Where Keukenhof is situated now, was a hunting area in the 15th century. Herbs for the kitchen of the castle of Jacoba van Beieren were also collected here; hence the name Keukenhof.

The current park was a section of the sizeable estate of Slot Teylingen, with beautiful untamed bushes and dunes. After the decease of Jacoba van Beieren Keukenhof fell into the hands of rich merchant families. Baron and baroness Van Pallandt invited landscape architects J.D. and L.P. Zocher, designers of the Amsterdam Vondelpark, to make a design for the garden around the castle. This design, in the English landscape style, has always been the basis of Keukenhof.

At the moment the estate belongs to a Foundation. On the initiative of the Lisse mayor of that time and a number of leading flower bulb growers and exporters, an open air flower exhibition was organised here for the first time in 1949. This expanded to an annually recurring event that has always drawn great numbers of visitors from all over the world. This is how Keukenhof became the park that we now know.

The park is 32 hectares wide and has 15 kilometres of foothpath. Keukenhof has surprises in store for visitors of all ages. Be sure to bring your camera along on this unique experience. The park is filled with blooming tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other spring bulbs. At Keukenhof you can gain inspiration and relax in the beautiful surroundings!

His Excellency Mr.Arkwright,Amb.United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Theme country Keukenhof 2013 – United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is well known for its varied range of gardens and provides an enduring source of inspiration for garden enthusiasts. That is why this year Keukenhof has chosen as its theme:

United Kingdom – Land of Great Gardens

Visit the exhibition on English gardens, admire their beauty, get tips from British and Dutch gardening experts for your own garden, and admire the spectacular flower mosaic of Big Ben and Tower Bridge. Have you ever seen such a blooming good work of art? This alone is reason enough to visit Keukenhof this year.

Indoor Lilly-exhibition.

Flower Shows

More than 30 Flower Shows are an important part in the program of Keukenhof. Over 600 growers present their most beautiful flowers and leading arrangers create truly unique shows with them. You determine which grower has the most beautiful flower of the show. You can vote for the best flower per show. At the end of the season we will give out a prize per show to the winning grower.

In the Oranje Nassau Pavilion, every week another flower is the center of attention. In the Willem Alexander Pavilion you will find nearly 100,000 tulips displayed and from 10 – 20 May you will find here the largest lily show in the world. The Beatrix Pavilion is transformed into an orchid show of unprecedented proportions.

The flower shows at Keukenhof are an unique floral experience, every day.

The van Gogh Tulip.

GARDEN 2.0, the garden trend for 2013

Time does not stand still in the garden, trends also find their way here. The size of the garden is not so much important. It is much more about what is growing and flourishing, the decoration and maintenance. Increasingly, the garden is part of the daily life and that requires a different interpretation. It is time for an upgrade: GARDEN 2.0.

The Veggie garden is hip

International media have a great influence on our way of gardening. In gardening programs on TV beautiful gardens are being created within a few days, we are introduced to new varieties of flowers and plants and we get gardening tips from other countries. TV chefs do not only make a dish, but we see them standing in the field of the breeder. The origin of ingredients has become just as important as cooking itself. Inspired by these programs people create spots in their own garden for a small veggie garden in a raised border, a row of flowerpots or a stackable planter. It’s fun to see how all these species grow and then serve them unsprayed and daily fresh on the table. The veggie garden makes gardening hip again; after all onions produce beautiful flowers too. The bulb has been rediscovered and brings a colorful accent in early spring.

Indoor room and outdoor room

In new residential area’s, gardens are not so big and they often serve more as outdoor rooms than as gardens. They are private and cozy, have clear borders and are easy to maintain. The solid green is complemented with ready-to-go seasonal products. In spring pots of tulips, daffodils and blue grapes are used to bring color in to the garden. Growers pick up on this trend by offering a wider range of products. With these color accents on pot, the in- and outside even more interconnected. We put the same pots with hyacinths both in- and outside on the table. Garden furniture increasingly resemble indoor furniture and is also just as comfortable. The atmosphere and style run smoothly into each other so gardens become more and more personal.

