Letting Go Part 2: Naturalizing Bulbs
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When I stopped trying to keep all my Corydalis solida separate and let the colors hybridize, this is what I got.
In May of 2011, I wrote a post titled Letting Go Part 1: The Lawn. It is a well-documented discussion of why gardeners should get rid of their lawns and let what lawn remains go “natural”. At the time I intended to write another article about letting go of garden beds, but time got away from me.
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Common snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, and snow crocus, C. tommasinianus, naturalized in Charles Cresson’s meadow—a wonderful combination for late winter.
I was inspired to get back to the topic by reading a gorgeous book on bulbs given to me by one of my customers. Not to digress, but I have the nicest customers who constantly send me articles, bring homemade food, send beautiful cards and letters sometimes hand drawn (one customer is a professional calligrapher), and write complimentary and encouraging emails. Thanks to you all.
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This book was no ordinary gift but a 400 page hardcover book with over 300 color plates. It is called Buried Treasures and was written by Janis Ruksans. Ruksans is an internationally famous nurseryman and plant explorer with a mail order nursery specializing in unusual bulbs and located in Latvia. He has introduced hundreds of bulbs and one of his focuses is Corydalis solida (first photo), which happens to be one of my favorite plants.
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Winter aconite, Eranthis hyemalis, naturalized with corydalis and hybrid hellebores.
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Winter aconite in bloom in February.
As I read his book, I was struck by what he said about naturalizing bulbs:
“There are two different kinds of naturalization. The first kind occurs when you plant your bulbs so they will look as natural as possible. The second kind is the real thing, which will happen only if your bulbs start to reproduce by self-sowing.… Some of the most beautiful displays happen in spots where bulbs … have been left to develop naturally.”
As simple as this statement appears, many gardeners have trouble applying this concept to their gardens because it requires letting go. You are no longer in control of where plants appear and how they combine with each other. I know because it took me years to embrace it myself.
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Tubergen squill, Scilla mischtschenkoana, on the left and Dutchman’s breeches, Dicentra cucullaria, spread randomly at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens.
However, once I let go of deciding where bulbs (and many perennials) could grow, I believe that my garden reached a whole new level of interest and beauty. Ruksans’s book inspired me to write this post about the bulbs, including tubers, corms, and other bulb allies, that spread well in my garden. If you feel inclined to let go, here are some of the bulbs that work the best.
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Siberian squill, Scilla siberica, provides a splash of early brilliant blue and moves all over the garden, even into the lawn.
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Striped-squill, Puschkinia scilloides, is pale blue and spreads beneath my winterhazel.
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A close up shot better shows off striped-squill’s elegance.
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There are hardly any beds in my garden that do not sport Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica, in early spring. All I planted was the original clump given to me by a good friend many years ago.
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Wood anemones, including Anemone ranunculoides pictured above with Virginia bluebells, have been allowed to form gigantic patches in my woodland.
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European wood anemones, A. nemorosa, are a favorite, including ‘Alba Plena’.
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My woodland with wood anemones and bluebells.
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Glory-of-the-snow, Chionodoxa forbesii, is everywhere even the formal beds by the front door. It doesn’t take up any “room” because it goes dormant and perennials can be planted right in it.
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‘Pink Giant’ is the pink cultivar of glory-of-the-snow, and it too plants itself wherever it wants.
The most wonderful result of my new relaxed approach came from Corydalis solida, a plant with no real common name. It is a bulbous corydalis, which comes up very early in spring and dies back shortly after flowering. Unlike the colorful herbaceous corydalis that never come back due to our hot summers, this corydalis returns year after year without fuss and even self-sows. Here are a few of its cultivars:
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‘George P. Baker’
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C. solida subsp. incisa
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‘Blushing Girl’ selected by Jans Ruksans.
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‘Beth Evans’
All four cultivars are very beautiful in their own right, and at first I kept them separate so they would stay pure. However, when I let go and nature took its course, the results were amazing. Now I have a rainbow of corydalis.
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Cordalis solida left to its own devices.
Although I have a large garden, this is not a technique limited to big spaces. Any garden bed full of perennials or any area beneath trees and shrubs is perfect for naturalizing bulbs. Just give them a free hand after you get them started.
Carolyn
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CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS 
April 10, 2014 at 10:19 pm
Gorgeous–every one! I planted seeds for Vifginia Bluebells in the fall. I’ll be happy if even one clump forms this spring (I realize it takes a while). And then I will let them naturalize, too–especially because they are native here. Thanks for the encouragement and the beautiful images, Carolyn.
April 11, 2014 at 6:54 am
Beth, For all of these plants you can buy a few growing plants and after a while they will take off. I have never tried VA bluebells from seed but that’s how nature does it so it’s got to work. Carolyn
April 11, 2014 at 6:58 am
I love seeing bulbs naturalize and fill Spring with color. Your woodland looks so inviting this time of year with such variety. Did the aconite bloom this February? We are so behind here, bulbs may be waiting until May.
