Harlequins Gardens

Boulder's specialist in well-adapted plants

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Home | Plants | Bulbs

Bulbs

Bulbs for Colorado Gardens

At Harlequin’s Gardens, we have been experimenting for years with bulbs in our display gardens. Since our gardens are xeriscapes (by default even where not by design), we have had the pleasure of discovering that a great many delightful bulbs can thrive and naturalize in our conditions and enliven the scene in spring and fall. No surprise, really, since most of these hardy spring and autumn-blooming bulbs originated in parts of the world with conditions much like ours, such as Central Asia. Visitors to our gardens have been wowed by enormous Star of Persia Alliums and brilliant sapphire miniature iris and charmed by perky miniature daffodils and starry species tulips and crocus. They (you) kept asking us “where can I get these?”, so in 2008, we carefully selected our first-ever offering of bulbs for sale at Harlequin’s Gardens.

Since then, we have added many wonderful varieties (Individual descriptions and images, below.) Quantities are limited and often sell out quickly. We recommend that you purchase your bulbs in September and hold them for planting when the soil is cooler (except Saffron Crocus and Crocus speciosus, which should be planted in September).  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. As a general rule planting depth is 3 times the height of the bulb. 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.

Here are some inspirations for ways and places to use bulbs that you may not have thought of. One idea is to plant small early-blooming bulbs, such as many of the species tulips, where the ground is exposed in spring but will be covered in summer by spreading herbaceous perennials like Desert Four-O’Clock (Mirabilis multiflora), ‘Orange Carpet’ California Fuschia (Zauschneria garrettii), or Wine Cups (Callirhoe involucrata). Also, meadows and drifts of ornamental grasses are usually dormant until mid to late spring and present a perfect stage for a brilliant display of many types of early spring bulbs. Deciduous groundcovers that emerge in mid-spring, like Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides), can partner nicely with Iris reticulata and small species tulips.

We Dig Dahlias!

Dahlia Tubers

Freshly dug Dahlia tubers

For our Dahlia fans, there’s still time to dig and save your best-performing varieties from 2022 for next season. Our friends at Arrowhead Dahlias, Harlequin’s supplier of dahlia tubers, have easy instructions for harvesting your tubers.

Tuber Harvest:

After the first frost of the season, it is time to dig your dahlias.  Dahlia tubers will not survive if they freeze so they must be dug in cold climates, including Colorado. Dividing takes practice and patience, but it is well worth the hassle! [Read More]

! POP-UP BULB SALE at Harlequin’s Gardens !

Friday through Sunday,
October 28, 29, & 30
9am to 5pm

 

We are thrilled to announce that a little miracle has occurred, thanks to our amazing network of friends in the community!

For 3 days, Artemis Flower Farm, located just outside Boulder, will be setting up a tent here, selling high-quality bulbs that their Dutch family imports directly from Holland. Happily, you will notice that there is some overlap with the list of bulbs we had intended to bring in!

We look forward to seeing lots of our customers come out to buy beautiful hardy bulbs and support both Artemis Flower Farm and Harlequin’s Gardens!

And you can still shop our fantastic Holiday Gift Market at the same time!

Here is a list of varieties they will offer:  [Read More]

2022 Bulbs Aren’t Coming

Regrettably, we need to let you know that we have had to cancel our 2022 bulb order. We spoke with the company’s shipping director yesterday and she informed us that the containers were still on the ship and had not yet even been placed on the trucks that would take them to distribution centers. When asked if there was any chance our order would reach us by the end of this week, she said ‘No’. With so few days left to sell our large order of bulbs before we close for the season at 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 30th, it no longer makes sense to bring them in. [Read More]

Bulb Update

 

BULB ALERT

We have a wonderful selection of bulbs coming; the problem is they aren’t here yet. And we were just notified yesterday that the broker in Holland failed to notice that our requested delivery date was the first week of September, so our order is packed in a shipping container on the docks in the Netherlands waiting to be loaded onto a slow boat to Michigan. There is simply nothing to be done but wait. We are told that our order will hopefully ship from Michigan in the first week of October.

