Garden Log 4/25/23

One of the tricky things about ordering plants and bulbs online is that it’s often unclear whether you’re going to get plants in good condition. Some of the nurseries that look like bargains send sad little plants in poor condition. Some places are reliable — White Flower Farm has consistently given me great plants, but they’re on the pricier side.

Old House Gardens has been solid for me, and they have a few other things going for them. They specialize in heirloom varieties, and give charming information on each one. I live in an 1885 house, and there’s something sweetly romantic to me about having some flowers that might have been here when the house was built.

I particularly like that when they arrive, they have lots of easy-to-follow (and color-coded!) instructions on how and when to plant each type. Their prices are reasonable too.

These arrived a few days ago — the irises were planted immediately, as they suggested, and the daylilies a few days later. The rest (dahlias, gladioli, fairy lilies) are waiting in a cardboard box in my basement for the soil to warm up and/or average temps to get higher. I think we’re PROBABLY past the last frost, but these are tender enough that I’m not going to risk them.

If I get impatient / have the energy, I may start some of them indoors in pots, so they can get a jump-start and get a little bigger this season. I did that one year with dahlias, and definitely noticed the result!

But that may be more time / effort than I have energy for — it’s perfectly fine to just wait and plant them outdoors once it’s warm.

https://oldhousegardens.com

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