloom in my garden. It surprises me that the petunias I purchased with my granddaughter in march are already growing and blooming.
Happy spring.
xo,
Karen
Hello Karen,
DeleteI gently encourage you to not let the opportunity slide this autumn when spring bulbs are stocked at your local nursery. As I commented above to Lord Cowell, planting the bulbs a little deeper than recommended might do the trick as they'll remain cooler with the opportunity of developing strong roots before they put on a show for you.
Yes, you are correct, those little blue flowers are indeed Forget-me-nots, which grow like weeds in this particular flower bed. I adore them and they are a true harbinger of spring.
Your garden must be so colorful with all that you describe as blooming right now. I've toyed with the idea of planting poppies but I think they'll just be blown away and carried off with the strong winds that seem to be a feature in my area unfortunately. Enjoy yours while they last.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteYour 'Queen of the Night' tulips are dramatically beautiful and they do look good planted in combination with the Thalia Narcissi. As you say, these brave early blooms lift the spirits after the long dreary days of winter and really do make one believe that all is well in the world.
In our gardening days we planted 'Queen of the Night' in her hundreds, purchasing them wholesale and delivered in the post. We had them in a 'garden room' called the Gothic Garden where they reigned supreme with Hosta 'Halcyon' as a companion. The slaty grey of the Hosta leaves picked up the slightly metallic foliage of the Tulips and it all looked rather gothic.......at least to us!
Hello Jane and Lance,
DeleteVisions of your Gothic Garden room are filling my head as I type with what surely must have been the most arresting sight when at its peak during tulip season. I'm impressed that your hosta and tulips managed to coordinate their shows - mine do not. I've yet to see any hostas this season and I'm wondering where they are all hiding. Have the dreaded army of snails munched upon their tender spring shoots? I shall have to investigate further.
Hello CD,
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous display. But the picture of Mavro takes first prize I think.
It's autumn here so not much in the way of blooms. But our Virginia Creeper never fails to impress with a fiery red display at this time of year. The foliage is very dense and it covers a 6-foot high x 60-foot long wall so is a bit of a show-stopper.
Spud.
Hello Spud, and welcome back!
DeleteI'm in full agreement with you with regards to Mavro - he certainly stole this year's spring show, but he already has my heart so no surprises there!
How splendid your Virginia Creeper must look in is autumn glory. I've always admired old stone houses whose walls are smothered in these vines, no matter the time of year.
What a beautiful garden! The colours!
ReplyDeleteI saw some crocus today and also the wee snowdrops that are the first sign of our spring... finally. The winter here nearly drove everyone mad, if it wasn't for Scout I would have been crazed as well but she is so enthusiastic about the winter it was hard to be gloomy.
I hope you don't mind but I must pin some of these photos, you are a talented photographer CD. xo
Why, thank you Dani, that is most kind of you to say! Somewhere in the back of my mind I had plans of a black and white flower scheme for this particular flower bed, but I just cannot bring myself to tear out those beautiful diminutive Forget-me-nots that pop up from year to year.
DeleteI love crocus but have never attempted to grow them in my garden (I recall them everywhere during the springtime in England, often embedded in lawns). I'd also enjoy the sight of snowdrops too, but have not had much luck with those unfortunately.
Scout is such a good girl to keep you sane in the depths of the maddening winter you've suffered through (give that dog a bone, pronto!), and yes, I'd be delighted for you to pin away at any photograph you think worthy of pinning. I am both flattered and blushing at the thought, thank you.
Your tulips are beautiful. Mine were a disaster this year. That's what you get from buying cheap bulbs. As my father used to say, you get what you pay for.. I will have to check those Thalia narcissi. I am always looking for a good white.
DeleteThat's such a charming picture of Mavro. It's definitely a keeper!!
Thank you, Lindaraxa! The quality of the bulbs certainly go a long way to having them ultimately bloom, at least that has been my experience.
DeleteI think you'll enjoy growing narcissus Thalia. She is dainty and demure, has several flowers per stem and likes to revisit the garden from year to year; a wonderful heirloom to be sure.
Your tulips are stunning. Being from The Netherlands, tulips are a great favorite! In my southern California garden right now, my foxgloves, hydrangea and Eden roses are in full bloom. Spring. It's gorgeous in California.
ReplyDeleteHello FrenchGardenHouse,
DeleteYour garden appears to be in full swing this season. I cannot wait for the few foxgloves I have in my garden to flower, but we here in northern California are a little behind you southerners.
I recall visiting the floating flower market in Amsterdam long ago and viewing the dizzying array of tulips and other flowers for sale.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting and I hope you visit again.
Tulips are one of my favourite flowers, and I wish I could get more selection here in Canada.
ReplyDeleteNothing is showing in my gardens as yet, though every day I search for signs of that harbinger of spring; asparagus .
Hello Htd,
DeleteTulips certainly have a way of drawing us into their beguiling beauty, and how lucky they come in such a wide array of colors - something for everyone. I wonder if some of the on-line merchants from the US could ship orders across the border to you?
I've yet to try my hand at asparagus growing. Perhaps I don't have the patience required to wait two or three years for the first crop. However, asparagus is my favorite spring time vegetable and I'm sure if I tasted home-grown, I may just be tempted to plant some myself. Enjoy your crop once it arrives.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting today.