This situation leaves us with only a few weeks before we close on October 30th to sell thousands of dollars of bulbs. We know that in the meantime you could buy your bulbs elsewhere, but we are hoping you will wait for their arrival at Harlequin’s. In the meantime, we encourage you to peruse the BULBS page on our website, with photos and descriptions of all our offerings and plan your bulb purchases in advance.

[Read More]

Declining Daffodils

Have you noticed that your daffodils and narcissus have been struggling and lost their vigor?  Here are several possible reasons why and ways to address reviving them.

FERTILIZER ISSUES

As with perennials, many flowering bulbs do best with fertilizing when planted, as their leaves emerge, and as they bloom, with a slow-release organic fertilizer such as Root Rally, from Age Old. [Read More]

Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’

Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’ (Giant Summer Snowflake)
This heirloom variety was introduced by William Robinson, the influential 19th-century Irish garden writer and designer who spurned Victorian bedding schemes and pioneered a more natural style of gardening at his home, Gravetye Manor. The robust ‘Gravetye Giant’ has much larger flowers than the species. Blooming in May, it looks like a giant Lily-of-the-Valley, to 18-24” tall, with dangling green-tipped white bell flowers. Foliage is similar to Narcissus, and is likewise rabbit and deer-resistant. Snowflakes thrive in compost-enriched garden soil, and naturalize to form colonies. They look great mixed with mid to late-season white Narcissus, or any color of Tulip. Plant  5-6“ deep, 4-5” apart in Sun to Part shade. Hardy to Zone 3.

Allium caeruleum (aka A. azureum) Blue-flowered Ornamental Onion

Allium caeruleum (syn. A. azureum) (Blue Globe Onion)

Found on dry slopes, plains, and steppes of Central Asia, this Allium offers 1.5” spherical clusters of tiny flowers of a startling true sky blue in late spring and early summer and complement all of the warm colors perfectly. Tuck them among clumps of summer-flowering perennials where the Alliums’ withering foliage will be hidden by the expanding perennials, or plant a mass of them in a larger garden. Long-lived, drought tolerant and deer and rodent resistant, this species is hardy to Zone 4 and attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Allium “Mixed”

Allium 

A lovely mix of purple, lavender and white tall, hardy, medium-sized, globe-shaped ornamental onions that bloom together in mid-spring.

Allium Fluffy Dreams

Allium ‘Fluffy Dreams’
A mix of violet-pink Allium carolinianum ‘Rosy Dream’ and its white-flowered counterpart, both featuring a 3” diameter spherical inflorescence atop 14 to 16” stems. The flower clusters are fluffy-looking because the stamens of each floret extend out beyond the petals. Blooming in late spring, they fill a flower void created by spring-blooming bulbs and summer-opening perennials. Attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Deer and rodent resistant. Plant in full sun, 4” deep and 4” apart. Cold-hardy to Zone 4.

Bulb Tips from Eve

Species Crocus are the earliest Crocus to flower, at least two weeks before their Large Flowering siblings, and are the best for early spring lawn tapestries: hold off mowing the lawn until the foliage has died back. Drifts are also lovely in garden borders and rock gardens. Plant 4” deep and 3- 4” apart, about nine bulbs per square foot for a dense planting. (Crocus are also good for forcing indoors over the winter. Pot them up in mid-October and pre-cool them at a consistent, dark 38 to 45 degrees F for eight to ten weeks with moderate watering. Bring them into the house ~ they will bloom about four weeks later.)

Narcissus (Daffodil) Culture

Narcissus are easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in organically rich, sandy to loams that drain well. Plant bulbs 4-6″ deep and 3-6” apart in fall. After the flowers have bloomed, the top portion of each flower stem may be removed, as practicable, to prevent seed formation, but foliage should not be cut back until it begins to yellow.

