Foreword
This book brings practical gardening information, scientific rigor and common sense advice together in an easy-to-use format.
The bulbs described in this survey are divided into two main sections: spring bulbs (bulbs that bloom in the spring) and summer bulbs (bulbs that bloom in the summer), but these categories are not overly rigid. In fact, the first spring bulbs actually bloom in late winter and many of the last summer bulbs actually bloom in the fall.
The scientific names (e.g., Cyclamen coum) have been given for each species, but the common names are generally used throughout the text (e.g. calla lilies rather than Zantedeschia).
Each section is organized alphabetically by species or cultivar name, if it is a cultivated variety (e.g., Lilium Casa Blanca). While Casa Blanca many not have the same noble ring to it as candidus, these commercial names are important to know when ordering from bulb catalogs or finding your way around the local garden center.
For each of the approximately 300 varieties of flowering bulbs described in this survey, all of the essential information has been provided, including soil requirements, sun exposure, fertilizers, irrigation, storage techniques, propagation, average height and color. Other interesting and useful information, such as whether it makes a good cut flower, if it can be forced and if it has a fragrance, has also been provided. While the most space has naturally been granted to the most common bulbs, many of the lesser-known bulbs are also fully described.
Finally, in the larger genera, where species share many of the same characteristics (e.g. Tulipa and Narcissi), the same information is not repeated, but a different piece of information is given under each species heading. Therefore, by reviewing the whole genus, the reader will find all of the necessary information, but without having to see it repeated for each description.