Green in the city

City people are tired of the drab streets. So called guerrilla gardeners undertake quick actions, globally, to make cities greener. Pieces of fallow ground where new offices were planned, are temporarily being transformed into urban (veggie) gardens using simple means. The roofs of houses and flats are becoming more green, restaurants growing lettuce on their own roof. Fruit, vegetables and flowers from the garden are being exchanged or sold at local organized markets. Dull walls are lined with green. The neighborhood helps schoolchildren to build their own school garden. Gardens on roofs of large companies and hospitals contribute to a better environment. Staff and visitors can have lunch there, or simply relax. The materials used are contemporary, often casual, recycled and rethought. Through social media we share our activities and experiences rapidly with each other.

7 million bulbs every year.

Anyone can garden

We let others enjoy our garden, either live or through the internet, by writing a garden blog or participate in an open garden tour. The first small garden campsites have been identified. A green sequel to couch surfing, a nice place to sleep in the garden. Thanks to the Internet, anyone can now create a cheerful flower garden, without having specific understanding of gardening. You receive a daily plant tip in your inbox. You google “Black Tulip” and not much later the order is in. Useful apps help us recognize flowers and plants and assists us in designing a square meter garden. Suppliers anticipate on this by offering ready-made mixtures of herbs, vegetables, perennials and bulbs.

Keukenhof has decorated seven amazing inspirational gardens. In these contemporary gardens, with the size of an average backyard, beautiful Dutch bulbs go together with the garden trend GARDEN 2.0. This trend has been developed in various styles, shows global trends and inspires visitors to get started in their own garden.

United Kingdom — Land of Great Gardens will be 2013 Keukenhof theme
During the last decade, Keukenhof has selected a country every season to be the focus of the park. The variable activities are emphasising its tourist attractions, which generates a lot of publicity in the theme country itself. In the opening period 2013 [from March 21st till May 20th] ‘Good Old Albion’ will be shown off as ‘United Kingdom – Land of Great Gardens’. In its own colourful way Keukenhof gives attention to the significance of the United Kingdom, which is extremely important as an export market for flower bulbs, as well as for a vast potential of visitors. In the year 2012 some 70,000 British passed the Keukenhof gates.

Keukenhof will open its gates to the public on Thursday March 21st for the 64th time. It is expected that at closure, eight weeks after, hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world will have enjoyed the beauty of the international flower exhibition. Keukenhof contributes substantially to the welfare of the Dutch tourist sector and the region.

Some seven million flower bulbs have been planted in the park of 32 hectares [equivalent of 80,000 acres] during the last few months. As every year they will blossom in order to given Keukenhof its full splendour in the early spring. Apart from the traditional outings, many novelties on the interface of nature and culture will be presented.

Queen Beatrix

Indoor flower shows 2013

Oranje Nassau Pavillion

21 March – 26 March Tulip show
28 March – 2 April Freesia show
4 April – 9 April Gerbera show
11 April – 16 April Roses show
18 April – 23 April Daffodils show
25 April – 30 April Alstroemeria show & Iris show
2 May – 7 May Chrysantemums show
9 May – 20 May Carnation show, Calla show & Summerflowers show

Beatrix Pavillion

21 March – 20 May Anthurium show, Bromeliad show & Orchid show

Willem-Alexander Pavillion

21 March – 26 March Hyacinths show
21 March – 5 May Amaryllis show
21 March – 20 May Bulbs-In-Pot show
21 March – 5 May Potplants show
21 March – 5 May Show for flowering shrubs
21 March – 20 May Hydrangea show
1 Mai – 5 May Garden- and cuttulips show
3 Mai – 20 May Perennials show
10 May – 20 May Lily Show

For more information ; Website Keukenhof

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  In the bustling Sunset Junction area of Los Angeles’ ever-evolving Silver Lake neighborhood, shop owners Teri Ryan and Cain DeVore create colorful arrangements for locals.

Well, Ryan does the creating, while DeVore handles the main business aspects and mingles with the customers. “I’m the owner who knows what he shouldn’t do,” he says. Their shop, Clementine Floral Works, combines their visual talents: Ryan has nearly 20 years of experience in floral design, having worked for various film and TV productions, and as the design coordinator for an LA events company. DeVore is a filmmaker who has also acted on screen in films and TV. They opened shop in January 2012.

