Only a few of the bulbs are named lillies. Those I will plant individually (and try to track). Most of the bulbs are daffs and tulips for naturalizing. I can put them anywhere (and do every year) because they get sun and come before the trees leaf out. They are not part of any main beds and I add more every year. I put them in trenches and mounds so they are not hard to plant. My biggest problem is not running into already established bulbs. I LOVE this after long winters when I am still cleaning up the prior fall and before anything else is blooming:

I just dig them in anywhere and they surprise me!

LOVE that, Jamie! What lovely spring surprises!

Aw thanks! It gets me out of the winter blues. I STILL have not received the bulbs I'm expecting but am out there trenching today because it rained nicely off and on all last week and the ground is well softened. Hopefully they will get here soon.

Hopefully my orienpet/trumpet bulbs will get here soon also.................. Mine must be where yours are Jamie. In route on some truck somewhere?

NO, I just rechecked. One order of 217 bulbs (mostly Daffs & Tulips with a few Asiatic lilies) is from Brecks. Earliest expected shipment is 10/15. The other order from B&D (for 31 bulbs that include varieties if Oriental, Orienpet and Asiatic hybirds) will ship "mid Oct."). Oh well, this gives me a little more time to prep (and figure out where to put them) before the REAL shedding of the trees in underway. I just finished cleaning and weeding in some of the areas and planting a bunch of dayliles, gailardias, cardinal flower, and coreopsis. Back out in a few minutes to do more of that, at least the weather should be conducive this week!

Jamie, do you do all of the planting, trenching, digging, gardening yourself? You are my hero... Super Gardener!

Everything Brenda, but then I have to answer to no one for my deficiencies.

You Rock, Jamie! I'm in awe...

it is a ton of work my girl

You are so kind! What's more satisfactiory than work??? Especially when one won't always be able. Just consider that in the realm of perennial gardening. Not only do plants breathe life back into the world but the day will come when I say "Wheel me out so I can see the colors!"

Sorry all - been AWOL due to some trials going on with my teenagers.....

Anyway -- Jamie are your bulbs just planted in the "grass"??? Am wondering cause I have ditches out here in the country and wonder if I can just plant bulbs out there in my road ditches and if they will grow or get choked out by all the weeds/grasses?!?!?

Oh Christine...'teenager trials' Can't do much I think but let them make some mistakes. The only consolation is that angel coverage is exceptionally heavy during the teen years.

Yes, lots of bulbs are just in the grass (which does not compete with them) but where they won't get mowed prior to allowing the greens to refeed the bulbs. That shot by the back garage?... I have hosta and yarrow there too, and hardly mow it at all, just in fall. That way the bulbs naturalize over time. I add to them every fall though.

I'd be careful about putting bulbs near the road and ditches if they use road salt in your area. I have wasted lots of $$$ putting things in around the mailbox that come one year and don't multiply if they come back at all. It took me a while to figure out that the winter melt salt deposits were likely the culprit. Now I only put the real cheap (big box store sell off) bulbs there and use the more expensive naturalizing bulbs in the yard.

Jamie I am glad you mentioned the salt "issue"... I planted some iris's down by our mailbox in the planter... I just thought I was done planting... gotta get those moved now, thanks for the headsup!!

Christine... I know what you are going through with the teenager trials... I'm dealing with that severely from the 14 y/o boy

My neighbor avoids the salt issue by planting bulb in pots, then digging holes around her mailbox in spring and sinking the pot, bringing them into her garage again in winter. Someday maybe I will find that kind of energy ....right now I just buy off the cheap ones and dig in, not expecting them to replenish. i Would move iris though, they are way to expensive to waste.

hmm never even thought of that as being the problem. I have planted things at my mailbox and they bloom the same summer never to return again. Never even THOUGHT about the salt from those dumb salt and plow trucks.....................Well I can't think of everything all the time I guess. Would be nice to think of things more often on my own...................

Sometimes I think dementia is setting in v-e-r-y early.

Well... no wonder my daylilys by the mail box failed! Also I am sure the gravel soil doesnt help much!

Yes ... teenagers!! Gotta love them. I have a 15 (almost 16 yr old) girl that thinks sneaking out at night, hanging with senior boys, drinking alcohol and coming back at 3am is the cool thing to do. Then my 14 yr old son (almost 15) is still trying to make sense of school work. He has finally realized if he wants to continue in sports he best get better grades in school! Thank goodness my 9 yr old is still at that innocent stage!

Okay so back to my bulbs... if I plant them up on a hill, 20 feet back from the road in the "natural weedy grass" I should be okay???

Teenagers - I had FOUR of them Enuf said. Good luck to those who still have them. They are animals from a totally different solar system. I am CONVINCED of that.

Sassafrass, for the last few years, I intended to plant a fall garden. I'd like to do it someday...... :o)

Jamie, I'm in awe over all the bulbs you are going to be planting! Wow, I can not wait to see your yard after a few years!

Cherie, laughing over the 14 bulbs. I didn't order anything, but need to dig tulips from around the garden edge and replant them in a nicer place. Those orientals will be so worth it!

Jamie, the tulips and daffodils are just beautiful! I know how hard you are working. Trenching is a lot of work, but makes planting bulbs so much easier!

Totally! Wheel me out too!

Christine and Sassafrass, my sympathy with the teenagers :o(

It's funny. We were all teens once, yet we cannot go back and be ''cool'' again. We have to be responsible. Especially since the laws are a lot tougher and they are more likely to pick you up now.

Oh yes, Fall planting. I am mainly moving all my flowers around, being ruthless, and tearing out too much of good things. I love the perennial blue ageratum, but boy, did it take over. I sacked a bunch up and put it in a free pile across the road. I hope someone takes some of it. What a waste to let it all die.

Ageratum with Japanese Aster hortensis

Sory, I've been gone with an injury. All of the lilies are in and most of the bulbs, I've managed to get the over-wintering plants inside (although they are just all over the floor until I can get them tidied up for their winter spots. I am waaayyy behind on leaf clean-up because I can only move slowly yet. Storms & gutters and putting equipment and lawn furniture away is all in wait. Fortunately the weather is holding and we've had sporatic rain so the ground is easy to get into. I should finish bulbs tomorrow. Hope all of you are doing well with your fall projects.

glad you are feeling better... I missed you!!