Tulip Mania in North Dakota

Hi Mary, Yesterday I planted the bulbs I had ordered from Brent and Becky's Bulbs. I have been a customer since Brent Heath did a seminar for the Minnesota State Hort. Society about 20 years ago. He brought a bouquet of daffodils to the seminar on the plane from Virginia and talked about heirloom bulbs.

So this year I ordered 100 bulbs. All but 10 of them were tulips. My goal, dream, idea is that the back northeast corner of my garden will have tulips all along the border outside my brick path. That is about 10 feet along the north side and 10 feet along the east side. This part of the garden is totally invisible in the summer as the asparagus grows up and hides it, (and shades it). This is the north side with asparagus cut back so we can get in there to plant.

and this is the east side with similar cutting. Below is what it looks like from the back porch steps.But in the spring it is visible. Now I hope is will be beautiful as well as visible. (Unless the deer, rabbit, groundhog, skunk, voles and assorted other wildlife eat the bulbs, leaves, buds and blooms of course)

Here is my muscle.

I ordered 50 Tulipa 'Maureen'. Between every 10 of Maureen I planted another 10 bulbs of different tulips. So, ten of T. 'Hocus Pocus' which, with Maureen, is considered a single late tulip. Then ten of T. 'ViriLemon', which is a Viridiflora, a novelty tulip with partly greenish tepals. Sounds good doesn't it? (I think tepals are petals in an alternate universe). Another ten of T. 'Bright Parrot', and of T. 'Professor Rontgen' which are both considered 'parrot' tulips. Bright, gaudy, ruffled or fringed tulips. You can see why I like them. The Maureen is put in for a place to rest your eyes after the excitement of the other tulips.

Yes I know that only comes to 90. I also bought 10 Allium aflat.'Purple Sensation'. That is planted on the south side of the garden with a couple of Liatris. Hopefully they will attract lots of butterflies. Jim got the name of Liatris, aka Blazing Star or Gayfeather, from an article about attracting butterflies and we bought a couple from Sunnyside Gardens the last day we were there.

Here's to dreams.

Love,

Nancy