Fresh flowers decorate the small light-filled space where Ryan and employees, Sharon and Richard, work in the back arranging bouquets and wedding arrangements. Customer drop in, Intelligentsia coffee in hand, to pick up bouquets (some for only $8), chat with DeVore, and mingle with Catfish, the third (four-legged) owner.source

More Shopwatch GRDN Broolyn

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Anco pure Vanda (previously ANCO Orchidee) is producer of Vanda, established in the Westland. The passion for Vanda started decades ago; on a business trip in Thailand Steef van Adrichem of Anco pure Vanda met
Tamlong Suphachadiwong of Suphachadiwong Orchids, the breeder of Vanda orchids. In this way he was introduced to a unique plant which was not yet grown on a commercial basis. With a lot of patience and perseverance the breeder succeeded years later in breeding new varieties which could be sold commercially. The cooperation with Suphachadiwong Orchids in Thailand is still very close. They do not only breed, but also take care of the full multiplication and cultivation of all plants in Thailand. Due to this flowers and plants of the highest quality level can be cultivated.

Together with Suphachadiwong Orchids, Anco pure Vanda has launched the Vanda orchid successfully with the trade and consumer in Europe and the rest of the World.

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The flowering time of the Campanula is during the spring and in the summer. The Campanula is usually sold when the plant is in bloom. The plant needs water three or four times a week; and preferably every day with full sunlight. When the Campanula is planted in larger pots with a lot of soil, large amounts of water can be added at once during sunny periods. In this way, the plant can last longer without immediate care. The Campanula requires plant nutrients once every two weeks. By removing the flowers that have finished flowering, you can enjoy the Campanula even longer.

The Campanula Isophylla, also called Italian bell flower,  is the original house plant among the Campanulas. It stands out for its good vase life and multiple blooming periods per year.

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In many articles on florafocus.eu I shared my love for indoor-plants and the benefits of having them in your home. In this picture gallery some inspiration for your green indoors.

Deserts are some of the most extreme environments our blue planet offers. While they may bring to mind extreme isolation, a blatant lack of hospitality and boredom, we should reconsider our position and visit, at least in photos, some dry and remote locales to steal cues for our own gardens. The results could be spectacular.

All but one species of cacti are found in North America. In Africa, the cactus-looking native plants are, strangely enough, often members of the Euphorbia family. Both families and their horticultural selections offer endless possibilities for gardeners blessed with a hot, dry climate.

These plants may be used in innumerable ways: Some gardeners pack them tightly, like they would annuals; others show more restraint, like in this section of the Berkeley Botanical Garden in California, leaving some sand and rock exposed.

Landscape design by Vancouver Landscape Architect CYAN Horticulture

The agave is another desert favorite. Beyond its role in tequila making, agaves are unparalleled for their dramatic rosettes of fleshy, often gorgeously colored leaves.

Incapable of holding on through most real colds nights, agaves are happier in California and the southern United States. For those in colder climates, agaves make fantastic and easily cared-for potted plants.

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When winter seems to drag on forever, why not bring your own ray of sunshine inside. With bulbs in pots, anyone can enjoy that rush of springtime – even when it’s still chilly outside. In just a few simple steps, you can create colourful accents that might even make you think it’s summer.

Step 1: Shopping
Get going! It’s during January that many garden centres and florists are once again stocking up on pretty new décor items. Christmas has disappeared from the scene, and it’s time for new ideas, new challenges. Select light-coloured pots and other accessories. This winter, there’s a trend toward materials with the weathered look of the seashore. Clean, bright, but gently worn! From January into April (and with a peak in early March), bulbs in pots are widely available. Choose bulbs that will look pretty together. Even if the bulbs aren’t yet displaying signs of their future appearance, the label will often give you a good hint. Remember to consider the size of the pots you’re buying.
Step 2: Location
Once inside, bulbs in pots will usually flower within 7 to 14 days. Naturally, the kind of plants you’ve chosen and the temperature in your home will be factors in this. Do remember, though, that bulbs like winter! If temperatures are warmer than 20°C, their aim is to shoot up, flower and wither as fast as possible. But you can delay this natural reaction by placing them where they will stay in the best condition so you can enjoy them longer. Not too warm!
Step 3: Planting
Some bulbs such as grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum), narcissi and crocuses are better transplanted as a whole cluster of bulbs. But bulbs such as hyacinths and tulips can be transplanted individually or can even be purchased as single bulbs in pots. Sometimes, it’s interesting to rinse off the roots and let the bulb grow over water alone. Since the bulbs have already stored all their nutrients under their tunic, all they need is water to turn this into growth energy.
Step 4: Enjoy!
The nice thing about bulbs in pots is that you can enjoy them for a couple o f weeks and then it will be time to create something new again. Time for more fun! Time to enjoy another pleasant little task involving making something special for your home.

