what's flowering first week of August 2012
Jane McGary (Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:59:41 PDT)

In my bulb house, which is devoted to Mediterranean-cycle bulbs, the
only flowers are on two very late California bulbs--Calochortus
weedii and Allium congdonii-- and the very first Colchicum of the
year, which this year turns out to be little Colchicum
hierosolymitanum (the name refers to Jerusalem).

In the garden, the lilies are nearly over, except for L. lancifolium
(tiger lily), perhaps the easiest of all lilies to obtain and grow,
but well worth planting if you have a neglected spot that could do
with something tall and orange. The main bulb interest is Eucomis --
E. bicolor, E. pole-evansii, E. autumnalis, and some of the hybrids,
with purple or green leaves. They are all flourishing in their new
home, which has more retentive soil than my other garden. Despite
their South African origin, Eucomis are quite hardy here in the
Pacific Northwest, given deep planting and mulch, since they are
summer growers.

Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA