This little jewel, Ledebouria cooperi, is a tiny bulb with one leaf and an inflorescence of dusty plum blooms.
Its common name is ‘Jessop.’ It may also be called “Cooper’s False Squill.”
Each plant is smaller than a pinky finger. It lives in tight groups.
I am attaching a former blog, ‘Itty Bitty Jessop’ about this plant below, since I did not wish to dig up bulbs in the rain in my pajamas.
https://floweralley.org/?s=Itty+bitty+Jessop
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White flowers are unusual in that the lack of color lets the shape of the flower show without distraction.
I have different flowers in their white versions scattered throughout my gardens. Thalia is a great example of this. I have many different colors of daffodils. Thalia’s shape stands out from the yellow crowd.
White also glows in the evening. Use some cooling white in sun or shade.
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In March
my heart
belongs to
Alberto Castillo.
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Several years ago I purchased a bag of bulbs labeled ‘ Sixty Days of Daffodils.’
This beauty is making its debut.
I love spring surprises!
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I look forward to their arrival every spring. They appear weeks earlier than any of my other daffodils.
Those tiny golden twins. Like little suns on stems.
These are the bulbs I share more than any other, ‘Tete-a-tete’ miniature narcissus.
They were given to me by my mother in a pot many years ago. My children were small. My garden was new and neglected.
Yesterday, I told Mama about her Tete-a-tetes blooming, like little baskets of gold, all over my yard, her yard and my sister’s yard. She smiled.
If I were to choose only one daffodil, which would be difficult,
it would be these early, tiny twins.
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When my garden starts shutting down, I have a ritual of planting bulbs for the future. I can think about them waiting patiently under the soil in their fresh holes as winter approaches and retreats.
There are many tasks that must be done to shut down a garden. The ponds must be cleaned and covered. The fire bowl needs to be tipped. Leaves must be raked. Acorns get blown into piles for my foraging friends. These tasks are necessary, but they signify an end.
I plant bulbs as an act of faith that there will be a spring with a beginning on the other side of winter. This small act gives me the hope I need to push through the darkness and cold.
I did not plant many bulbs this year. I ordered bulbs that I have not had here before. Just three Red Spider Lilies, two Magic(Surprise) Lilies and one Oxblood Lily. I read the instructions carefully. I marked each hole. I recorded what was planted where in my gardening journal.
Now comes the waiting. Some of these will not bloom for years. “Be patient with Mother Nature.” the papers say.
I need these little sites of hope sprinkled around underground.
FLOWER (prepping for dormancy)
I want to begin by saying that I believe in the evils of man. I pity the plants that are given such names. These will be loved by me despite their assigned, evil names. As luck would have it, my next blog post will be about ‘Lucifer’ Montbretia. They are heavenly right now.
My friends, the Popes, delivered their last two Devil’s Tongue plants yesterday. They have purged them from their gardens. I am happy to be their new mama. I have a lovely spot for them picked out.
I put all three pots together for a photo.
The little sprout poking out in the pot to the right is the now infamous Amorphophallus konjac from earlier posts. It is to my great relief that the accidental castration did not kill it. https://floweralley.org/?s=Amorphophallus
The mishap was fortuitous because I never would have uncovered the ‘brain’ bulb had I not be concerned over its survival. https://floweralley.org/?s=Devil%27s+Tongue
I love the umbrella plume of foliage.
The stem has unusual markings.
I will update you on the three Devils when they are settled in to their new home.
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I am planting blue flowers for the spring in memory of my daddy.
I have faith in the future despite the moody climate.
There will be beautiful blue to greet me when this winter ends.
I look forward to a new beginning. My daddy’s love will be there.
I have put these Muscari azureum bulbs in a protective basket (suet feeder).
Some bulbs seem to disappear here. I also surround bulbs with lava rocks for protection.
Notice the satellite cable encircled with rods and an orange chopstick.
Nothing is safe from my shovel. I mark bulbs with swizzle sticks the color of the future flowers.
Looking forward to a beautiful spring.
Keep the faith.
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Starflowers are in full bloom today.
This variety of ipheion is named ‘Alberto Castillo.’
Some little forager gave this bunch a trim last week.
The petals have lovely green and brown stripes down their backsides.
I love seeing stars!
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floweralley 