Bulbs in pots: elegant and earthy
Strictly speaking, black, white and grey are not colours, but they still get used a lot in interior design. Many people use these “neutrals” to create balance as well as for impact. Black is powerful and mysterious. When combined with white, grey and pinks/purples, it takes on an undertone of warmth. In combination with browns or greens, the effect is more natural and earthy.
By experimenting with materials of varying textures, you can provide your living room with just the right amount of enticing tension. Try it sometime in January with the first crocuses that become available. Those with a little more patience can choose from an array of white or brown and green hippeastrums and combine them with items made of natural and dark materials to create their own little Lord of the Rings interior. You can achieve this effect in contemporary as well as traditional interiors, as long as they contain enough elements in black, white and grey. To create more warmth, experiment with warmer deeper yellows.

Located in the entrenchment on the roof of Fort near Spijkerboor, one of the forts on the defense line of Amsterdam, a large installation composed of 1400 dahlias was completely hidden from the outside world and could only be discovered after a journey through the dark and moist fort. A matrix of 6 different colours and 5 varying flower shapes were precisely arranged in a centrifugal geometric pattern that formed a gradient from dark red to white. Visitors were invited to wander through this blossoming field as well as to view the installation from the fort’s roof. From there it could be seen in juxtaposition with the rigid geometry of the Beemster polder.

foto copyright ; Thijs Quispel  ontwerper ; Anouk Vogel

Photographer Dietlind Wolf is a specialist in “still-life” photography. After her visit to India and worked in the field of creating textiles for the haute couture business she became specialized in floral still-life . In her own words about her art-works ;  I transform the still life into something more textile, always with a need of balance between form, colour and contrast. At the end, it touches me when everything play well together.”.

Website Dietlind Wolf.

The Flowershop-hopper starts this time in Japan, the Flowershop Greenlife in Kushiro,Japan is “less is more”. Something else is the flower-stand of Danish Florist Martin Reinicke. His flowershed,as he names it, is located in Kopenhagen and is the most beautiful flower-stand I have seen so far . The third shop is the “Haute Fleurist” shop of florist Thierry Boutemy located Louise Avenue 404 in Brussels. Louesa Flowers in Hayes Valley San Francisco is full with flowering flora,the owner Louesa is from the fashion-industry . The last shop is Aktipis in Athens,this shop is designed by Point Supreme Architecs also from Athens.

Click picture;

Companion planting simply means that some plants can, and should, be planted together to create a beautiful and healthy garden. When choosing companion plants for your roses, opt for ones that have the same sun and water requirements first, and then choose for beauty.

mediterranean patio design by los angeles landscape architect EPT DESIGN

I’ve compiled some classic pairings for you as well as some unusual ones that you may not have considered. USDA hardiness zones are given for each, but simply look for a similar substitution if one of these falls outside your particular zone.

mediterranean landscape design by los angeles landscape architect EPT DESIGN

You can choose shrubs that have a more shorn and formal hedge appeal, such as boxwood (Buxus spp, zones 5 to 9) and holly (Ilex spp, zones 4 to 9), or loosen up a bit with abelia (Abelia spp, zones 6 to 9), viburnum (Viburnum spp, zones 2 to 8) and nandina (Nandina spp, zones 6 to 11).

Shrubs with the same leaf size and color will appear more formal, while a variety of shrub and foliage sizes and colors will read as more informal and looser.

Shown: Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla japonica)

modern landscape design by new york landscape architect Johnsen Landscapes & Pools

Ornamental grasses. This is a more unexpected pairing, but one that really works. The smaller leaves of roses and the pop of their color are striking against the softer, more free-form appearance of ornamental grasses.

