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Harlequins Gardens

Harlequins Gardens

Boulder's specialist in well-adapted plants

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Home | Blog | Bulbs

Bulbs

2023 Bulbs – Updated!

This fall Harlequin’s Gardens is offering many varieties of spectacular fall and spring blooming bulbs, in addition to specialty holiday bulbs such as amaryllis and paperwhites! We are working hard to provide you with detailed descriptions and photos of each bulb. Check back often as our listing will continue to fill-out. Click on names for descriptions and photos.

Our bulbs have arrived! Supplies are limited, with some bulb selections selling out fast. So, although it’s best to wait until mid-October to put most in the ground, stock-up now!

2023 BULB LIST

ALLIUM

aflatunense Purple Sensation

caeruleum (azureum)

Cameleon  – NEW!

Christophii (albopilosum)

Gladiator

Graceful Beauty

Mixed 

Mountain Bells Mixture

NECTAROSCORDUM (allium bulgaricum)

Red Giant 

rosenbachianum

[Read More]

Allium amplectens ‘Graceful Beauty’

Circa 1857, this delicate-looking yet easy-growing North American native has composite 3″ globes of star-shaped, sparkling white flowers with pale lavender stamens tipped with purple anthers and sturdy stems.

Bloom time: May/June. 12″ to 16″ tall. Zone 4-8.

Allium ‘Gladiator’

Allium ‘Gladiator’

Bulb. Z3. 3-4’ tall. Blooms late spring/early summer. Compost-improved soil.

This allium is one of the tallest of the many ornamental cousins to the onion.  Dozens of star-shaped flowers adorn a lovely pale lavender globe for about a month each year.  Excellent in dried as well as fresh flower arrangements. Attracts bees and butterflies. Deer and rabbit resistant.  Drought tolerant. Creates stunning combinations with pink or white delphiniums, peonies or irises.

 

EREMURUS isabellinus ‘Pinokkio’

Bulb. Z5. 2-4’ tall. Blooms late spring / early summer. Compost-improved soil.

Showy, long-lasting, tall panicles of graceful flower spikes are packed with deep orange-yellow flowers with burnt orange anthers. Shorter than other foxtail lilies. Shelter from strong winds. Place mulch on top of tubers after planting. Water consistently until after flowering. Deer and rabbit resistant. Very attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Striking cut flower. Best in front of a dark background and combined with tall warm-season grasses, ground covers and late-flowering perennials which hide foliage when it dies back.

 

Ready, Set, Plant!

What a storm we had last week!  With the windy conditions and record-setting low temps, everyone’s gardens looks very different this week and may need some attention.  If you haven’t already, this is a good time to review our blog about garden cleanup. The good news is that soil temperatures have cooled down to the optimal soil temperature for bulb planting, ~50 degrees.  And, our current mild daytime temps and above-freezing nighttime temps are ideal for planting perennials, and still good for planting roses, shrubs and trees. Inoculating with mycorrhizae and attention to fall and winter watering are the keys to success.

Bulb Planting and Tulipa ‘Paul Scherer’

Starting with bulb planting:  Recommended planting depths are to the bottom of the planting hole where the base of the bulb rests.  Planting depth can vary depending on how light or heavy your soil is – plant deeper in light soils, shallower in heavier soils.  (If you’re in doubt, a general rule is that planting depth is 3 times the height of the bulb.) 

You don’t have to dig a single hole for each bulb!  You can dig a large hole, say 8-14″ wide by 16-24″ long, to accommodate a large grouping, or swath of bulbs.  This is a great way to save time, to create a more naturalized look, and to combine two or three types of bulbs in one grouping. 

Single Early, Triumph, Darwin Hybrid, and Multi-flowering tulips should be planted 8″ deep to perform as perennials, and fertilized each year just after bloom. Be sure to allow the leaves and stems to wither naturally before cutting them down.

You may want to sprinkle bone meal in the bottom of the hole so that it can touch the bulb roots.  We love Root Rally, which is a blend of bone meal and Endo/Ecto mycorrhizae spores and plant nutrients, providing mycorrhizae life support for all plants.  (See more on mycorrhizae, below.)  Refill the hole and water well. 

