Jill introduced guest speaker Jane Tonkin from Tonkin’s Bulbs and Perennials (Rare and Unusual) in the Dandenong Ranges and Jane’s friend Kelly, who helped with the presentation.
Tonkin’s Bulbs is a small retail nursery run by Shirley and Jane, a mother and daughter team, who have recently joined the online crowd and have a Summer Catalogue available online. They will be at MIFGS on all five days. Bulbs Jane spoke about included:
ERYTHRONIUM – Liliaceae Family. Woodland plant. Pink/mauve, hybrid yellow. June/July. Require good fertilizer – blood and bone and compost.
FRITILLARIAS – Dormant over summer. Don’t water until end of January. Plant where they can avoid Summer water. Good for pots. Blood and bone, leaf mould.
FRITILLARIAS thunbergii – 70cm high. An easy and fabulous fritillaria. Shade.
FRITILLARIAS Imperialis – Most sought after of all Fritillaria is the “Crown Imperial” for its majestic beauty. Dark red. Frost tender but okay in snow.
GALANTHUS – True Snowdrops, not snowflakes. Require afternoon shade, good compost, lime and blood and bone. Keep cool and dry when dormant.
LEUCOJUM - Snowflakes. 10 species, Spring and Autumn flowering. White or pink. Well drained sunny position; (however Leucojum aestivm pefers semi-shaded moist area). Blood & bone at planting. Easy bulb that continues to flower year after year without much attention.
FERRARIA CRISPA – Spider flower. Full sun. Regular potting mix with lime.
GLADIOLUS – 180 species. Spectacular. Summer, Autumn or Spring flowering dependant on species. Full sun with protection from frost. Good balanced fertilizer and plenty of lime. Water in their growing period. The true species gladiolus do not require as much attention in regard to pest and disease control. Polinated by a moth.
GLADIOLUS TRISTIS var. colours – strong sweet fragrance in the evening. Pale cream/yellow. Easy 2 grow.
IXIA – 70 – 80cm. Stake in wind. Holy grail is the duck egg blue. Very beautiful.
WURMBEA – Moist sunny position. Complete fertilizer at planting. White/purple.
ARUM CRETICA – Sweet perfume. Very rare. Polinated by flies.
ARUM Palaesinum. Black Arum from Palistine. Like black velvet. Keep dry in Summer. Blood and bone and lime.
ARUM Sardinia – Stinks. 70cm x 46cm
CYCLAMEN species. Leave in garden. Leaf mould, compost. Polinated by ants. Various cyclamen include Cyclamen Album; Glory of the Snow; Pink Giant.
IRIS TUBEROSA – Full sun to partial shade. Pots. Flowering in early Spring. Yellow-green with black. Common names snake’s head; snakes head iris; widow iris; or velvet flower-de-luce.
IRIS CALIFORNIA FIRECRACKER – Low flowers in November/December. Dormant over Summer.
TRILLIUMS – three leaves. Woodland plant.
WOOD ANENONE – 5-15cm Filigee fern foliage. Woodland plant. Micro climate.
DAFFODILS – Minature. Narcissus Jetfire. Narcissus clamineus – holy grail. Narrow deep yellow trumpets.
TULIP species – leave in the ground. No need to put in fridge. Regular potting mix, garden lime, blood and bone.
NERINES – Full sun. Plant and forget. Orange flowering February – May (Autumn). No water. Bulb food when planting. Don’t over feed – low nitrogen and a little potash.
AMARYLLIS (BELLADONNA) – Naked Ladies. Warm well drained position. Dormant in Summer – allow to dry out. Complete fertilizer and potash when planting. Best left undisturbed to form clumps.
LUCORIS AUREA – Closely related to Nerines. Called ‘Spider Lilies’
