Companion plants to Bulbs--TOW
Jane McGary (Mon, 13 Oct 2003 10:43:43 PDT)

As I've mentioned before, I grow the great majority of my bulbs in frames,
so "companion planting" isn't an issue there. However, I do grow a lot of
more common bulbs in the garden, and here are some ideas that have worked
for me.

1. When you see photos of tulips in the wild, they're blooming at snowmelt
time, with dry grasses around them. This effect can be suggested by
planting the brown New Zealand sedges such as Carex petriei and
interplanting them with bright species tulips (T. hageri has proven
especially perennial here, also T. tarda and T. urumiensis). These sedges
are invasive by seed in some climates, though not in my garden. Other bulbs
that are attractive in this setting are Iris reticulata and Muscari
latifolium (invasive in some climates, not here). Another grass that can be
used this way is Deschampsia caespitosa, which does not "run."

2. Muscari azureum and M. armeniacum are not always to be feared, as long
as you plant them under large shrubs and trees where their increase and
lank foliage will not annoy you. Here they grow (in addition to places I
wish they didn't) under a border of small ornamental trees and shrubs such
as Acer griseum, Cornus mas, Stewartia, and Viburnum burkwoodii. The area
can be sprayed with Round-up when the Muscari is dormant to hold down the
weeds. This setting is also appropriate for Cyclamen hederifolium. (C. coum
is more often grown in shady rock gardens in this region.)

3. If you, too, have made the mistake of planting sweet woodruff (Galium
odoratum), you can plant Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides campanulata)
under it. Use the pink or blue kind. This robust bulb flowers at the same
time as the woodruff and is just as ineradicable.

4. Spreading dwarf shrubs can provide just enough winter protection for
winter-growing foliage of marginally hardy bulbs. I have some Muscari
macrocarpum doing well under the contorted form of Chaenomeles (flowering
quince), although this species is not generally regarded as very cold-hardy.

5. In this cool Mediterranean climate, I have found the best Narcissus for
naturalizing in rough grass are cyclamineus hybrids such as 'February Gold'
and 'Jenny', and also the species Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. (?)
obvallaris, or "obvallaris," or however one is supposed to call it. They
tolerate ground water running above them during winter, and complete drying
in summer.

6. Some regard Crocus tommasinianus as a weed, but it is the best species
for growing in lawns, because its leaves lie flat, so that mowing doesn't
bother it as much as it would species with erect leaves. Do buy the named
deep-colored clones such as 'Whitwell Purple' for best effect.

7. If you don't like to see Colchicum foliage in late spring, hardy
geraniums will cover it up at the right time -- but be sure not to plant
the kinds that seed all over (there are a few sterile hybrids).

8. Nepeta mussinii, a low-growing ornamental "catnip," flowers all summer
and is a good perennial to follow spring bulbs (you can cut it back to the
base in fall to give the bulbs room). Origanum libanoticum (current name?)
and its hybrid 'Kent Beauty' can be used in the same way; however, steer
clear of the taller ornamental oreganos such as 'Herrnhausen', which are
ferociously invasive. In the rock garden, prostrate shrubby penstemons such
as P. newberryi serve the same purpose. Lately I've also planted the
biennial Campanula incurva, a prostrate version of Canterbury bells (C.
medium), in a bulb bed. Bulbs will grow up through low sedums and the more
restrained helianthemums. If your climate permits it (mine doesn't), I see
no reason not to mix spring bulbs with the low-growing Alstroemeria species
such as A. pallida and A. hookeri, which will bloom later, though that
still leaves a bare period in late summer; the alstros, given a deep root
run, will do their growing much deeper than their smaller companions.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon. USA