Bleeding Heart

I didn't know this flower before (like many other), and when I saw the bulbs at Home Depot, I had to get it, just beacuse.  When I looked at the pictures on the package of BLEEDING HEART bulbs, sure enough, the flowers really look like as if little hearts are bleeding.  According to the package description, this is good for shaded areas - perfect!  I needed something for the side of the house and  under my Japanese Maple tree in the back yard.

I bought Bleeding Heart and Lily of the Valley.  Both are recommended for shades. 

This is how a 'bulb' of Bleeding Heart looks like.  Doesn't this look like a piece of giant root?  I don't even know which side is up or down.  I just buried it, about 3 inches deep in the ground. 

26 days later, I noticed something new joined my yard - is this it, or is this weed ?

I checked all three places I planted the bulbs and found the same leaves at all three spots.  Yay, my Bleeding Hearts have successfully emerged from the ground. 

BULB INFORMATION:

Bulbs I bought: Bleeding Heart, Pink

Bulbs bought from: Home Depot

Origination of the seeds: Netherlands

According to the package:

*  Days to germination: Unknown - Mine took less than 26 days to sprout

*  Days to bloom: Unknown/Late Spring-Early Summer Blooms Mine took 79 days to bloom

*  Plant height: 36 inches

*  Grows best: Full Shade

*  Recommended planting season for San Diego: January through April - I planted in January

Leucojum - Summer Snowflakes

I bought Summer Snowflakes bulbs; it was sort of a compulsive buy.  My mother, who loves to plant, had this plant by the front door of our house.  I like the refreshing color contrast of white and green, and I wanted it in my yard, too.  Commonly called "Summer Snowflakes" has rather not-so-cute official name: Leucojum. 

 A bulb of Leucojum.  I planted this on November 8, 2010 in a clay container.  Later, I read that they should've been planted in the ground. Ah well.

33 days later, I found a little tip in the soil.  I started to get worried since I thought "plant immediately" meant speedy growth.  It was a long wait!

61 days after planting, all 5 bulbs sprouted.  I placed the container at a very sunny spot.  Maybe that helped?

67 days after planting.  I see a bud!  This picture was taken in the morning.

Same day, in the afternoon - can you see the  change?

In the later afternoon - I didn't get to see the first flower, but I know I can see it very soon!

Next morning (68 days after planting the bulbs), the first flower finally opened!!

 This is from this morning.  It is hard to see in this picture, but three flowers opened.

Also, I see another bud at the bottom of the plant, and another from a different bulb.  I am very excited!!  Stay tuned for more pictures with more flowers~

BULB INFORMATION:

Bulbs I bought: Leucojum Gravetye Giant

Bulbs bought from: Easy to Grow Bulbs.com

Origination of the seeds: USA

According to the package:

*  Days to germination: Unknown - Mine took 33 days to sprout

*  Days to bloom: Unknown - Mine took 68 days

*  Plant height: 16-20 inches

*  Grows best: Full Sun to Light or Dappled Shade

*  Recommended planting season for San Diego: Immediately upon delivery - I planted in November

Calla Lily

Calla Lilies look so elegant, and it must be one of the most popular flowers used for bridal bouquet.  I would love to have them in my yard, just because.  I planted 2 bulbs in the backyard (full sun) and 2 in the front yard (partial shades) and see how they grow differently.  It's too bad I forgot to take pictures of the bulbs, and I didn't note when I planted them (although I remember it was at the end of August).

 I waited for a long, long time to see this little guy!  I think I waited almost a month.  This one is from the back yard.

Once the tip was out of the ground, the Calla Lily started to grow very fast.  This was taken about 3 days later.

These are from the front yard.  They came out about a week before the bulbs planted in the backyard.  These are probably a week old after sprouting.

 A few days later from the picture above.  Being happy and growing fast!

 

About a week after the above picture (today is 10-17-10).  Look at them!  The leaves are open and big; I wonder when I get to see the flowers :)

Hello, Freesia!

Today is the 12th day since I planted the Freesia bulbs.  Finally, I found a green tip out of the ground, and I got excited. 

Can you see it??  This is one of the three bulbs I planted in the backyard (Full Sun in the morning hours, North facing).

I am looking forward to more of this!

Paperwhite

Another kind of bulbs I planted was Paperwhite (Narcissus).  I remember my mom planted them by the front door, and I loved how they smelled in early spring.  As a young girl, I used to squat to smell the flowers - suddenly, I get nostalgic - so, why not planting them?

I am sorry about the blurry picture, but this is a bulb of Paperwhite - it's much larger than a Freesia bulb.

The instruction says the bulbs need to be planted in 6-inch deep.  Wow, can they really manage to shoot out of the ground if they are planted so deep?  I wonder how lont it will take?

Noted on the craft stick is the date (10-4-10) I planted the bulbs, and I placed some wires so I wouldn't accidentally dig the site. 

Freesia!

I noticed at a local home center that they were selling bulbs.  I remember seeing some paper bags marked "Mom's bulbs.  Don't touch, don't eat" sitting in the fridge when I was young.  Hm...do I have to do that too?  I did some online research and found out that I may not have to, thanks to the warm climate San Diego offers.

OK.  No digging in the winter, so I shall try bulbs.  I picked FREESIA bulbs.

Freesia bulbs.  There are 10 bulbs in the package I purchased, so I planted them at several different parts in my front and back yards.

The instruction says the bulbs should be planted in 2-inch deep and need a 4-inch space between each other. I dug soil and planted the bulbs 2-inch deep. But isn't a 4-inch space too sporadic?  I decided to give about 2.5 inches of space.

One of the spots I planted the bulbs.  I used a craft stick and noted the date (10-4-10) I planted.  I am so looking forward to see rhe sprouts!