Colorblends Wholesale Flowerbulbs 2014

It’s about spring!

®

WHY COLORBLENDS? TOP-QUALITY BULBS OF THE B E S T VA R I E T I E S

mazing, spectacular, incredible,

awesome, car-stopping and of course beautiful.

Just a few adjectives we hope you’ll think, feel, say or hear about your next spring display. We’ve been busy coming up with new Colorblends to entice you, Colorblends that hopefully give you uplifting feelings and your own choice adjectives when they flower in 2015.

Need help making a selection? Trying to find the right bulb for a particular situation? Please don’t hesitate to call, email or contact us via our website.

Our knowledgeable and experienced Colorblenders are ready to help you.

As always we thank all our customers, experienced and inexperienced, for putting on great spring displays and being prophets of bloom. We hope you find the catalog inspirational.

It’s about Spring!

— the

colorblends crew

The beauty of your spring display depends on proven blends and the quality of the bulbs you plant in the fall.

WHOLESALE PRICES

No gimmicky pricing.

No scrappy-sized bulbs. Just wholesale all the time.

All we ask is a $60 minimum order.

DECADES OF EXPERIENCE

We have been supplying the trade for more than 50 years. We want you to have a great Spring display. Our knowledge and experience in the Netherlands and the USA ensure your success.

WE DO OUR HOMEWORK

Our customers tell us, “You’ve taken the guesswork out of creating spring shows.

You make me look like a genius.” Colorblends tests all combinations so you don’t waste your time and money trying to figure it out.

ORDERING FOR FALL PLANTING

CONTENTS

WHEN TO ORDER

HOW TO ORDER

Tulip Blends

WEB

Cubed Tulip Blends

50

Tulip Solids

56

We urge you to order early, from now to the end of September. Your bulbs will be reserved and then delivered in the Fall for planting.

We maintain inventory into December, but many selections sell out. Please reserve now. Your credit card won’t be charged until your bulbs are delivered in the fall.

Your window for planting is from the start of fall to the start of winter.

See map on page 147. Fall 2014 begins September 23, 10:29pm, EDT. Winter 2014 begins December 21, 6:03pm, EST.

On the cover: Too Fruition page 29

Using your computer, tablet or smartphone: colorblends.com

BY PHONE

1 (888) 847-8637

BY FAX

1 (203) 338-0744

BY MAIL

Colorblends USA 747 Barnum Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06608 See order form on page 150. After October 1st, please place all orders by phone or through our website.

4

Wild Tulips

72

Daffodils for Naturalizing

78

Gold Standard Daffodils

82

Landscape Daffodils

86

Daffodil Blends

94

Double Daffodils Uncommon Daffodils

98 104

Miniature Daffodils

112

Hyacinths

118

Specialty Bulbs

124

Alliums

134

Amaryllis

138

Paperwhites

144

Planting Tools

145

Ordering Information

146

Merry Go Round

What is it about purple and orange? An artist would say that they are opposite each other on the color wheel and therefore complementary. The less technical term used by visitors to the Colorblends trial garden: “Wow!” Introduced 2014

Item No

1246 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$310.00

1443 Blend %

34/33/33

Happy Together

This blend fires on all cylinders. The colors—yellow, orange and mauve-pink—play beautifully together. The synchronicity of bloom is spot on. And the small differences in height and shape provide vitality. What’s not to like? Introduced 2014 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

12cm+ Per 100 20” Per 1000

$35.00 $290.00

colorblends.com

3

Tulip Blends

Colorblends are choreographed displays that will change how you think about tulips. Bulbs come pre-mixed in bags of 100. Just plant in fall, enjoy in spring.

The Rainbow Coalition

Here is one of those color arrangements only tulips can bring.

Orange opens first, then red joins in, and purple closes ranks.

In the end, the three bloom together for as long as a fortnight.

A delicious three-act show! Introduced 1997

4

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1247 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 18� Per 1000

34/33/33 $34.00 $270.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Polka Dots

What is the recipe for a lively spring display? Try this: pure red, pure white, pure yellow. Combine, blend and plant thickly.

