Just as in cooking, dancing, and investing; when it comes to selecting flower bulbs, timing makes all the difference. Once each year in the fall you have this opportunity, then when our growing season begins it’s all a done deal. Seizing upon this predictable annual cycle is far easier then trying to figure out the stock market.

Our bulb department is overseen by 15 year BHN veteran Griff Hulsey, who makes this a year-round process of research, communicating with growers, and making arrangements for delivery so customers like you will have enough information to embark on a successful bulb buying adventure. Because our bulbs don’t all come from one grower (as is the case for most garden centers) you will notice different types of packaging or displays…sort of like at the produce market. Some come from large-scale growers who provide fancy promotional materials and display boxes, others come from small one-of-a-kind backyard growers here and abroad. Either way we provide photographs and information on planting and culture. Rest assured that Griff has done his homework when it comes to our flower bulbs.

Bulbous plants comprise a large segment of our fall flowering options, including Amaryllis belladonna, Lycoris radiata, Cyclamen hederifolium, and the ever charming Colchicum spp. I’ve grown to love the Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum), which seems to materialize from cracked dry soil around the fringes of my garden. And for spring, the Tritonias give me a reliable display each year, even in small clumps of only 10 or 12 bulbs. All of these are well suited to our mediterranean climate, and I urge you to try them. Don’t forget to mark their location as summer dormancy can lead to unplanned losses by accidental digging.

The bottom line here is ACT NOW. These months of early autumn will soon pass. Whether adding an accent to a corner of your small garden, or massing a knockout display of Keukenhof proportions, we can help.

– Paul