Bulbs, finally

The promised rain showed up only briefly yesterday but tomorrow and the next day are supposed to be deluges. I spent the day getting as many bulbs into the ground as I could. The first order of the day was to finish clearing out and trimming back the border along the Ugly Green Fence.

Then it was time to plant. First to go in were the single peonies. Next were alliums.

Allium aflatunense
Garden blogs are definitely dangerous to my pocket books. In addition to the Jack Frost Brunnera, I fell in love with alliums pictured in so many gardens. The Allium aflatunense is an heirloom circa 1902.

Last to be planted were the parrot tulips. About halfway down the border I looked back to where I had started and there was a squirrel digging up my newly planted bulbs. I saw red. Literally. Not content with my usual strategy of covering my bulbs with leaves to mask the scent of the freshly dug earth, I instead dashed into my kitchen, opened my spice cabinet and pulled out the cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper. I didn’t want to hide, I wanted to hurt.

After chasing the squirrel out of the border, I liberally sprinkled both peppers over all areas where I had put my bulbs.


That picture is actually of the Accidental Herb Garden where I next planted the Burgundy Lace tulips.

My final stop was the Shade Garden where I planted Trillium Sessile and hardy cyclamen. I loved the cyclamen bulbs. They were huge and flat. Again, I sprinkled cayenne and crushed red pepper over everything.

Total for today:

3 peonies
10 allium
12 assorted parrot tulips
10 green parrot tulips
6 Burgundy Lace tulips
3 trillium
5 cyclamen

I have my fingers crossed that the rain doesn’t wash away all that hot pepper squirrel deterrent.