STORM2K

Im going to do some spring yard work around my moms house the next few days, she wants me to plant some bulbs in the flower beds and around the trees, told me to surprise her with whatever type i want..problem is I have no clue....anyone want to share suggestions on which bulds look the best?

I used to plant about 10 flats of annuals, each May. Now I skip the whole thing (shrubs are grown and roots interfere where I used to plant large sections of flowers and well, my schedule is different now, very little time for this activity). My favorites were Marigolds, Impatiens (need shade), Petunia's, Geraniums, etc. The tried and true annuals. My next door neighbor plants summer bulbs but I just never got into them. I wanted to plant something I could see! And knew would bloom within a few weeks (I trimmed all main stalks and snipped off Marigold flowers right away, so the roots would be forced to spread out, and in the end you ended up with a much fuller plant with many blooms).

We have a lot of Florida residents. I'm sure someone could help you with this project. I'll bump it up. If you don't receive many replies, maybe we can move this to Community Forum?

Good luck!

Mary

PS - if you go with annuals, and need ideas for color and height combinations, let me know. We vacationed in Canada two summers in a row. They plant so many annuals up there and don't even need mulch (short growing season). I was impressed with their numerous annual displays, in parks, medians in small towns, landscaping, etc. So much so that we took pictures and I copied them! Seriously. People would ask me where I got my ideas from and I'd just say - Canada!

gladiolas, daffodils, jonquils, amaryllis are all nice for northern florida...

I love elephant ears. They get very very big elephant shaped leaves. No flowers but they look very exotic. Dalhias are beautiful. Caladium comes in so many different varieties and are beautiful. Now let me think of some more. I'll be back.

Jostas are great too.

Pburgh wrote:I love elephant ears. They get very very big elephant shaped leaves. No flowers but they look very exotic. Dalhias are beautiful. Caladium comes in so many different varieties and are beautiful. Now let me think of some more. I'll be back.

Those things are considered weeds around these parts(elephant ears). I pull them out by the truck load, they won't go away.
I love gladiolas, and amaryllis for bulb plantings. Good luck hurricanedude, and let us know what you went with.

i also heard--may be wrong but my gf told me...that elephant ears are toxic to animals. i have some planted but they are on the other side of the fence from where the animals play in the backyard (i have them in the front yard)

they love water!!! my neighbor across the street has one planted right around his ditch.

daylilies are nice for bulb planting also...not sure if they grow alright down there though.

greeng13 wrote:i also heard--may be wrong but my gf told me...that elephant ears are toxic to animals. i have some planted but they are on the other side of the fence from where the animals play in the backyard (i have them in the front yard)

they love water!!! my neighbor across the street has one planted right around his ditch.

daylilies are nice for bulb planting also...not sure if they grow alright down there though.

I know that all parts of the elephant ear are poisionous to humans, not sure about animals.
BTW they do have a flower. http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/24858/
http://www.emilycompost.com/elephant_ear.htm Scroll down to see the flower at this link, there is a frog inside of it.

day lilies do grow here and quite well.

Elephant Ears are weeds!!!!! I pay $5 or more for one bulb up here. I spend hours digging some of the bulbs out in the fall and store them in the garage. You guys have to send me some free "weeds"!!!!!!

Pburgh wrote:Elephant Ears are weeds!!!!! I pay $5 or more for one bulb up here. I spend hours digging some of the bulbs out in the fall and store them in the garage. You guys have to send me some free "weeds"!!!!!!

LOL

our house backs up to a wetland and parts of our yard are ALWAYS soggy. We have HERDS of elephant ears growing along the fence 9 months out of the year and our dogs play in there all the time. They are so beautiful.