Last fall, we decided to cover our garden plot with a giant sheet of plastic and “let it sleep.” Since I didn’t have black plastic, I used clear plastic instead in hopes of getting the soil warm enough to solarize. We expected that we could not only kill weed seeds, but also nematodes living in the soil.
We are entering early spring of 2024. The last two weeks of February were beautiful and perfect for early spring garden and garden chores. So when I removed the vinyl, I was surprised to find that there were no weeds growing underneath. There were a few, but they came out easily.
Then I found something that looked like the tip of a light bulb. Sure enough, in some of the places I planted bulbs, they appeared and were trying their best to get over being completely covered in plastic wrap.
This 12′ x 20′ garden spot was created when we moved in 10 years ago. After a few years I thought this could be a true British perennial border and instead of planting tomatoes, okra and peas I started planting accordingly. In addition to rain lily bulbs, mandarin flower bulbs, and Sir Winston Churchill’s daffodil bulbs, we started with some perennials and added something more appropriate for a lovely English flower bed, such as a coral honeysuckle vine. .
But then things didn’t turn out the way I had hoped, and I was overwhelmed with the design, planting, and maintenance. So, back to vegetables.
I dug up what I planted, including the bulbs, and found a home for it. That’s what I thought. The plot has evolved, with more compost added each year and its shape changed to look more like the ‘British Borders’. However, in recent years, we have been enjoying eating the food we have grown ourselves rather than looking at beautiful flowers.
But yesterday I was surprised to discover that some of the bulbs had been accidentally left behind and had survived being smothered in plastic. There they appeared under the clear plastic and I could even tell what each one was by looking at the leaves. A few rain lilies, mandarin flowers and about three Sir Winston Churchill daffodils were carefully dug up and planted in other flower beds that had also been planted with bulbs.
Bulbs are strong and resilient and never give up to surprise and delight us with their perfect blooms. They require no care and can even be ignored, as witnessed. They just keep multiplying, growing and blooming, so they are worth planting in our gardens. They are the first surprise of spring and never disappoint.
Many years ago, when we lived in Michigan, I worked at a store with a flower department. It was so much fun working with all the beauty of nature. Every spring, the owner imported small bunches of daffodils from England, which were placed next to the cash register and sold for $4 each. It arrived in the early stages of budding, but when I brought it home it immediately opened and flowering continued for several days. I probably spent my paycheck on that little daffodil, but it quickly became my favorite flower and still is.
We have several types of daffodils, daffodils, rain lilies, and irises planted in our garden beds here in Tyler, and they are a feast for the eyes. But when it comes to garden plots, I think I like having tomatoes, okra, and black-eyed peas on my dinner plate. Arrange the daffodils in a vase in the middle of the table. please.
If you don’t already have beautiful bulbs in your garden, the Smith County Master Gardener Sale “From Bulbs to Flowers” this fall is the perfect choice.
This year’s sale begins Oct. 7 with online shopping and ends Oct. 19 with pick-up at Pollard United Methodist Church, 3030 New Copeland Road, Tyler. Pick up a light bulb and shop some more. We have a great garden guide/2025 calendar, other bulbs, educational materials, door prizes, and a great lecture from Southern Bulb Company owner and “bulb hunter” Steve Wiesinger.
For more information about the “From Bulbs to Blooms” sale and conference, please visit our website at www.txmg.org/smith/events.
— Smith County Master Gardeners are volunteer educators certified and coordinated by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
