Heirloom bulb Dutch auction sale, act fast!

This Dutch auction has ended, but check out the Old House Gardens site for spring planted bulbs.

I’ve already ordered more bulbs from Old House Gardens’ Dutch auction sale. The company offers unique and historic bulbs at a discount as the planting season ends.

Lily lancifolium ‘Flore-Pleno’ was one of the beautiful heirloom bulbs I ordered from Old House Gardens. Photo courtesy of Old House Gardens

A Dutch auction works like this; the prices get lower on the bulbs until they are gone. We’re getting to the last days of the sale. I’ve been looking every day and varieties are removed from the web site as they sell out.

Still time to plant bulbs

Bulbs can be planted until the ground freezes solid, so there’s still time.

My house was built in 1939 and I love to plant bulbs from that era. I’m always looking for cultivars released between 1939 and 1945. Old House Gardens actually are offering bulbs that date back to the 1500’s.

As my lily obession grows, I’ve ordered lots of interesting varieties from the company. My last order included Lily lancifolium ‘Flore-Pleno,’ a double tiger lily which has since sold out. Here’s the description from the catalog- “A magnificent plant,” exclaimed Brooklyn’s C.L. Allen in 1893 about this quirky, exuberant lily whose blooms remind us of shaggy-headed lions. Felder Rushing, author of Passalong Plants, admires it, too, and tells us that in his Mississippi garden it’s a magnet for tiger swallowtail butterflies.

If you’re looking to grow something rare and wonderful, check out this sale, but don’t delay, these treasures won’t last long.  I’ll be making one more order soon myself.

Check back on the Old House Gardens website for great spring planted bulbs too.

Doug Oster is editor of Everybody Gardens, a website operated by 535Media, LLC. Reach him at 412-965-3278 or doster@535mediallc.com. See other stories, videos, blogs, tips and more at everybodygardens.com.

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