Well, the race is on ...
I'm starting from fresh with approx. 20 sp. & hybrids this winter with newly acquired bulbs that I removed from cool storage and potted a little while ago. Growth buds were showing on many and over the past week, it has become obvious that either Britannia 'Doreen' or forrestii will be the first to flower - it's neck and neck at the moment. Formosana 'Cairngorm', Stromboli & aurita seem to be vying for third place, while others are trailing.
Flower timing seems somewhat topsy-turvy, but that is no doubt due to this being a new collection that needs to settle in. Inevitably several will not flower this spring, but the aim is to get them established and growing well rather than having a good show for which I can claim no credit. Nevertheless, I anticipate a fair number of flowers, which will spur me on for the year ahead. I have a tendency to 'experiment' with composts, but am playing safe this year at least with 2:1:1 (bark, moss & perlite) for most and 1:1:1 (moss, perlite & bark) for those that prefer a higher moss content. Fingers crossed & wish me luck.