All daffodil flowers face the sunniest direction they can locate, so if planted along a wall or with shadow at their backs, they will always face outward. With daffodils, it is a good idea to ponder which way they are going to face before selecting their position, as a grouping that faces toward sunlight through a picket fence and away from the yard might seem to have been planted backwards, their heads bowed away from the garden’s viewer.

Best known for their wonderful scent, Jonquillas are floriferous, late blooming, and extremely durable, with slightly shorter, smaller blooms that look like miniature versions of many of the larger daffodil favorites. Typically, at least three flowers are borne on each stalk. Jonquilla Daffodils like hot, baking summer sun and naturalize well, creating beautiful sweeps of color.

Allium rosenbachianum (Showy Persian Flowering Onion)

Allium rosenbachianum  (Showy Persian Onion)
A hard-to-find heritage species of ornamental onion found in the Himalayas of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Showy Persian Onion blooms in late spring, about 2 weeks earlier than other large-flowered onions, atop strong 24-30” stems. The 4” diameter dark violet spheres are packed with florets that are rich in nectar and pollen, making them favorites of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. They work well planted in a perennial bed where the perennials will grow in and cover the allium’s aging foliage. Plant 6 to 8” deep and 6” apart in groups of 3 or 5 in sunny or part-shade locations in enriched, well-drained soil. Hardy to Zone 4.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ (‘Tricolor’ botanical Crocus)
One of the most striking and earliest crocuses to flower, Tricolor’s graceful, 4”-tall blooms have a big garden impact. The fragrant flowers have rich purple petals and golden throats beautifully edged with a prominent pure white band. The golden anthers and orange stigma are prominent in the center. Born in March or early April on sturdy stems, the blooms open with the narrow, dark green leaves. Plant 4″ deep and 3″ to 4″ apart in a sunny or lightly shaded location.

Crocus Specie ‘SNOW MIXED’

Crocus Specie ‘SNOW MIXED’
A lovely mix of ‘snow crocus’, spring’s earliest jewels, so cheery and so welcomed by gardeners and honeybees! Colors range from pure white to rich purple, with bright yellows, lavenders, bicolors and stripes included. Depending on their location, they can begin to bloom as early as the beginning of February! Tuck them into rock gardens and under deciduous shrubs and trees, edge a shrub or perennial border, plant large drifts, or force them in pots for indoor pleasure! Mostly native to the Balkans and Turkey, these diminutive gems are hardy to Zone 3. Plant in full to part sun, 4” deep and 3-4” apart in well-drained soil.

Crocus Specie ‘Mixed’

Crocus Specie Mixed
A lovely mix of ‘snow crocus’, spring’s earliest jewels, so cheery and so welcomed by gardeners and honeybees! Colors range from pure white to rich purple, with bright yellows, lavenders, bicolors and stripes included. Depending on their location, they can begin to bloom as early as the beginning of February! Tuck them into rock gardens and under deciduous shrubs and trees, edge a shrub or perennial border, plant large drifts, or force them in pots for indoor pleasure! Mostly native to the Balkans and Turkey, these diminutive gems are hardy to Zone 3. Plant in full to part sun, 4” deep and 3-4” apart in well-drained soil.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Romance’

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Romance’ (‘Romance’ Snow Crocus)
Crocus chrysanthus ‘Romance’ blooms in late winter or early spring. The narrow cup-shaped blooms are a unique, warm creamy-yellow with dark markings on the outer petals when closed, but open wide in the sun. This 3-4” tall, floriferous, vigorous and reliable variety naturalizes readily and is effective in drifts, borders, rock gardens, and forced in pots. Grow in full to partial sun, planted 5″ deep and 3-4″ apart. Hardy to Zone 3.

Crocus vernus ‘Grande Maitre’

Crocus vernus ‘Grande Maitre’ (‘Grand Maitre’ Giant Crocus)
‘Grand Maitre’ Giant Crocus bloom slightly later than the species with large, cup-shaped, bright violet blue flowers opening to reveal the brilliant orange stigma and stamens. This 4-5”-tall variety is extremely vigorous, multiplying and naturalizing easily to make long-lived colonies blooming for about 3 weeks in early spring (April). Also great in smaller gardens and forced indoors in pots. Plant corms 4 to 5” deep and 3-4” apart. Hardy to Zone 4.

