Expert: Long Island Gardener - 6/27/2008

Question
I have a very large space that I want to fill with a bulb garden, It is about 30 feet long and 5 feet wide. Currently there are some unknown large lilies in the back(at least 5 feet tall) but nothing more. I am hoping to fill this in short flowers to tall and ranging in blooms so that I have some through out the seasons but am very unsure how to "pick" and it actually work out. I am new to the gardening game as far as this goes and need advice Id appreciate it!

Answer
Your best bet is to order a pre-planned garden from one of the old, established suppliers.  I recommend Bluestone Perennials in particular; they are reputable; they are still family owned; they are reasonably priced, with a tried and true refund program in place and no questions asked; they have excellent stock; and they have exactly what you need:

www.bluestoneperennials.com

Be realistic about the kind of Sun you will have for your garden.  Full Sun is best; half a day of Sun cannot be compensated for by, say, increasing the fertilizer dose.  Plants need Sun the way humans need air.

Also critical:  Learn how to water your plants.

Don't worry about 'drowning' them.  Worry that you will give them too much, too often, until it's too late.  Watering is the biggest mistake beginners make when they set out to grow their first garden.

Water deeply and thoroughly.  Then wait until the plant is dry and needs to be watered again.  Depending on the weather and humidity, this could be as soon as the end of a very hot, dry day, or at the end of a long, often wet 2 weeks.  Never water 'a little'.  Water a lot, or don't water at all.

Lilies are stunning garden plants.  Keep them.  If they haven't bloomed yet, they will.  You're lucky to have them.

Let me know if you need further help or clarification.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER