Here is what I am plotting for the daylily plateau.

12 years ago

Here is an example of how I plot my bulb planting. Going to use the raised bed in the backyard I call the daylily plateau or just the plateau. It really looks smashing in the summer when the daylilies bloom. Plus up on the top section over the plateau in that smaller raised bed section directly next to the garage (my backyard neighbors garage) I plant zinnias and that gives me summerlong color. So for years I have been content with that but now I am working on my spring bulb plans. Honestly, afew tulips can be squeezed in just about anywhere. They don't multiply (in fact the opposite they decrease in volume year after year) so unlike daffs you don't need to worry about possible overcrowding and dividing.

The plateau is four rows of daylilies, two more in front and two more towards the back with a path in between the front and back sections going accross. So here is what I am going to do.

The 50 Come back tulips just ordered from Brent&Beckies are going in amoung the two back rows of daylilies. Those are red darwin tulips. Then 50 Jenny also just ordered from Brent&Beckies are going in amoung the front two daylily rows. Those are golden yellow early tulips. Then still to order from Scheepers is 200 of their Princely Single Early Tulip Mixture which will be planted thickly in the pathway between the front and back daylily section rows. Then at each end in the front curve I need some small bulbs to fill in like crocus or some sort of rock garden iris. All still thinking on that and it would not be lots of bulbs anyway.

The top terrace next to the garage needs to have the sections of daffodil row where there are no bulbs fixed and patched. I have picked out daffs to add there. In back of the back row of daffs will go a row of Dutch Iris, which will be blooming much later than the daffs so no conflict just another wave of bloom. Then I need to figgure out what tulips to add to the mid section between daff rows but haven't decided on a plan yet.

But this is how I plot things. Pictures of the Plateau now with no spring color!

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Comments (16)

anniegolden
12 years ago
Rita, once again, you are a wonder. Truly, I did not follow every detail of your plans and plots, except that I am certain that you have it well worked out.

Your terraced areas are so superb. This gives you a canvas to work on with your garden concepts of color and design. Perhaps, before you completed the terracing, the sloping presented a gardening problen. But now, you are sitting pretty.

Christine
newyorkrita
Original Author
12 years ago
Christine, the area in the pictures was a steep hill. I tried for years to garden there and nothing really worked. Same of other hilly areas around the garden here. That is why I have so many terraced gardens and raised beds here. I needed to make the space usuable.

I do have it figgured out. I am great at plopping my garden designs. :-)
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organic_kitten
12 years ago
I know it will be lovely as always. I am not going to plant as many as last year. %00 is plenty. 750 got a little old. I have a few more to get from Brent and Becky, then some from Scheepers. It is fun to plan spring "glory", isn't it?
kay
newyorkrita
Original Author
12 years ago
That is exactly the trouble. It all looks so wonderful during spring bulb bloom season that I just want to add more and more and more bulbs. That plus I really am just nuts about tulips. They are so, so very pretty.
Cindy zone 6a
12 years ago
That will be good. And what you said about how tulips can be squeezed in anywhere, since they don't multiply like the daffs do, that is a very good thing to keep in mind, guess I never considered that. I will have to mark spots that I can get in rows or clumps of tulips in. Crocus would be good for your small bulb, but have you considered any muscari? There are several types that are not invasive like the grape hyacinth type are.
cindy
newyorkrita
Original Author
12 years ago
Tulips, at least around here, decline instead of multiplying like daffodils do. So tulips are safe to cram in between the daylilies. Then the daylilies grow and hide the ugly tulip folliage while it dies down.

I don't want to use grape hyacinth up there. Maybe I will do crocus. I am still thinking on it.
jean_ar
12 years ago
Rita, dont you have a bunch of lily bulbs up on that top row. red alert lilies?The tulips are so pretty, but them red alert lilies beats them. They are soo pretty.
Nancy
12 years ago
I'll be getting more daffs this fall, seem to be talking myself into a few tulips too. Maybe some red to get some color.
Your gardens just get better & better every year. I keep thinking they can't improve, but it does :)
organic_kitten
12 years ago
Nancy, the come bck tulips all came back this year. They are normal size, not huge, but quite pretty and red.

{{gwi:686037}}

kay
Nancy
12 years ago
Perfect, Kay! I can handle if they come back at least a few years. I wish I knew what kind the single red tulip I have that has returned for about 15 years. Just that 1 tulip, there is a yellow one too. The red tulip is HUGE though.
The last time I tried tulips I got some dark ones, Queen of the Night or something like that. I think I got some white ones too. The foliage didn't even show up on either of them the next year.
Normal size tulips is fine though, I have some species tulips, cute, but not very tall & don't show up well.
newyorkrita
Original Author
12 years ago
Jean, I have a nice row of the Red Alert Lilies but not up there, they are in my driveway sideyard garden. The thing is compairing lilies to tulips is like compairing apples to oranges, they bloom at different times and just aren't the same thing.

Kay, that is a lovely stand of those COME BACK tulips. I ordered them too as you might have noticed for the plateau. My thinking was that this was a very good spot for tulips that will reappear year after year. Plus I love the red coloring of them.

Nancy, could that big red tulip you have that shows up year after year be RED EMPEROR? Emperor tulips are supposed to be early blooming and large. Emperor tulips come in red, yellow, white, orange and some other colors too. I have never grown them but intend to order the Van Engelen Special collection of 300 tulips. And I could just immagine 300 tulips planted in that driveway side yard garden of yours. It would look stunning.

I have been doing some research and apparently the Emperor tulips are know for being very perennial.

Here is a link that might be useful: Van Engelen Emperor Collection
jean_ar
12 years ago
RITAJean
newyorkrita
Original Author
12 years ago
Jean, you are correct that there is a wooden fence behind the lilies. It is the fence that seperates my property from my neighbors.
Nancy
12 years ago
red Emperor does ring a bell, Rita, but has been so long ago since I planted these. I know it is almost twice as tall & 3 times the size of other tulips I planted.
newyorkrita
Original Author
12 years ago
I don't know from personal experience as I have never had them but from my research they are apparently large tulips. I plan on ordering Emperor tulips for this fall so I will know for myself next spring.
katlynn719
12 years ago
Rita, It should be very pretty when they are blooming. But I don't envy you all that planting! Good luck -
Kathy