Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Reading Catalogs In Wintry Evening

              It is pleasant time to read catalogs of flowers, plants, fruit trees in a wintry evening, to plan something, to think about where to grow, to transplant or to cut. Wherefore I've been thinking about the small bulbous flowers, I enjoy them in spring and early summer.


These are Bluebell (Scilla) and Pushkinia. Scilla is a wonderful well known plant, it is difficult to imagine a spring garden without it. Bright blue spots of Scylla are as pieces of the spring sky on flowerbeds or among the shrubs. The flowers can be single, bluish, purple, white, pink. After flowering, Scylla forms the fruit with little black seeds, but I rarely collect them because bulbs also form little ones for breeding.




Pushkinia is a charming little plant with pale blue or nearly white flowers, with two or three leaves, which appear simultaneously with buds. Flower stalks about 15 cm have 12-15 buds sometimes up to 30 flowers, they have strong fragrance during flowering and attract many bees and butterflies.



Pushkinia is better to watch it in a short distance. I want to try them for spring forcing! Several years ago I planted small bulbous plants in a shady place, there they grow well as in sunlit flower beds. They are frost resistant that is important for my Northern garden, I usually do not cover them for wintering. Although it is thought they can not tolerate acidic and marshy soils but I grow them in different soils and I don't see any backlog in blooming.


Do you grow these flowers? Did you like them for forcing?
Thank you!




43 comments:

  1. I've grown them in the past but haven't any at the moment our first spring bulbs are snowdrops and mini irises.

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    1. I love snowdrops, they grow through the snow. Thank you, Sue!

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  2. Yes I have the small Scillas and Pushkinias both already for years in the garden. I think they were on my blog last year but when they are in flower in March they will show up on the blog again. I have never grown them in pots. I am sure they will grow in your garden too because they are quite hardy.
    Enjoy reading your garden catalogues, I do the same.

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    1. I can't wait to see yours growing in March, Janneke. Thank you and have a pleasant reading!

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  3. Wow the Bluebell and Pushkinia are absolutely beautiful.

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  4. What beautiful blue flowers. I love the delicate stripe of pale blue on the white petals of that pretty pushkinia, it's like a painted work of art!

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    1. Yes. you're right Laurrie, they are work of nature. Thank you!

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  5. Hello Nadezda ! Wonderful flowers and beautiful colors. I watch your pictures and I miss summer.
    Greetings

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  6. Tu jardin estará precioso con ellas me gusta la nueva cabecera y la última foto con la mezcla de los dos colores.
    Buen miércoles.
    Un beso.

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    1. Por fin cayo la nieve y yo hize esta foto para la cabecera. Gracias Laura!

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  7. Oh those flowers are so very pretty and I love the colours. Beautiful photos Nadezda.
    Patricia x

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    1. I love these vernal colors as well. Thank you Patricia!

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  8. Welcome Nadezda!
    I also really like watch directories. Almost every day I receive them.
    I love both plants. They are very beautiful.
    Greetings.

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    1. I do like reading catalogs as well, Lucia. Thank you!

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  9. Such beautiful flowers Nadezda!!Wonderful pictures!!!I do'nt grow these flowers,but i like them so much!!Thank you for your kind wishes!!
    Have a great week!!Hug!!
    Dimi...

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  10. These are both such pretty plants with lovely flowers. I envy you your catalog-reading, I have no room for anything anymore...

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    1. I have too little place as well Masha. But for these 'kids' I have spot in my mixborder. Thank you!

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  11. Lovely photos of these little blue and white beauties. I love those shades of blue in the garden.

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  12. I always think the early spring bulbs bring a feeling of hope. I like the pushkinias very much, I must see if we have them here.

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    1. I hope you find Pushkinia in any garden center, often it is sold in mix with other small bulbs. Thank you, Tracey!

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  13. These pushkinias are such charming plants. I've not seen them before and I'm sure they don't thrive in our hot humid climes.

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    1. These plants have to spend some winter time, they are not for your climate Elsie it's pity!
      Thank you!

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  14. Lovely photos Nadezda, these have been on my wish list for a while but I haven’t got around to buy any yet – there are so many plants I want to buy! Right now I am looking for another camellia and I think I have found the perfect one, for my front garden. On my wish list I have:

    Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica
    Scilla siberica
    Scilla mischtschenkoana

    …but these flower in February/March over here and the bulbs are for sale in August/September so I guess it will be next spring for me. I’ll enjoy yours when they start flowering instead this year :-)

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    1. Helene, I see you have a nice wish list! Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica is on my photos, I grow it in my garden as Scilla siberica, that is on other photos. I have no Scilla mischtschenkoana, it's white and I'd love to have it as well. Camelia is my dream, I'd like to plant it but not sure of its hardiness. Thank you!

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  15. I have lots of blue Scilla, which we also call squill. There's an area along Lake Shore Drive in Chicago which is just a mass of blue Scilla in May, a gorgeous site.

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    1. I think the shore covered with growing blue scilla is wonderful place, Jason. Thank you!

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  16. I grow both of these. With time the scilla can cover a lot of ground and create a blue carpet. I also like Pushkinia but they do not self-seed like the scilla do. I noticed with Pushkinia that the bulbs seem to get bigger with the years and produce slighly bigger flowers than new bulbs. Have you noticed that too?

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    1. Yes, I have, Alain. I propagated Pushkinia bulbs last fall, there were many 'kids' that I planted apart. Thank you!

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  17. Hello Nadezda girl !
    I am sorry I haven't been by very often lately .. we are still in the midst of home renovations .. work in the kitchen is almost done but this has dragged on through the whole house since September .. so we are exhausted from it all. It is hard to have people in your home working ... you can't relax ! haha
    These are gorgeous pictures of such cheerful Spring flowers ... I can't wait to see some of mine in the Spring too .. I love them!
    We have so much more winter to get through though eh ? ... I think your garden and mine are probably on the same time frame for waking up from winter ... BIG sigh !
    Thank you for reminding me of what pretty little flowers there will be to appreciate though !
    Joy : )

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    1. Hi, Joy!
      I hope your home will be brilliant and then you will be able to relax. Sure your little spring flowers are healthy despite of snow and frost. Thank you!

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  18. Hello Nadezda! Your Bluebells and Pushkinia are so dainty. We grow bluebells here in shades of blue, white and pink, but they are not as pretty as yours. They are bigger and don't look as sweet as your variety. They grow vigorously and multiply easily. I don't know Pushkinia. They are lovely. I like your header, so pure and cold! I would like to have had some snow last week with the temperatures in the low 40Cs!
    Thank you for sharing these pretty bulbs.

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    1. You have wonderful summer, Betty! I think the Pushkinia bulbs are sold in Australia they grow like Bluebells, need a bit of cold in winter time. Glad you liked my new header. Thank you!

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  19. I have a small patch of squill in one of my beds but I moved so much soil when I redesigned that part of my garden that I'm not sure they're there anymore. They always remind me I need to grow more bulbs.

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    1. I love quills as well, Tammy. These small bulbs I plant in mixborder between perennials. When they are fade other flowers start blooming. Thank you!

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  20. Your beautiful pictures make me long for spring. :) Like you I have been pouring over the catalogs and dreaming of planting and gardening. It is getting closer each day. :)

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    1. Nice time to read catalogs, Lona. I'm glad you are with us bloggers!

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  21. Beautiful Bluebells and Pushkinia, Nadezda! I have a few of the blue ones but think that the white ones are very special, too. Such a sweet and welcome sight in the spring!

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    1. The white small flowers are special, you're right Peter.
      Thank you!

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  22. I enjoy looking through plant and seed catalogs this time of year, too, but I have to be careful or I find myself wanting everything:) I planted some scilla a year ago and loved the blue blooms so much, I added more this fall. Love the pushkinia!

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  23. Hi Nadezda, I hope you're keeping warm. I haven't forced these bulbs but I forced tulips several years ago. It was nice to have early flowers. I have been busy looking at seed and plant catalogs too. Spring can't come early enough for me. It's fun isn't it?

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