Try some larger grasses, like this maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, zones 5 to 9) or switchgrass (Panicum virgatum, zones 5 to 9), or smaller ones, like Mexican feathergrass (Stipa tenuissima, zones 7 to 10), blue fescue (Festuca glauca, zones 4 to 11) and sedges (Carex spp, zones 4 to 9).

Note: Some grasses, like Mexican feathergrass, can be invasive in parts of the U.S. Be sure your plant choices are appropriate and recommended for your area.

modern pool design by new york landscape architect Johnsen Landscapes & Pools

contemporary landscape design by portland maine landscape architect Ann Kearsley Design

traditional landscape design by santa barbara landscape architect Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

traditional landscape design by grand rapids landscape architect Arcadia Gardens, LLC

Foliage plants. Now don’t get me wrong; many foliage plants can also have flowers. The flowers might be dramatic, charming or insignificant, but with these types of plants, it’s the foliage that really shines.

Look for options like hostas (Hosta spp, zones 3 to 9), heuchera (Heuchera spp, zones 4 to 9), lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina, zones 4 to 9), Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus, zones 9 to 11) and coleus (Solenostemon spp, zones 10 to 11). Their stunning leaf shapes, colors and sizes play off the more recognizable form of roses.

Shown: Hosta spp and hydrangeas

contemporary landscape design by san francisco landscape architect Elements Landscape Inc

contemporary landscape design

Herbs. I love the combination of edible herbs and roses, and when the herbs are beautiful as well, it’s a great pairing just waiting to happen.

Shown: Lavender and basil

mediterranean landscape design by amsterdam landscape architect Carolyn Chadwick

Nearly any herb will do as long as the sun and water requirements are similar, but my favorites are lavender (Lavandula spp, zones 5 to 10), yarrow (Achillea millefolium, zones 3 to 10), rue (Ruta graveolens, zones 6 to 11), feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium, zones 4 to 9), catmint (Nepeta spp, zones 4 to 8), parsley (Petroselinum crispum, zones 5 to 8) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris, zones 4 to 9).

Shown: Lavender and society garlic

mediterranean landscape design by los angeles landscape architect Urban Oasis

Architectural plants. These types of plants have very distinct, strong forms — the perfect foil for classic and exuberant roses.

Shown: New Zealand flax and pygmy date palm

contemporary landscape design by los angeles interior designer Sandberg Design LLC

traditional landscape design by other metro landscape architect Design Focus Int'l Landscape Architecture & Build

Crazy but incredible options include bamboo (Bambusa spp, zones 5 to 11), palms (Arecaceae spp, zones 1 to 11), agaves (Agave spp, zones 5 to 11), yuccas (Yucca spp, zones 4 to 11) and large, strappy perennials, like New Zealand flax (Phormium spp, zones 7 to 11).

When combining roses with more drought-tolerant choices, such as agaves and yuccas, be sure that both types of plants can exist with the same amount of water. Some roses, like Knock Out roses, are more drought tolerant than you might think, leading to a perfect plant marriage.

Note: When pairing roses with bamboo, be sure to choose the clumping bamboo varieties rather than the runners, or you’ll have an invasive mess on your hands.

Vines and ground covers. If you’re using a wide variety of shrub roses that grow from 2 to 6 feet tall or taller, then your eye will naturally gravitate toward the midrange in your garden. And if you allow your eye to stop there, you’re missing out on a lot of planting opportunities.

Flowering vines that soar overhead and ground covers that creep around the rose’s base are the perfect bookends to your shrub roses’ form.

Vines to consider are passion vine (Passiflora spp, zones 6 to 10), moonflower (Ipomoea alba, zones 9 to 11), sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius, zones 6 to 9), clematis (Clematis spp, zones 4 to 11), wisteria (Wisteria spp, zones 3 to 8) and jasmine (Jasminum spp, zones 6 to 10).

Shown: Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis ‘Alba’)

Great ground covers include lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina, zones 4 to 9), verbena (Verbena spp) and woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus, zones 4 to 8).

Shown: Lamb’s ears

source

contemporary landscape design by los angeles landscape architect Stout Design-Build

The white bulb-garden on Keukenhof in Lisse,Holland is a inspirational project. The modern garden-room ic completely white with white bulbs like Muscari armeniacum,Narcissus.Leucujum etc.

