Taylor's Guide to Bulbs

by Ellis, Barbara W.

• ISBN13: 9780618068906
• ISBN10: 0618068902
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary

Taylor's Guides are well known and widely praised for their clear, informative text and expert horticultural information. Each flexibound volume combines beauty and authority, featuring hundreds of stunning, full-color identification photographs and advice from experts across the country. 200 photos.

Author Biography

Barbara Ellis, a former gardening editor at Rodale Press and the publications director of the American Horticultural Society, is the author of many gardening books, including THE RODALE ALL-NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ORGANIC GARDENING and THE BURPEE COMPLETE GARDENER as well as several TAYLOR'S WEEKEND GARDENING GUIDES. She resides in Alburtis, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(2)
What Is a Bulb?	2	(4)
Deciding What to Grow	6	(6)
Buying Bulbs	12	(2)
Hardiness	14	(2)
Growing Bulbs	16	(7)
Propagating Bulbs	23	(6)
Gallery of Plants	29	(182)
Encyclopedia of Plants	211	(203)
Hardiness Zone Map	414	(2)
Photo Credits	416	(2)
Index	418

Excerpts

 

ACHIMENES `PEACH BLOSSOM'

Achimenes `Peach Blossom' (inset A. `Minette')

Achimenes, Monkey-faced Pansy, Orchid Pansy

SIZE:6 to 8 inches; spreads 1 to 2 feet

Bright shade with protection from direct sun Rich, evenly moist soil; usually grown in baskets or other containers Bears rosy salmon 1 1/2- to 3-inch-wide flowers from summer to fall Zones 10 and 11 P. 214

Agapanthus africanus

African Lily

SIZE:2 to 3 feet

Full sun Fertile, well-drained, evenly moist soil Bears rounded 6- to 12-inch-wide umbels of dark purple-blue flowers in late summer Zones 9 to 11 P. 215

AGAPANTHUS HYBRID

Agapanthus hybrid `My Joy'

Hybrid Agapanthus

SIZE:2 to 3 feet

Full sun Fertile, well-drained, evenly moist soil Bears umbels of white flowers in mid- and late summer Zones 7 or 8 to 10 P. 215

Agapanthus hybrid `Storm Cloud'

Hybrid Agapanthus

SIZE:3 to 4 feet

Full sun Fertile, well-drained, evenly moist soil Bears umbels of dark purple-blue flowers in mid- and late summer Zones 7 or 8 to 10 P. 215

ALLIUM AFLATUNENSE

Allium aflatunense

Persian Onion

SIZE:2 to 3 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Round 4 1/2-inch-wide clusters of densely packed red-violet flowers in early summer Zones 4 to 8 P. 217

Allium caeruleum

Blue Globe Onion, Nodding Onion

SIZE:1 to 2 feet

Full sun Very well drained soil Produces 2-inch-wide umbels of densely packed, starry dark blue flowers in early summer Zones 3 to 8 P. 217

ALLIUM CERNUUM

Allium carinatum ssp. pulchellum

Keeled Garlic

SIZE:1 to 1 1/2 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Bears 2 1/2-inch-wide umbels of reddish violet blooms in midsummer Zones 5 to 8 P. 217

Allium cernuum

Nodding Onion, Wild Onion

SIZE:1 1/2 to 2 feet

Full sun or shade Well-drained soil; tolerates heavy soil or sandy conditions Native North American with 2 1/2-inch-wide umbels of rose-purple, pink, or white flowers in early summer Zones 4 to 9 P. 217

ALLIUM CRISTOPHII

Allium cristophii

Star of Persia

SIZE:1 to 2 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Bears ball-like 8- to 12-inch-wide umbels of starry silvery purple flowers in summer Zones 4 to 8 P. 218

Allium cyaneum

SIZE:4 to 10 inches

Full sun Well drained soil Produces 3/4-inch-wide umbels of 6 to 18 blue flowers in summer Zones 5 to 9 P. 218

ALLIUM GIGANTEUM

Allium giganteum

Giant Onion

SIZE:3 to 5 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Produces dense, round 4- to 5-inch-wide clusters of starry rosy purple flowers in summer Zones 4 to 8 P. 218

Allium giganteum

`White Giant'

SIZE:3 to 5 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Produces dense, round 4- to 5-inch-wide clusters of starry white flowers in summer Zones 4 to 8 P. 218

ALLIUM HYBRID

Allium hybrid `Globemaster'

SIZE:2 to 3 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Produces long-lasting 10-inch-wide umbels of rich violet flowers in early summer Zones 4 or 5 to 8 P. 219

Allium karataviense

Turkistan Onion

SIZE:6 to 10 inches

Full sun Well-drained soil In early summer bears 3- to 5-inch-wide clusters of up to 50 starry pale pink flowers Zones 5 to 9 P. 219

ALLIUM OREOPHM

Allium moly

Lily Leek, Golden Garlic

SIZE:1/2 to 1 foot

Full sun or partial shade Very well drained soil Produces loose, showy 2-inch-wide umbels of starry-shaped golden yellow flowers in early summer Zones 3 to 9 P. 219

Allium oreophilum

SIZE:2 to 8 inches

Full sun Well-drained soil Produces loose 1 1/2-inch-wide umbels of 10 to 15 pinkish purple flowers in early summer Zones 4 to 9 P. 220

ALLIUM SCHOENOPRASUM

Allium schoenoprasum

Chives

SIZE:1 to 2 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Mounds of edible round leaves topped 1-inch-wide cloverlike clusters of rosy pink flowers in summer Zones 3 to 9 P. 221

Allium schubertii

SIZE:1 to 2 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Bears striking, round 9- to 12-inch-wide umbels of pale purple flowers arranged on stalks of different lengths Zones 5 to 10 P. 221

ALLIUM SPHAEROCEPHALON

Allium senescens

SIZE:6 to 12 inches

Full sun Well-drained soil Bears 1-inch-wide umbels of 20 to 30 mauve-pink flowers in mid- to late summer Zones 5 to 9 P. 221

Allium sphaerocephalon

Drumstick Chives, Drumstick Allium, Round-headed Leek

SIZE:2 to 3 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Produces nearly solid 1-inch-wide clusters of green to purple or purplish maroon bell-shaped flowers in midsummer Zones 4 to 8 P. 221

ALLIUM TANGUTICUM

Allium tanguticum

Lavender Globe Lily

SIZE:2 feet

Full sun Well-drained soil Bears 2-inch-wide lavender-blue flowers in midsummer Zones 4 to 9 P. 222

Allium thunbergii `Ozawa'

SIZE:8 inches

Full sun Well-drained soil Produces 1- to 1 1/2-inch-wide umbels of rose-purple flowers in fall Zones 4 to 8 P. 222

Excerpted from Taylor's Guide to Bulbs by Barbara W. Ellis Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company
Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.