Crocus ‘Golden Yellow’

Crocus x luteus ‘Golden Yellow’ (syn. Crocus v. ‘Mammoth Gold’)
Winner of the prestigious RHS Award of Merit, this 4-6”- tall, vigorous clump-forming crocus produces a long succession of large, rich golden blooms that open wide in the sun and continue to bloom for 3 weeks or more. ‘Golden Yellow’ increases rapidly and can’t fail to lift your spirits after a long winter. Plant corms 4 to 5” deep and 3-4” apart. Hardy to Zone 4.

Crocus ‘Vanguard’

Crocus vernus Vanguard

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’  (‘Vanguard’ Giant Crocus)
Appearing artfully two-toned in the garden, Vanguard’s three soft blue inner petals alternate with light purple outer petals. Tangerine-orange anthers and grass-like foliage with a narrow, white stripe complete the picture. One of the first Giant crocus to bloom (early April), its graceful 5″ tall flowers open on sunny days and close in the evening. Naturalizes readily, and is effective in drifts, borders, rock gardens, and forced in pots. Grow in full to partial sun, planted 5″ deep and 3-4″ apart. Hardy to Zone 4.

Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’

All these highly fragrant Dutch Hyacinth varieties are perfect for spring gardens and for forcing indoors in pots or hyacinth glasses. They are long-lived in the garden if fertilized after blooming, and after the first year they will produce more flower spikes that are less densely packed and more natural-looking. Hyacinths are quite easy to grow in a sunny or partly shaded spot.

Iris x histrioides ‘Katharine’s Hodgkin’

Iris x histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’
‘Katherine Hodgkin’ is a reticulated iris hybrid whose parents are Iris winogradowii (pale yellow flowers) and Iris histrioides (pale blue flowers). This 4”- tall, award-winning, fragrant beauty features blue-green standards and intricately marked pale blue falls with distinctive deep blue veining and a purple-spotted yellow blotch at the base of each fall. Smaller in stature, but just as dazzling as their taller cousins, Reticulated Irises are very early blooming plants, coming soon after snowdrops and about the same time as giant crocuses. They multiply rapidly and are excellent for rock gardens. Plant 4″ deep and 4″ to 5″ apart. Hardy to Zone 5.

Iris ‘Katharines Gold’

Iris ‘Katharine Gold’
A sport of Iris histrioides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’, this elegant early-April bloomer’s finely-sculpted, creamy yellow and white flowers are suffused in a mist of pale green. Falls are etched with splashes of brilliant golden-yellow and indigo blue spots. Every year, the bulb increases and produces more and more flowers. Eve finds this the earliest-blooming of all of the botanical iris varieties in her garden. Height: 4″. Plant 4″ deep and 4″ to 5″ apart. HZ: 5-9.

Iris reticulata ‘Alida’

Iris reticulata ‘Alida’
A recent introduction, ‘Alida’ is a lovely, 4-6”- tall dwarf Iris with exceptionally large mid-blue flowers, beautifully adorned with intricate butter-yellow and white markings on the falls. Blooming in March, or early April, the bulbs quickly produce offsets that multiply into large clumps of blue. The slender, grass-like, gray-green leaves rise to the same level as the blossom, but elongates after flowering is finished. Delightful in rock gardens, pots, borders, and xeriscapes. Plant 4″ deep and 4″ to 5″ apart. Be sure to bend down and smell their fragrance! Hardy to Zone 5.

