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Gardeners’ Forum: “help: first time planting a garden”

• help: first time planting a garden

  Posted by Nathasha-Lynn on Saturday, March 24, 2001 12:20 am AST

  hello, first time planting a garden.Ihave no idea what I am doing. I planted a bunch of tulips,in front of my house and around my tree now my question is what do I do when there is only a few tulips come up?And what kind of fowers would go best with them? It's in a halfsun,half shady place.Where do I placed them?

  • re: help: first time planting a garden

    Posted by sue on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 10:51 am ADT

    If you are hoping to have mostly perennials in your garden, you would benefit from purchasing a perennial gardening book (Patrick Lima' Perennial Garden is very insightful). Tulips, like many spring flowers, do not die gracefully. Since you should not cut back the leaves until after they have turned it is a good idea to plant something beside them that will grow over the tulips after they are done flowering. Day lily do a good job of covering withering spring bulbs. Stella D'oro day lily is a good choice if you want continuous bloom (unlike most, this day lily reblooms). Delphiniums add height - some up to 6' - 8', but there are dwarf varieties (2') available (june-july bloom), Tall Phlox (3') july - aug/sept bloom, hardy geraniums for border (continuous bloom), for ground cover, perriwinkle and snow in summer are good (both have flowers in spring, and keep their foliage all season). The Perennial Garden book will give you excellent flower choices for three flowering seasons (spring, early summer, late summer/early fall), also planting guide etc. Good luck!!!

  • re: help: first time planting a garden

    Posted by sue on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 10:52 am ADT

    If you are hoping to have mostly perennials in your garden, you would benefit from purchasing a perennial gardening book (Patrick Lima' Perennial Garden is very insightful). Tulips, like many spring flowers, do not die gracefully. Since you should not cut back the leaves until after they have turned it is a good idea to plant something beside them that will grow over the tulips after they are done flowering. Day lily do a good job of covering withering spring bulbs. Stella D'oro day lily is a good choice if you want continuous bloom (unlike most, this day lily reblooms). Delphiniums add height - some up to 6' - 8', but there are dwarf varieties (2') available (june-july bloom), Tall Phlox (3') july - aug/sept bloom, hardy geraniums for border (continuous bloom), for ground cover, perriwinkle and snow in summer are good (both have flowers in spring, and keep their foliage all season). The Perennial Garden book will give you excellent flower choices for three flowering seasons (spring, early summer, late summer/early fall), also planting guide etc. Good luck!!!

  • re: help: first time planting a garden

    Posted by terri on Wednesday, May 16, 2001 9:53 pm ADT

    I love crocus and daffodils with tulips. My tulips last much longer than the daffodils or crocus, but they look stunning together. My favorite tulips are Apricot Beauty. Stunning pale peachy blooms on sturdy stalks with frilled leaves. I planted pastel shads in crocus and white daffodils with a pale pink cup. it was a wonderful combination and I plan to enlarge the display for next year.