April 11, 2014 at 7:00 am
Donna, No, the aconite bloomed in March and even April this year. Everything is completely off here too. The wood anemones and bluebells are just starting to bud. Carolyn
April 11, 2014 at 7:16 am
Maybe I will see them when I visit PA in May. I was thinking of pushing my trip to my cousins off until late May because everything is so behind. I love seeing the fruit trees, azalea and Rhododendron each Spring, reminds me of “home”.
April 11, 2014 at 7:30 am
It is going to be in the 70s for the next four days. That could really accelerate the plants back towards normal. Of course, I want it to stay in the 60s and go slower.
April 11, 2014 at 11:00 pm
Beautiful pictures, naturalized bulbs are one of my favorite “styles” of gardening. I also love corydalis, and yours are exceptional!
Your plantings have me excited about my own, after three years of nothing they’re surrounded by seedlings this spring! Something missing in previous years came through -even though each spring I looked and looked for seed pods but never found anything.
April 12, 2014 at 7:44 am
Frank, I find that bulb-type plants multiply much better in years where there is constant snow cover. My Corydalis solida is surrounded by seedlings this year too. Carolyn
April 12, 2014 at 5:37 am
It took me a long time to realise that letting certain plants go to seed and letting bulbs multiply would make gardening so much easier for me! Drifts of the same plant look so much nicer than a few dotted around.
April 12, 2014 at 7:41 am
Pauline, I forgot to mention that in the post—not only does letting your plants naturalize make your garden look better, it is much easier. The plants go where they are happy so no watering, fertilizing, or pampering either. Carolyn
April 13, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Hello Carolyn,
Some wonderful images and ideas here. We’ve also found some of our most exciting effects come from using spring bulbs, but also from anything that self seeds…for all the reasons you mention.
But my big regret again is seeing how your Mertensia thrives. We’ve tried it and it gets gobbled by slugs….but again I wonder if we just had a not too vigorous nursery cossetted plant, rather than tough self sown ones? Do you have slug/snail issues where you are?
Glad to see things are catching up at last Carolyn, and hope winter is now a distant memory…
BW
Julian
April 13, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Julian, I have found that the stock of Mertensia that is grown by nurseries in pots is very weak and never works. I think they order wild-collected tubers that are already dessicated. The key is to find someone who is willing to give you some from their garden or a nursery that grows it in the ground. Then it must be dug just as the purple tips of the leaves start to emerge from the soil. If it gets even 3″ tall then it is too late and it will not thrive. Many gardeners in our area have trouble with slugs but I do not unless it is an unusually wet summer and even then I just ignore them.
The weather is still wacky—a high of 81 degrees today and very windy and then a low of 31 degrees this Tuesday.
Carolyn
April 14, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Hello Carolyn,
That’s really interesting and probably explains all! I shall keep my eyes open for a local gardener who grows it, and be prepared to plead, since it’s such a lovely thing,
BW
Julian
April 14, 2014 at 6:16 pm
I am never too proud to resort to pleading when there is a plant involved!
April 14, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Naturalising at its very best Carolyn. Your Corydalis looks very striking but I am fairly taken wit your Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica,
April 14, 2014 at 4:11 pm
Alistair, Virginia bluebells are a favorite. I have let them spread all over the garden. Carolyn
April 14, 2014 at 3:49 pm
Carolyn, your naturalized Cordalis is truly beautiful. I plant a lot of things hoping they will naturalize and help me cover the masses of unplanted ground I still have, especially in my woodland area. As a gardener, I think I am just prodding nature along and giving some guidance here and there. Of course, there are lots of times that nature doesn’t listen to me at all!
April 14, 2014 at 4:13 pm
Deb, I think nature doesn’t listen to me at least 33% of the time and the plant just dies. However, I keep trying and planting more of what works. the bigger the patches the better and if they self-sow they are king of the garden. Carolyn
April 14, 2014 at 3:51 pm
P.S. I just read your above comment, and your weather sounds exactly like ours!
April 14, 2014 at 4:14 pm
So sorry, now we have 30 degrees Tuesday and 33 Wednesday. The whole garage is full of hosta, and there are more to come in.
April 16, 2014 at 11:35 pm
[…] I have it in my head to nurture nice swaths of corydalis color similar to the showcase found in Carolyn’s garden. The ones I have here (“George Baker and “Beth Evans”) were originally ordered […]
April 17, 2014 at 9:06 pm
I got rid of the last bit of lawn in 2011 and have never looked back – got room for lots more plants, my woodland area was partly a result of that. It is still a new area and need a good few more years to look natural and more finished, and I can still fit some more plants, some small plants! I have put Scilla mischtschenkoana, Eranthis hyemalis and Chionodoxa forbesii on my list. Thanks for all the good info and lovely photos!
April 18, 2014 at 5:49 am
Helene, I love your garden, it is a great example of the amazing things that can be done in a small space. Scilla m. is better behaved but the eranthis and chionodoxa really spread. Carolyn
April 20, 2014 at 10:22 pm
Beautiful displays of letting go Carolyn…my gardens have been let go to naturalize and they are stunning…I have Corydalis solida I think Beth Evans and I love it…I should plant more as they are a delight in early spring.
April 21, 2014 at 7:13 am
Donna, There is a new Corydalis solida called Purple Bird that is quite beautiful. Carolyn