Growing Bulbs in Gippsland

Every year I await eagerly for autumn to arrive as this is the time to sow winter growing bulbous seeds. Many of them flower early during the winter months to add color to this dreary time of the year. This experience of growing from seed and following the cycles through to flowering stage can be time consuming but quite fascinating. It is well worth the effort and experience. As the winter approaches, the newly sown seeds flourish and grow while the previous years sowings hopefully will give you the reward of beautiful flowers.

Although many of my bulbous plants are grown in pots, I have recently ventured out into the garden and planted out a bulbous garden bed using many bulbs I have grown from seed. These I have mixed with other plants that grow too large for pots.

Here are a few examples of what I have planted out: Crinum, Haemanthus, Albuca, Ferraria, Tulbaghia, plus others mixed with Canna, Arum, Chasmanthe, Dianella, Lachenalia and Doryanthes.

I have made some observations regarding these plantings which may be of interest.

Haemanthus coccineus: flowered earlier when grown in pots and produced seed, whereas the garden plants flowered later and produced no seed.

Ferraria crispa: put on the most beautiful display of green growth but not one flower. I have left them in the ground during the dry spell to see what results will be achieved next season.

Albuca: thrived and produced massive leaves and flowers spikes up to 5 or 6 feet high. Most impressive.

Crinum mooreii: multiplied by sending offshoots up but did not flower yet. Potted plants achieved the same results but leaves are in better condition.

Tulbaghia violaceae: I used this as a border planting along the edge and it gives a constant display of flowers. My two Yorkshire Terriers love sitting on it and it emits a very strong garlic perfume throughout the garden.

Also in this garden is the lovely Dianella tasmanica which spreads quite rapidly and even emerges under the garden path. All the Chasmanthe species make a good display and are one of the early flowerers here with the exception of C. var. ducketii, which flowers late.

Doryanthes palmerii is also in the garden but doesn't seem to do so well here, although I saw a huge clump of this in the Adelaide Botanical Gardens which gave me a scare as I envisaged my own plants getting that big and taking over the garden. I've got my eye on it now!

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