Page 48 - MNLGA Free State Summer 2021

GROWING WITH EDUCATION A Ginny Rosenkranz

Warming Soil Wakes Up

Early Spring Flowers

In early spring the weather is warm when the the sandy loam soils of the Eastern Shore, I have some
temperatures are in the 40’s, mid spring the tulips that have bloomed for over 30 years, but that
temperatures can rise to 60 or even 70 degrees, doesn’t stop me from planting the ‘annual’ tulips to bring
warming up the soil and waking up the early spring color, texture and fragrance into the spring landscape.
flowers. The fall planted - spring blooming daffodils and The tulips that can (though not guaranteed) re-bloom
tulips are broken down into blooming categories, early include the Darwin Hybrids and also some of the species
spring, early mid spring, mid spring and late spring to tulips. Here is a partial list of some of the more famous or
provide color, texture, and food for pollinators before the considered perennial daffodils and tulips for Maryland.
herbaceous perennials begin to bloom. Most daffodils
Starting in early mid-spring the daffodils that provide
are considered perennial because the flowers return
large splashes of color include the trumpet daffodils.
to bloom year after year. Also, the foliage, flowers and
These need to be spaced out to allow room for the
bulbs are all poisonous to eat, providing protection from
bulbs to grow and expand. Some of the tried and true
deer, rabbits and voles. They can be planted in small
include ‘Dutch Master’, a large solid yellow flower with a
gardens, tucked along shady (deciduous shade) paths,
strong frilled trumpet, which took over the number one
planted into containers or designed into sweeping rivers
spot from ‘King Alfred’. ‘Carlton’, another very strong
of color in meadows or on hillsides for a huge splash of
perennial, is also a trumpet daffodil that has soft yellow
color.
petals that encircle a dark golden yellow trumpet. ‘Las
Tulips that bloom in the early to mid-spring can be Vegas’ flowers are large and switches colors up with
perennials, but the warm weather that flushes out creamy white petals that encircle a frilled bright lemon
the beautiful flower into full bloom also flushes out yellow trumpet. ‘British Gamble’ has very large flowers
the foliage of the deciduous trees, shading the tulip of pure white petals and a frilly apricot –pink trumpet,
foliage early and depriving the leaves the chance to and matures to creamy white petals with a pale apricot
mature totally. The bulbs underground do not get their edged trumpet. ‘Ice Follies’ boasts creamy white petals
opportunity to enlarge and increase and often the heat and a broad trumpet of sunny yellow and a lovely light
is too intense for the bulbs to survive. This doesn’t mean fragrance. ‘Cassata’ is a very showy daffodil that is best
the later bloomers should be left out of the landscapes, planted close enough to view the ivory white petals that
it just means that they need to be considered annuals surround the open butter yellow split cup. ‘Delibes’ is
and planted in large rivers of colors that blend, colors considered a large cup (or trumpet) daffodil that blooms
that coordinate and colors that pop! There are tulips a bit later with primrose yellow petals and a large wide
that will continue to return for a few or more years in cup that is dark yellow near the petals and darkens to
the landscape if they are planted in well drained soils orange along the frilled rim of the cup. There are a few
that don’t have summer irrigation. In my gardens in double daffodils that bloom in the early mid-spring such

48 SUMMER 2021 • Free State News