Collecting Bulb Seeds
May 7, 2008 by Carol
Winter Aconite
It seems as though spring has just started and already we are seeing signs of seed-ripening on our earliest bulbs; snowdrops, winter aconite and glory-of-the-snow. When the green seed pods begin to turn yellow, this is a signal to begin collecting the pods. Let them air dry and split open. Then cast the seed where you want to increase your display of bulbs. Gathering the seed of winter aconite is fairly easy as the plant holds its seeds above the foliage. Snowdrops and glory-of-the-snow have heavier seed that tends to fall to the ground, making it a challenge for gardeners who have to sift through foliage to try and find the ripening seed. The yellowing of visible winter aconite seed pods is your cue that there are also pods ripening under the cover of leaves. None of us needs to add anything new to our “to-do” list at this time of year, but spending a few minutes collecting and dispersing seed now is a quick, easy, and FREE way to increase the quantity of a plant. Your efforts will reveal themselves next spring as the young leaves of seedlings emerge to be followed by flowers in 2 or 3 years. At Winterthur we do not fuss about this process; we simply collect the seed, allow the pods to split then cast the seed by hand—a pretty easy process that yields a great reward in years to come.
Good morning–Of the many majestic beeches, tulip poplars and oaks on the estate, are a majority of them naturally occuring or were a number planted by H.F. du Pont and his father?
The beautiful specimen trees that you find in the garden–the magnolias at Magnolia Bend and the array of evergreens in the Pinetum were planted by H.F. du Pont and his father H.A. du Pont but the native trees that you are speaking of which make up the majority of the woodland canopy were not specifically planted. H.F. du Pont did however share a strong interest in these majestic, naturally occurring trees as can be noted by the specimen tulip-poplar and beech that were saved during the construction of the wing of the house on the East Terrace.