The other day I was out and about (as happens often) when I was surprised by the sight of a couple hyacinths coming up. It’s not that I’m surprised that the hyacinths are emerging but rather that I didn’t realize they where there to begin with! This would be one of those time where plant labels would have come in handy like the folks over at Gardening Gone Wild are talking about this month. Even a road map (planting map) would have helped, or a little list of where stuff is and what is in each garden bed. A list, now why didn’t I think of that earlier?
You might be wondering how I lost my hyacinths. I was too at first but then I remembered Valentine’s Day 2008. I’ve never been one to purchase dead flowers to give away. Sure I’ve done it before but there seems to be something morally wrong about buying plants that are destined to die. But since the plants live to grow more flowers and are specifically grown for cuttings it’s really just a preference in my head. I suppose it’s the idea that I couldn’t plant them in the garden that seems wasteful. Anyway last year I bought a pot of hyacinths for my wife. Their heady fragrance filled our house until the blooms faded and afterward I moved the plant to the garage where I promptly forgot about them. A while later (a month or two, I’m not really sure it could have been longer) I finally took the bulbs from the pot and put them in the garden. I wasn’t very optimistic about the hyacinths as I had neglected them for a while but planting them was worth a shot. If they were dead I was adding organic matter, if not I was getting more blooms next year. Then gardening got busy. Months of projects, posts, planning, planting and propagating ensued and the little spring blooming hyacinths were forgotten.
During my patio project I built a landscape timber border around one of the gardens and that is where this unfortunate hyacinth happened to be. It will be fine. It should be fine. I hope it will be fine. The hyacinth seems to have managed to poke its head out just enough to grow. Needless to say it will need moved after it blooms and fades which may require some creative digging.
Maybe I should make formal lists of each garden where my plants are so I don’t bury them underneath landscaping implements. They do seem to accumulate rapidly. A feat that my wife, no doubt, can attest to. Time to start making lists!
Everything grows for you…even things you ignore. You are an excellent gardener and it doesn’t surprise me that this loved the soil it was in. I have to make a plan for my garden too.
Hi Dave, congrats on your Hyacinths surviving all odds! By the way I do the same thing all the time. 😉 (mainly with bulbs)
I learn a lot from you. I am also learning on how to start a garden. Thanks!
Dave,
Spouses seem to be very good at a number of wonderful behaviors and noticing the accumulation of plants seems to be one my spouse has. Can’t wait to see Jenny’s flowers blooming.
gail
What a wonderful surprise! Oh, the anticipation!
Cameron
Anna,
I’m lucky to an extent! Our ground is pretty decent for the most part for nearly anything. Our yard’s location helped it to catch runoff topsoil and of course it used to be pastureland. Although the areas around the house got skimmed of topsoil when it was built.
Racquel,
Bulbs are so easy to misplace! When the foliage is gone there is nothing to mark their spot other than a memory.
Jan,
Thank you!
Gail,
I think she’s gotten used to the frequency of new plants showing up. Every week during the gardening season there is a new addition. Just can’t help it. It’s an addiction.
Cameron,
Anticipation for spring is definite at a high!
Hi Dave, oh this is a good one. The brave little hyacinth trying to squeeze up past the wooden timbers makes us smile broadly. I love that you can even see the flower buds inside too.
Frances
Yup, gotta make those lists. I have done this more times than I can count and hate it! Now you have to at some point dig them and move them, but they’ll be fine.
Hooray for the return of new growth! Come on Spring! -Lee
I have considered all sorts of options to help me avoid forgetting where I have planted bulbs but none of them have worked for me. Now I tend to have all my special spring bulbs in one border which I can see from the living room so it will cheer me up. I have now started on a woodland spring border which is further up the garden but shady and I visit when I am putting feed out for the birds.