Could the bulb campaigns be paying off?

Bulb image courtesy of Shutterstock

Shortly after mocking this marketing effort, I heard via email from some industry insiders that the big bulb houses were desperatebulb sales had slumped along with all else gardening during the housing meltdown, but (unlike vegetable seeds, for instance) they never rebounded. I was also informed that the big box practice of paying only for the bulbs they actually sold was keeping bulb vendors underwater.

Somebody needs to tell Buffalos biggest IGC about the dire state of bulbs, though. In a burst of insane optimism, they have installed the most comprehensive spring bulb display Ive ever seen there. There are multiple types of muscari, galanthus, and species tulips. There are also five kinds of tazettas, including Grand Soleil dOr , where there used to be a few boxes of Ziva. Not to mention all the tulip, narcissus, allium, and hyacinth hybrids. The bulbs seem topsize too. I almost regretted I had already ordered over 800 from my usual mail order suspects.

I hope they sell them allespecially to their mostly suburban customers, with their flocks of deer and armies of voles. As for me, 2014, more than any other year, will be the year of the bulb. Having gotten rid of all my ground cover and installed a series of easeway beds, there is a lot more room for bulbs nowbesides all the container plantings and whats there already, Im adding a big mix of species tulips, miniature narcissus (canaliculatus, Pacific Coast, Sherborne, Art Design, wateri), galanthus, and erythronium.

But thats me. Im a bulb freak, and such are rare in these parts. Have any of your IGCs gone bulb crazy? Do you think it will work?

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