Monday, October 16, 2006

300 Down, 900 To Go...

Minh has purchased 1,200 (yes, that's twelve-hundred) bulbs to be put in the ground this fall. The rationale behind the plan is sound -- next spring we'll be too busy with little what's-his-name Ly to be planting in the garden. So getting bulbs in the ground now will ensure a beautiful yet maintenance-free garden when the snow melts. However, he may have gotten just a tad carried away. Sometimes I catch him awake in the middle of the night reading books about flowers or ordering more bulbs on the internet. Is there a support group for this kind of thing?

The good news is, some of my obsessive list-and-spreadsheet-making-personality has rubbed off on him. He has a hand-drawn map of the yard and a spreadsheet of all the bulbs he has. The spreadsheet lists the quantity, color, height, and bloom time of each type of bulb. And, of course, where in the yard they should be planted.

And he's so darned romantic. He realizes that 1,200 bulbs is alot of planting and that I am, indeed, quite pregnant. So he went out and bought me a 1.5" foam pad to kneel on while I plant. Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever?

This past weekend, in and around childbirth class, a trip to Costco, and a parental visit, we managed to get 300 in the ground. So only 900 more to go. It's actually not quite as daunting as it sounds. We don't have to drill 1,200 separate holes in the ground. Generally, we dig a shallow grave and throw several bulbs in together. That way they come up in clumps, which looks more natural anyway.

So this spring, I should be able to take the little dude out in the yard to see our crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, anemonies, and about 5 other things I can't remember the names of. It should be quite a site to see.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's so nice of you to plant a smorgasbord for the deer next spring. They will be so hungry from foraging all winter. You are the kindest friend to all the woodland creatures.

Anonymous said...

So...

Did you guys finish all 1,200?

blarney said...

As of 10/23/06 we're at something like 700 in the ground and 500 to go. One or two more free Saturday afternoons and we'll be done.