Dividing Winter Aconite and Snow Drops
April 16, 2009
Now is the time to dig up the earliest bloomers and divide them to start new colonies in other parts of the garden. It is easy to see where they would add color next winter. One clump of snowdrops yielded a dozen blooms on a dozen bulbs. I washed off the bulbs and gently pulled them apart before replanting them so they could settle new areas of the garden.
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| Snowdrops waiting to be divided and replanted. |
Winter aconite comes along usually in February, slightly after the snowdrops begin their bloom. I adore its golden chalices glistening above a ruffled collar of foliage. As the corms mature they send up more flowers. I dug up a clump of nine blooms planning to divide them, only to discover they were all coming from one walnut-sized corm. That’s one hard working guy. The blooms stay for a few weeks departing before the snowdrops, but their foliage sticks around growing larger and more beautiful for another month or two.
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| One small corm of winter aconite can send up nine blooms. |
Hi Suzy. Thank you for “Down to Earth Gardener”. I so appreciate your sensible approach (as nature intends). What would you suggest could be paired with a row of Oregon Grape Holly along the front of our house. The Mahonia tends to look unruly and I would like to put something in front of it. It is a shady spot until about 2:00 pm. Rather moist. Have ruled out adding more hosta “salad bar” for the deer. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have for us!
Comment by jennifer — May 7, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
Jennifer,
I would surround the mahonia with clusters early bulbs that bloom at the same time as the mahonia. Blue scilla, pushkinia, glory-of-the snow and early daffs will give you a wonderful show. The deer don’t eat these early bulbs. Then you can plant a perennial for summer. Where deer are a problem it is tough to find a plant they won’t eat. Foxgloves are one. I especially like Digitalis grandiflora, the yellow foxglove because it is a true perennial and it blooms off and on all summer into fall.
I hope this helps. Look at my spring garden in bloom for more bulb ideas.
Suzy
Comment by admin — May 8, 2009 @ 9:00 am