The interior of this garden is modern with  plantings what makes us think of ‘çountry-style’  plant-arrangements. Some pots have mono-planting and others are with a mix of lush plantings

White Daffodils (Narcissus trandus ‘Albus’) and White Grapes ( Muscari armeniacum ‘Album’) the blue grass is Festica glauca.

It looks like people who are visiting the Dutch National Bulb-garden Keukenhof are already inspired by the White Bulb-Garden.

Pictures Michaël Bakker

Watch post on Keukenhof earlier on this site.

Did you know that…
…there are also mini Gerbera’s?
…Bieber, Doutzen and Messi are also variety names of Gerbera’s?
…the summer flower Gerbera is available all year round?
…58% of Gerbera buyers give the flowers as a gift?
…on ‘No Smoking Day’ in Scandinavia, Gerbera’s are given to people who don’t smoke on that day?
…every year 600 new Gerbera varieties come on the market?
…the white Gerbera was used in the decorations for the wedding of Prins Willem Alexander and Maxima in the Netherlands?
…the Gerbera originates from South Africa, Asia, South America and Tasmania?
…900 million Gerbera’s are produced annually in the Netherlands?
…you can enjoy Gerbera’s for up to two weeks?

source;flowercouncil holland

Only nine days left for the Dutch National Flowerbulb Garden and then we have to wait another year. This year spring was late and it took some time before the Tulips were ready for blooming. Flowers like Muscari,Fritellaria,Hyacinth and Crocus are the first ones with color. Keukenhof is the largest spring garden in the World with 15 km footpaths and several indoor exhibitions, at this moment the largest Orchid exhibition is taking place.Photography ; Ruud Stalman/Holland.Sun and Tulips at Keukenhof.

A mixed border with Tulips,Frittelaria,Muscari and Hyacinths

Click on picture to enlarge;

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The pansy, they are every bit as hardy, with happy blooms that resemble a monkey’s face growing on slender stems amid attractive green foliage. Violas make an early appearance in the flower bed, poking up their heads as soon as daytime temperatures reach about 15.6 degrees Celsius. Versatile little flowers, violas thrive in a bed, hanging basket, window box or patio container, and are lovely in small cut-flower arrangements.

Plant violas by seed in partial shade or full sunlight during summer or autumn. Soil should be prepared in advance by cultivating to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Work in 2 to 3 inches of compost or manure to enrich the soil and improve drainage. Scatter the seeds on the ground and cover them with a light dusting of soil. If you prefer, plant viola bedding plants, available at garden centres or nurseries, in spring, after all danger of frost has passed.

Water violas in the morning or early afternoon so excess water will evaporate before evening. Water at ground level and avoid watering the foliage any more than necessary. Violas are drought-tolerant, but will benefit from about 1 inch of water every week during spring and summer.

Spread 1 to 2 inches of organic mulch around the violas, but be careful not to cover the plant. Shredded bark or grass clippings will retain moisture, keep the roots cool during hot weather and help to control weeds.

Fertilise violas about seven to 10 days after planting, using a general-purpose liquid fertiliser. Repeat in mid-summer.

Pinch off wilted viola blooms so the plant will continue to bloom as long as possible. Cut the flowers for bouquets as often as desired.

source ; flowercouncil  / ehow

The wedding-season is coming!  June and July are far out the most popular ones for getting married, so also a busy time for most florists.

A fragile hair-decoration made with Helleborus,Ranunculus.

Heart-shaped bouquet with Phlox,Roses and Carnations ( Dianthus ).

A simple design wich you can also make yourself with a ready-made frame.

Frame from Galaxy-leaves the flowers are Phaleonopsis Stephanotis. Many flowers are available the whole year,but some are real season flowers still,so check with your florist about the possibilities.

The fun fact of flower bulbs is that nothing is easier to grow or more colourfully rewarding. Even the most unskilled gardener can create a breathtaking and beautiful garden with bulbs. You don’t need to have a huge garden to welcome flower bulbs in your life. You can easily plant bulbs in pots and containers and put them next to your front door or on your balcony.