See Eve’s ideas for ways and places to use bulbs that you may not have thought of!

Peruse our complete list of 2019 bulbs and individual images and descriptions 

Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’

Planting perennials, roses, shrubs and trees:  The fall is a great time to plant perennials, roses and shrubs as they can focus solely on root growth instead of trying to reproduce.  After gently removing its pot, gently swish the root ball in a bucket of unchlorinated water with water-soluble mycorrhizae  (let the water sit overnight to release chlorine and add the mycorrhizae later).   Mycorrhizae is a beneficial fungi that attaches to roots, allowing them to better absorb water and nutrients.  This results in faster plant and root growth, and better transplanting success.  If you only have granular mycorrhizae on-hand, sprinkle it on the roots as you are planting.  Read more about mycorrhizae in Mikl’s article, “Mycorrhizae: The Hidden Marriage of Plants and Fungi”.

By gently swishing the root ball in water, the root mass will loose its pot-shape and individual roots will be lengthened.  This allows the ends of the roots to be planted deeper, helping to ensure long-term drought hardiness. 

After late-season planting, be sure to (hand) water deeply and frequently, at least twice a month for woody plants, throughout the winter. 

For specific info on rose planting, see Eve’s rose planting instructions.

Zauschneria garrettii ‘Orange Carpet’

Finally, a quick additional word on garden clean-up.  Some of our Southwestern plants should not yet be cut-back.  Wait until April to do so, which will give them additional time to gather and store nutrients, and keep the crowns of the plants from getting too cold. These plants include, but aren’t limited to, Agastache, Salvia  (S. lemmonii ‘Desert Rose’, S. reptans, S. x microphyllus ‘Royal Ruby’, S. greggii ‘Furman’s Red’, S. darcyi), Zauschneria (Hummingbird Trumpet), Scrophularia macrantha (Red Birds in a Tree), Scutellaria suffrutescens (Cherry Skullcap), Gaura lindheimeri.

Narcissus poeticus Albo Pleno Odorata- New!

Double Poets Daffodil

Bulb. Z3. 16-18” tall. Blooms late spring. Compost-improved soil. Heirloom.

Full, ruffled, snowy-white blooms are a gorgeous, bright beacon in your spring garden. Highly fragrant, so be sure to place them near paths and patios where you can enjoy them. Blooms are most prolific in cool springs. Deer and rabbit resistant. Lovely combined with columbine, Icelandic poppies and bleeding hearts.

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  • Blog
    • Bees, Pollinators, and Beneficial Insects
    • Bulbs
    • Eve’s Insights
    • Fruit and Food
    • Groundcovers
    • Herbs
    • Holiday Gift Market
    • Native Plants
    • Ornamental Grasses
    • Perennials
    • Pest Management
    • Plant and Soil Health / Disease
    • Plants
    • Products
    • Pruning
    • Roses
    • Shrubs
    • Soils
    • Sustainability
    • Trees
    • Vegetables
    • Xeriscape

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Sign-up for our weekly e-newsletters to receive empowering gardening tips, ecological insights, and to keep up on happenings at Harlequin’s Gardens — such as flash sales and “just in” plants. We never share customer’s addresses!

We do not ship plants!

Our plants are for sale ONLY at our Boulder location. We DO NOT ship plants or any other products.  Come visit us!

Hours by Season

MARCH HOURS
Thursday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM

APRIL-OCTOBER HOURS
Tuesday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM

Mondays, CLOSED

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Contact Us

303-939-9403 (Retail)
staff@harlequinsgardens.com

4795 North 26th St
Boulder, CO 80301

Sign-up for E-Newsletters!

Sign-up for our weekly e-newsletters to receive empowering gardening tips, ecological insights, and to keep up on happenings at Harlequin’s Gardens — such as flash sales and “just in” plants. We never share customer’s addresses!

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Our Hours

Seasonally, MARCH to OCTOBER.
MARCH HOURS:
Thursday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM

APRIL-OCTOBER HOURS:
Tuesday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM

Mondays, CLOSED

The plants we grow are organically grown. All the plants we sell are free of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides.