Garden Centre

Friday, July 18, 2008

Gaps in the garden

If you’re anything like me, it can take you a while to notice what isn’t there – especially at this time of year. This morning, touring the ‘estate’ I realised that something wasn’t there that should be.

There are not any foxtail lilies – proper name eremurus, which originated in Northern India and Persia. I bought five, four years ago. Last year only three of the five flowered and this year, none. I can’t understand it.

They are said to enjoy being planted in the same conditions as paniculata grandiflora and Azalea mollis and both of those do well in my garden. They require shelter from spring frosts, which I gave them, and they need their roots planted well down, at least six inches below soil level – which I did! They thrive in deep, rich, sandy loam, with the addition of some well ripened cow manure, and that’s exactly what I gave them. The proof that conditions were good for foxtail lilies can be found in the fact that they flowered for the first two years, but now they are definitely AWOL.

I have my suspicions … I think the squirrels have had them!

Labels: eremurus, foxtail lily, july bulbs

The All Seasons Gardener at 10:31 AM

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