The Bulb Garden

8/2004

(Click on a thumbnail for a larger photo)

In August of 2003, Holli was bitten by the Dahlia Bug.

We went to Merlin's Dahlia Farm
to see what this was all about.

Maybe 5 bulbs would be enough, right?

After browsing Merlin's 100 plus blooming Dahlias,
we were able to reduce our order to just 24 bulbs!

We took home a couple of bouquets.



Click HERE to see pictures of the bulbs we ordered.
(Opens in a new window)



The Dahlia bulbs wouldn't be ready for us until
May of 2004,
so in September we set about getting the ground ready.

Holli rented a 16 h.p. roto-tiller for Yours Truly to chomp up the ground.   It had a hydraulic drive system, with 3 gears forward and one reverse.
It was self-propelled, and very heavy.
I had to drive it off the trailer.

I thought the tiller's size was overkill, but it turned out we needed every hoof of it's 16 horses to grind through the clay and rocks.



The roto-tiller pulling Bob thru the yard

Holli picking rocks all afternoon.



While we waited for the Dahlia Bulbs to arrive,
we decided to plant some spring blooming bulbs.
Tulips, Daffodils, Anemones, Hyacinth, Crocus,
and I don't know what all.

And we waited and waited.

In March of '04, some green started popping up,
and by April we had lots of color.



October, '03 November, '03 January, '04 March, '04 April, '04



In May, 2004, our bulbs arrived.
They were numbered (with a black Sharpie pen)
and cross-referenced to post card sized images.

Holli spread them out on the ground in mid-May,
and carefully dug them in and fed them and watered them.



The "spread"

The planting

And We Waited.

By late June, the Dahlias were sprouting.
By late July, they were getting big -- ready to bloom.



Late June Early July Mid-July Late July

They grow pretty fast!



By the way, LIFE did go on in the Fisher Household
outside the Bulb Garden.

A trip to the Hook in July revealed this rock cairn built by some over-acheiver.
(Must have been a tourist...)

Tiger Lilies overreaching their planter in our driveway

Planters on our porch. Wildflowers,

Columbines, and Pansies



By mid-August, Dahlias are on the bushes.



The garden is a'bloom.



And here we are with more bouquets,
a year in the pickin'.

In August of 2003, Holli was bitten by the Dahlia Bug. We went to Merlin's Dahlia Farm to see what this was all about. Maybe 5 bulbs would be enough, right? After browsing Merlin's 100 plus blooming Dahlias, we were able to reduce our order to just 24 bulbs! We took home a couple of bouquets.


Click HERE to see pictures of the bulbs we ordered. (Opens in a new window)


The Dahlia bulbs wouldn't be ready for us until May of 2004, so in September we set about getting the ground ready. Holli rented a 16 h.p. roto-tiller for Yours Truly to chomp up the ground. It had a hydraulic drive system, with 3 gears forward and one reverse. It was self-propelled, and very heavy. I had to drive it off the trailer. I thought the tiller's size was overkill, but it turned out we needed every hoof of it's 16 horses to grind through the clay and rocks.

The roto-tiller pulling Bob thru the yard				Holli picking rocks all afternoon.


While we waited for the Dahlia Bulbs to arrive, we decided to plant some spring blooming bulbs. Tulips, Daffodils, Anemones, Hyacinth, Crocus, and I don't know what all. And we waited and waited. In March of '04, some green started popping up, and by April we had lots of color.
October, '03	November, '03	January, '04	March, '04	April, '04


In May, 2004, our bulbs arrived. They were numbered (with a black Sharpie pen) and cross-referenced to post card sized images. Holli spread them out on the ground in mid-May, and carefully dug them in and fed them and watered them.

The "spread"				The planting
And We Waited. By late June, the Dahlias were sprouting. By late July, they were getting big -- ready to bloom.
Late June	Early July		Mid-July	Late July
		They grow pretty fast!


By the way, LIFE did go on in the Fisher Household outside the Bulb Garden. A trip to the Hook in July revealed this rock cairn built by some over-acheiver. (Must have been a tourist...)

Tiger Lilies overreaching their planter in our driveway				Planters on our porch. Wildflowers, Columbines, and Pansies


By mid-August, Dahlias are on the bushes.

		The garden is a'bloom.




And here we are with more bouquets, a year in the pickin'.