Tritelia (Brodiaea) laxa ‘Rudy’

Tritelia (Brodiaea) laxa ‘Rudy’
This gorgeous California native, 12 to 18” tall, features starry, milky-blue flowers contrasted with vivid indigo mid-veins accompanied by 14” tall, grassy foliage. Umbels of 2” elongated flowers pop up in late Spring and last well into mid-Summer. ‘Rudy’ will naturalize readily in most soils and a bit of regular moisture during the growing season will bring you a fuller display each year They will grow in any fertile, reasonably well-drained soil with winter and spring moisture and summer dryness. Plant in masses or among bright perennials like Gaillardia, in full sun to light shade (insufficient sunlight will result in lax, horizontal stems). Bloom time in horticultural zone 5 is May/June. Plant 4″ deep and 3″ to 4″ apart. Also makes a fabulous cut flower! Hardy to Zone 5a.

Narcissus ‘Cornish King’ (large-cupped) – NEW!

The thick, soft yellow outer petals of the vigorous performer, Narcissus ‘Cornish King,’ are etched with blonde brushstrokes when the blossoms first open. The color evolves into sparkling white as the flowers mature, and offsets the huge, bright yellow trumpet that flares out at the opening.

Large Cup Daffodils usher in spring with big flowers, one per stem. They endure extreme weather conditions, politely spread and continue flowering for decades. 16-18” tall, blooms in Mid-spring (April), Sun – Part Shade, hardy to Zone 4. Plant bulbs 4-5” deep. Deer & rodent resistant.

Photo coming soon!

Narcissus Miniature Blend

Narcissus Miniature Blend
A blend of dainty, small-flowered, early-blooming miniature daffodils and jonquils, some fragrant! Perfect in rock gardens, meadows, under deciduous shrubs and trees, or forced in pots. Hardy to Zone 5.

 

Narcissus ‘Minnow’ (Miniature Daffodil)

8” tall. Robust and delightfully fragrant, award-winner ‘Minnow’ is a fabulous Miniature Daffodil bearing clusters of four to five creamy – white flowers with buttercup yellow cups. One of the Tazetta group, it is very versatile, blooming in early – mid spring, it is suitable for rock gardens, containers or indoor forcing. Plant in full sun or part shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Can be under-planted with Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’ to beautiful effect. Hardy to Zone 5. Deer and rodent-proof

Narcissus ‘Mother & Daughter’ Blend

This pairing of miniature (8” tall) and large-cupped (14-18” tall) daffodils are ideally suited to plant together in the landscape, garden, in pots, or within borders. Their bloom-times and colors match perfectly, and take the guess-work out of your planting design.

Narcissus ‘Pacific Rim’

A very striking daffodil and a consistent blue-ribbon winner, Pacific Rim’s flowers have a rich yellow perianth and cup, with the short cup rimmed with a band of scarlet. Blooms and stems are also very sturdy and weather-resistant, as well as deer and rodent-proof.

14-16” tall, Zone 3

Narcissus ‘Ice King’

Narcissus ‘Ice King’
This award-winning double form of the famous ‘Ice Follies’ daffodil is a ruffled beauty with an ivory-white perianth and a fully double, sulphur-yellow cup adorned with creamy white highlights. The blossoms are wonderful in bouquets, too. Blooms in April/May. Hardy in Zones 3-8. Height: 14″ to 16″.

Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’

One of the best heirloom award-winning Cyclamineus daffodils, we have grown this miniature variety in our Xeriscape Rock Garden for many years. The graceful, floriferous early-bloomer has a reflexed, buttercup-yellow perianth surrounding a trumpet-like, darker yellow cup. For naturalizing, rock gardens, border plantings, and forcing. Hardy to Zone 4, 6” – 7” tall, Deer and rodent-proof! Plant 6” deep, 3-6″ apart.

Tulip ‘Spring Fever Blend’

Tulip ‘Spring Fever Blend’
This artistic and playful combo is made up of large, ruffled pink and red ‘Viridiflora’ parrot tulips, each with unique bold green flares and markings on their outer petals. They bloom in May, and make exquisite cut flowers. Hardy to Zone 4.