Red Crocosmia lucifer and Ornamental grass Stipa calamagrostis

Summer-flowering bulbs originate from sub-tropical regions such as South Africa and South America. They like warm temperatures and humid conditions, and usually are not winter hardy. In general summer bulbs fall into the category of tender bulbs, which do not perennialise in areas that experience frost in winter. If the winters are not severe (Chanel Islands, Cornwall) you can perennialise the bulbs by leaving them in the ground and cover them for the light frost. Very often these bulbs will bloom better the following year.

Zantedeschia

When the Peonies are going to bloom most of the tulips have had their best time in the landscapes and gardens.The new way of gardening forces us gardeners not only select plants by their blooming-period.  Tulips with long stems can look messy because of the leaves wich are starting to wither and dying.

Seedbuds of Tulips

The lower botanical varieties of tulips can be planted in between up-coming perennials,so the messy leaves are covered. The seedbuds of tulips are visible for a short period because the stems are week and takes the seedbud with him heading for the soil and the perennials take over.

Allium are strong and decorative and come in many colors and sizes.

Taking bulbs out of the ground can be disturbing for other plants and many bulbs can stay in the ground,we call them NATURALISING BULBS . Naturalising bulbs are bulbs, corms and tubers that will come back and flower year after year. If information on the packaging indicates that the bulbs are suitable for naturalising, they do not need to be lifted from the soil. Naturalising bulbs will flower again next year and can even increase in number.

Bulbs indicated as naturalising bulbs will definitely emerge and flower next year. Other bulbs can be experimented with to see if they will naturalise in your garden. Whether this will be successful or not depends mostly on the composition of the soil, its ph level, and the drainage. You will often have several years of success with bulbs if you refrain from trimming their foliage immediately after flowering but wait a month or two to allow them to die back completely.

Flower bulbs which are planted in autumn are called spring flowering bulbs, because they flower in spring.Spring bulbs are Allium,Anemone,Camassia Chionodoxa Corydalis solida Crocus Eranthis EremurusErythronium Fritillaria Galanthus Hippeastrum Hyacinthoides Hyacinthus Ipheion uniflorum, Iris Ixiolirion tataricum, Leucojum, Lilium candidum, Muscari, Narcissus, Netaroscordum siculum, Ornithogalum, Oxalis adenophylla, Puschkinia scilloides, Scilla, Triteleia laxa, Tulipa,Tulipa botanical, Veltheimia

Netaroscordum siculum

So many variety in flowerbulbs can color our gardens and parks during summer , many different Dahlia’s are available , from single small flowers and  extreme large flowers .

This is the time when summer bulbs such as dahlias and begonias can suddenly experience a growth spurt. For best results throughout the summer, try fooling them into producing more flowers right at first!
If you have large-flowering dahlias, remove the top part of the flower stem. This will make the plant somewhat more compact and sturdy. The first begonia buds may also be removed. The plant will then more than compensate for this initial loss.

The soil must be carefully considered when planning to plant flower bulbs. Moisture and humus content as well as acidity or alkalinity (pH) all play an important part in the success of the venture. Drainage should be good and where the humus content is poor, the soil should be improved by the addition of well-rotted organic matter. Heavy loam and clay soils especially benefit from this treatment. The acidity/alkalinity (pH) of the soil should ideally be between 6 and 6.5. It can be increased by adding garden lime or lowered by the addition of peat (which has a very low pH of 4).

The Dutch are famous for the trade in flowerbulbs,most of us know the story behind the TULIPMANIA wich took place in the golden age. Flowerbulbs can bring color and some kind of structure in a planting design in periods most perennials are in their wintering stage. Great planting-designers like Piet Oudolf use bulbs for this purpose, he used 60.000 flowerbulbs in his design for the Lurie-garden in the Millenium Park in Chicago.

Jacqueline van der Kloet is the authority when it comes to designing with flowerbulbs , she also made the planting design for Piet’s Lurie-garden. Jacqueline started as a Garden and Landscape Designer and worked with perennials and shrubs in her designs before she fell in love with flowerbulbs. Ultimately bulbs became her real passion and these days she’s world-famous for her designs. In this interview of the International Bulb Centre ( IBC) she gives us inspiration for a blue bulb Garden Design.

