Here's the catch: you can't plant them in May. Allium bulbs go in the ground in fall. So bookmark, screenshot, pin, whatever you need to do, and pre-order from us now so you are ready for fall planting. #alliums #colorblends #springbulbs
No algorithm deciding what you see. No pop-ups. Spread it across the kitchen table. Dog-ear what catches your eye. Sticky-note the rest. This is how your fall planting gets planned.
Our 2026 catalog ships in July. Get on the list. It's free! Link in bio.
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#colorblends #flowerbulbs #springblooms
“What did your mother plant?”
Did you learn about gardening from your mother, a grandmother, a neighbor, or an aunt? She may not have taught you directly, but you saw her delight when the daffodils started to bloom after a long winter. You watched her admiring the tulips. You sat next to her in the dirt (or ate the dirt!) in the fall while she dug holes for the crocus.
We'd love to know: what did your mother plant, or your grandmother? What do you remember most vividly from her garden?
#colorblends #flowerbulbs #happymothersday
These strips of color are disappearing. Where are they going?
Every spring in the Netherlands, farmers cut just the flower heads off the tulip plant with rotary scissors leaving the green plant underneath untouched. Then a hand crew follows. They ride out on flat platforms pulled behind a tractor, face down, inches above the rows—plucking off whatever the machines miss.
Why the trouble? Every flower head left on the plant siphons energy that should be going underground. With the blooms gone, the plant has 8 weeks to put that energy where it counts: into the bulb below. This is how we get topsize bulbs to plant here in the United States.
#colorblends #flowerbulbs #netherlandstulips
Will it Flower Another Year?
Now is a good time to talk about oversummering amaryllis bulbs.
Your amaryllis likely stopped flowering in February or March, and you should have already progressively deadheaded all of the flowers. You can now cut the stem 3-4 inches above the top of the bulb.
After your zone’s last frost date gradually acclimate the bulb to the outdoors.
Then plant the bulb in the garden* at the level that it was in its pot.
As summer progresses, the bulb will produce additional leaves and increase in size. If this does not happen, your bulb is unlikely to flower again and is best discarded.
{We’ll tell you what to do next, in September. Keep an eye out for a future post, or click the link in our bio to learn more.}
* You can alternatively move the bulb to a larger pot outdoors. See the article referenced above for more.
#colorblends #amaryllis #flowerbulbs
Something new is blooming every day.
This is our public trial garden in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where we've been watching bulbs come up, year after year, for over a decade. It's how we know exactly when things bloom, and how. It's near our warehouse and offices, so we can visit daily during the season to check on progress, in real time.
Here you can see some progression shots from early spring to the present, of various parts of the grounds.
Right now: daffodils are at or near peak. Tulips are well on their way. The best news for locals: we open the grounds up for visitors to come experience the beauty; they can come as often as they'd like in the springtime!
#colorblends #springtime #flowerbulbs
“Ooooh! I want more like that!”
This is the type of rare flower that sparked exorbitant prices in 17th century Holland. It was wildly different from its neighboring blooms with elaborate patterns and dramatic streaks, and one precious bulb could sell for the price of a house (causing a “tulipmania,” which eventually crashed.)
These kinds of rarities still occur, but when growers in the Netherlands spot those distinctive streaks today, it sets off a very different kind of urgency. Not a bidding war, but a containment effort. What no one knew at the time is that the streaks are caused by a virus that eventually kills the plant. To prevent the spread, the growers have to continually monitor the fields. They do this by walking the rows or riding on a tractor-like contraption where they can reach down and pull these flowers out by hand.
The good news is, they have figured out how to grow tulips that have similar looks to the ones that were so sought-after long ago. Want a beautiful non-diseased tulip that has multi-colored streaks? From the Colorblends website, check out the following:
• Banja Luka Tulips
• Beauty Trend Tulips
• Cabanna Tulips
• Double Shake Tulips
• Marilyn Tulips
#colorblends #netherlandstulipfields #springtime
A spotlight on lesser-known heroes of the garden:
1. Snake’s Head Fritillaria. Improbable geometry, checkered blooms dangle from 10-inch stems. Perfect alongside a garden stair. Deer resistant.
2. All Aflutter™ Iris Blend. Short and stunning blend of Iris reticulata. Perfect for planting in the lawn or a rock garden. Doesn’t require much water. Loves sunshine. Deer and rodent resistant.
3. Crown imperials. Rock star hair. Blooms face downward. Loves sun and fertile soil. Deer and Rodent Resistant.
4. Camassia. Delicate flowers that will steal your heart. Late spring bloom. Tolerant of wet soil (but doesn’t require it). Can be planted near a sunny pond or stream. Deer Resistant.
5. Celestial™ Chionodoxa Blend. Consists of two Glory of the Snow varieties. Genuine blue and pure white, reminiscent of blue sky and fair-weather clouds. Best planted in a liberal drift. Deer and rodent resistant.
Read the full article, which was written by Elizabeth Werlebird, a professional gardener and horticulturist based in Connecticut. Tap link in bio.
#colorblends #flowerbulbs #springbreak