 

Tulipa ‘Blueberry Ripple’ Triumph Mid-season Tulip

Tulip ‘Blueberry Ripple’                                                                              
A ‘Rembrandt’ Triumph tulip with strong 18-20” stems that hold large, long-lasting blooms of a remarkable color combination of pure white generously flamed with rich purple. If left uncut and foliage is allowed to mature, it will persist in the garden as a perennial. Hardy in Zones 3-8

Tulip ‘Purple Elegance’

Tulip ‘Purple Elegance’
In May, each bulb of this striking new multi-flowering (bouquet-flowering) variety bears 4 or 5 classically cup-shaped, rich amethyst-purple blooms with lilac-feathered white petal edges on strong, 12-18” stems. The soft green foliage forms tidy clumps. Bouquet-flowering tulips make their own perfect instant arrangements in a vase. Hardy in Zones 3-8.

Tulip ‘’Blushing Apeldoorn’

Tulip ‘’Blushing Apeldoorn’
Blooming in mid to late spring, this classic Darwin hybrid tulip is a wonderful, long-lived perennial for spring, featuring rich yellow petals edged with a thin soft red line, and fine red feathered with fine red ‘brushstrokes’ that create a blush of tangerine orange. With such an unusual color palette, the large flowers create an eye-catching display no matter where it is planted. The sturdy 22” stems keep the well-formed tulips from drooping during spring weather, when heavy rain and strong wind tend to topple lesser flowers. Plant in full sun to part shade for best results. Hardy in Zones 3-8

Tulipa fosteriana ‘Orange Emperor’

Tulip ‘Orange Emperor’
Blooming in late April, a bit later than some of the other Emperor (Fosteriana) Tulips, this award-winner features very large flowers of glowing tangerine-orange, yellow and apricot blend with a darker interior dotted with a pale, buttercup-yellow base and black anthers. The flowers are long-lasting and it’s a strong and dependable perennial performer with shapely petals that open wide on sunny days.  Hardy in Zones 3-8. Height: 16″ to 18″.

Tulip ‘Red Madonna’

Tulip ‘Red Madonna’
This stunning new parrot tulip has large, fiery red petals with blue-black feathering and lots of twists and curls. Parrot tulips are especially breathtaking in a vase, where their dramatic markings and sculptural qualities can be appreciated up close. Red Madonna blooms late in the tulip season on 18-20″ stems. Plant bulbs 6” deep, 5” apart.

  Tulip ‘Lasting Love’

Tulip ‘Lasting Love’
Extend the tulip season with this elegant beauty. Lasting Love’s dramatic deep burgundy petals are edged with softer red tones. The slightly recurved petals give it a very sophisticated look. Blooming in late spring (May) atop 18-20″ sturdy stems, it’s a beautiful cut-flower, too. The foliage on this variety is also notable, in an attractive blue-green hue. Lasting Love is a perennial tulip that returns year after year. Tulips perform best when planted in well-drained soil and in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in Zones 3-8.

Tulipa ‘Hemisphere’

16-18” tall, mid-spring. This color-changing variety will provide an enchanting spectrum of rosy hues throughout its lifetime. Hemisphere’s petals begin pure white and develop pale rose pink flecks and stripes, which spread and deepen as the flower matures, until the tulip finally reaches an intense rose pink. Semi-flared blooms stand on a contrasting grey-green stem with broad lance-shaped leaves. One of the ‘Triumph’-type tulips, excellent for perennializing, bedding, cut-flowers, or forcing. Pairs perfectly with the almost-black ‘Paul Scherer’ (see below). Hardy to Zone 2.

Tulip ‘Spryng Break’          

Tulip ‘Spryng Break’                  
An amazing, color-shifting magician, this award-winning sport of ‘Spryng’ has huge flowers that open white with intense fuchsia-red flames. As it matures, it becomes predominantly fuchsia-red with variable exterior pink to white flames and interior yellow flames. Blooms in April/May on strong stems 20” tall. Triumph Tulips are known to return year after year, and are good for forcing. Hardy in Zones 3-7.