English: Geranium sanguineum in autumn. Polski: Geranium sanguineum jesienią. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Geraniums are one of the most popular garden-plants,for every garden ( design ) there’s always a Geranium that fits into it. Most Geranium have nice decorative leaves and often the leaves have a sweet fragrance. Famous Garden and Landscape Designers like Piet Oudolf,Arne Maynard and Dan Pearson use them in their designs.

Some varieties like a place in the sun and others are real forest-plants and like shade. Some grow high up and some are groundcovers and stay low. After blooming the plants are still attractive because of their colored leaves. The varieties that grow up are often not attractive ,the best thing is to cut them low and they will develop more firm leaves again. If i want to show you all the varieties i have to sart a new website,so these are the most popular ones ( in Holland ).

A colorful swath of daisies is a summer garden highlight, and combining two different types, as shown here, adds an extra punch of color and excitement. Imagine this scene, however, without the soft grasses or the purple leaves of the smoke bush. Certainly the flowers would still be pretty from July to October, but in spring and early summer there would be nothing of interest. Not only do the grasses and shrub extend the season, but look at how much more vibrant these flowers are when set within a picture frame of interesting leaves. The orange flowers of the sneezeweed are all the more striking when combined with the equally fiery smoke bush, while the golden black-eyed Susans offer wonderful contrast.

A smoky-colored grass in the foreground echoes the dark central cones of both these flowers, while the taller tan maiden grass in the distance softens the scene. Such strong colors will stand up to intense sunlight with ease, and by including beautiful foliage you will set the scene even before the daisies start to bloom.

1. Set the scene with bold foliage.

Grace smoke bush is a garden showstopper from May to November with its translucent blue-purple leaves that seem to be on fire when lit by the sun. Allow it to grow unchecked to enjoy the smoky “flowers” or hard prune each spring to keep the bush smaller and enjoy even larger, more luscious leaves.

Botanical name: Cotinus ‘Grace’ (syn. Cotinus x ‘Grace’)

Grasses add movement, color and a finer texture to the scene. A shorter grass is ideal for using at the front of the combination, since it’s just high enough to mask the green stems of the flowers, while the smoky color emphasizes their dark central cones. Although it was not possible to get an accurate identification of the plant used in this combination (shown in close-up here), it is very similar

This architectural grass remains attractive year-round.

Botanical name: Chondropetalum tectorum
Common names: Cape rush, small cape rush
USDA zones: 8 to 10
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
When to plant: Spring or fall

Taller grasses, such as maiden grass, add a soft upper frame to the scene. There are several cultivars to choose from, such as Gracillimus, shown here.

Botanical name: Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’
Common name: Gracillimus maiden grass
USDA zones: 5 to 9
Water requirement: Average to low
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 4 to 7 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide
When to plant: Spring or fallGracillimus looks especially beautiful in winter when its soft tan flowers and stems are coated in frost.
Caution: Maiden grasses are considered invasive in some parts of the U.S., although this is not a problem where I live, in the Seattle area. Check with your local

Gracillimus looks especially beautiful in winter when its soft tan flowers and stems are coated in frost. Caution: Maiden grasses are considered invasive in some parts of the U.S., although this is not a problem where I live, in the Seattle area. Check with your local cooperative extension office for advice.

3. Fill in with richly colored flowers that echo the foliage colors.

Black-eyed Susans are surely the epitome of a midsummer border with their classic golden-yellow daisies, each with a chocolate-colored central cone. Drought tolerant, deer resistant, long blooming and a great cut flower — these are just some of the many reasons to include this old-fashioned perennial in your garden. Combine it with great foliage, as shown here, and your design will be both richer and longer lasting.

Botanical name: Rudbeckia hirta ‘Goldsturm’
Common name: Black-eyed Susan

Mardi Gras sneezeweed is a total exhibitionist. I love it for its brazen colors, which scream, “Look at me!” Far from being a simple orange daisy, this perennial has a stiff skirt of downward-curving petals splashed wildly with golden yellow that seem to push forward the dark mounding center cones. As the flowers mature, this deep brown center becomes studded with spidery yellow anthers displaying their pollen, adding another layer of drama. As if that weren’t enough, the buds resemble chocolate buttons wearing a necklace of orange beads. The result is pure festivity.

Botanical name: Helenium spp
Common names: Sneezeweed, Helen’s flower

Karen Chapman,Houzz