At the end of September in 2006,
60,000 spring blooming bulbs were planted in the Lurie garden.
Piet Oudolf the man responsible for the incredible perennial planting at the Lurie, Dutch landscape designer Jacqueline van der Kloet, Frans Roozen, technical director of the International Flower Bulb Center and
Lurie Garden Head Horticulturist Colleen Schuetz directed many volunteers (of which I was one) in the planting of the bulbs.
It took a three day digging party to get the bulk of the bulbs into the ground.
The suggestion to mix up the bulbs and toss, planting where the bulbs lie forgets to mention who is mixing and tossing.The designers have a way with that toss we average gardeners may need to practice. The idea to spread throughout the perennial planting was a good advise.
There is much more to come as the mix included early and late bulbs of which the 10,000 purple sensation alliums will show at the peak of spring in the Lurie.
It is amazing how much growth has taken place in the last couple of weeks.
Remember how bare the garden seemed in the pictures I took at the beginning of April?
Be sure to click on the pictures to enlarge and get a good look at this sea of tulips.
60,000 spring blooming bulbs were planted in the Lurie garden.
Piet Oudolf the man responsible for the incredible perennial planting at the Lurie, Dutch landscape designer Jacqueline van der Kloet, Frans Roozen, technical director of the International Flower Bulb Center and
Lurie Garden Head Horticulturist Colleen Schuetz directed many volunteers (of which I was one) in the planting of the bulbs.
It took a three day digging party to get the bulk of the bulbs into the ground.
The suggestion to mix up the bulbs and toss, planting where the bulbs lie forgets to mention who is mixing and tossing.The designers have a way with that toss we average gardeners may need to practice. The idea to spread throughout the perennial planting was a good advise.
There is much more to come as the mix included early and late bulbs of which the 10,000 purple sensation alliums will show at the peak of spring in the Lurie.
It is amazing how much growth has taken place in the last couple of weeks.
Remember how bare the garden seemed in the pictures I took at the beginning of April?
Be sure to click on the pictures to enlarge and get a good look at this sea of tulips.
The meadows next week?
Wow, Lurie is looking good and getting better all the time.
ReplyDeleteSo Jacqueline van der Kloet was there as well? She's a bulb specialist.
Thank you very much for these wonderful pics, Gloria! The sea of mixed tulips is my favorite. Did Jacqueline think that one up?
Yolanda elizabeth, yes Jacqueline van der Kloet was at the planting working very hard all three days showing everyone how to plant the bulbs and doing an enormous amount of the work herself. Someone told me she can plant about 500 bulbs an hour...dude! She is a charming woman.
ReplyDeleteThe design was from Jacqueline van der Kloet in collaboration with Piet Oudolf as he knew the existing design best.
Frans Roozen was there representing the people that donated all those bulbs and help teach volunteers to plant the many varieties of bulbs.He was friendly and worked right along side each new group of volunteers as the shifts changed. He used an old bulb planter that he said belonged to his grandfather. It was worn short with use but was the best bulb planter I have ever tried. It was almost flat and sort of heart shaped with a handle opposite the point. You plunge it into the ground and sort of pulled the dirt back,placed the bulb or bulbs (if tiny two and three to a hole, don't worry about which is top side)then removed the bulb planter while still holding down the bulbs and close hole. Planting went quickly. It really was a party atmosphere with music and plenty of food and drinks for everyone.A lot of hard work was accomplished.