Steps 1 and 2 are done. All you have to do is plant and enjoy.

Introduced 2010

Item No Bulb Size Height

1483 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 24” Per 1000

$36.00 $295.00

Torch Song

A white and two yellow tulips, each of which is feathered red.

They recall the “broken” tulips that were the rage during the Tulipmania that gripped the Netherlands in the 17th century.

Easy to see what all the fuss was about. Introduced 2012 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1217 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 22” Per 1000

$37.00 $330.00

colorblends.com

5

Purdy ®

One of those happy-go-lucky Colorblends that turned out well: deep purple, poppy-red and golden yellow. Plant them for a bright splash of color in midseason. Introduced 2001

6

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1237 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 24” Per 1000

34/33/33 $35.00 $260.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

The Crusaders ®

A melee of bishop purple and cardinal red tulips. The two colors invigorate each other, creating a spectacle that is hard to overlook. This Colorblend is a favorite among our customers.

Introduced 1995

Item No Bulb Size Height

1250 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

20” Per 1000

$280.00

Mood Indigo

Royal purple and pure glistening white make a blend that is elegant, serene, dignified, even noble. The strong contrast gets attention without shouting and rewards the eye with its depth and crispness. Introduced 2013 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1242 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

20” Per 1000

$310.00

colorblends.com

7

Stop the Car ®

Flamboyant apricot-orange flowers, touched with yellow at the base, open first. Satiny plum-purple blooms soon join in, creating a remarkable Colorblend that will slow them down.

Introduced 1996

8

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1221 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

18” Per 1000

$270.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Celebration

A blend of yellow, orange-apricot and red Darwin Hybrids.

Like a sunset, the color aspect changes over time: from bright to pastel. A feel-good Colorblend shining out from the border in a wonderful manner. Introduced 1994

Item No Bulb Size Height

1245 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 24� Per 1000

$34.00 $270.00

Hot Hot Hot

Darwin Hybrid tulips are strong, dependable and always create an impact. We blend a fine scarlet-red with a good golden yellow. Excellent for highlights in the border or bold effects in beds, and a great choice for drive-by color. Introduced 1989 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1210 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$32.00

24� Per 1000

$260.00

colorblends.com

9

The Royals ®

A combination of brilliant purple and rich yellow, each color vying for attention. A regal Colorblend with a great range of uses in the garden. Just look at it! Introduced 1990

10

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1205 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

22” Per 1000

$270.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Saffron

A light and lively trio of three Darwin Hybrid tulips. Pure white and butter yellow, which matures to cream, serve as foils for a rich orange that bears subtle yellow markings. They add a touch of spice to the spring landscape. Introduced 2014

Item No Bulb Size Height

1244 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 22" Per 1000

$35.00 $310.00

My Three Suns

A blend of fraternal triplets, each a variation on a beautiful theme. Their perfect harmony of color, shape and timing can be mesmerizing. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself circling their bright spring display. Introduced 2010 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1481 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 24� Per 1000

$34.00 $260.00

colorblends.com

11

Pink Margarita ®

Two of the biggest and boldest of the Darwin Hybrids. They are always the life of the garden party. Use this blend where a strong color accent is desired. Introduced 1995

12

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1234 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

26” Per 1000

$290.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Twin Peeks

A pair of large-flowered tulips that are as vigorous as they are attractive. The pink is a rose that shows red tones. The red is softened by a light frosting. They are perfectly compatible and willing to give repeat performances. Introduced 2013

Item No Bulb Size Height

1232 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$33.00

22� Per 1000

$280.00

Thanks and Praise

Pure white and pure yellow. Nothing could be simpler.

Nothing could be more appealing. If you plant this blend, you have a lot to look forward to. These two can go on for what seems like forever. Introduced 2014 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1248 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$33.00

20� Per 1000

$295.00

colorblends.com

13

Gentle Giants ÂŽ

A blend of four jumbo tulips in shades of pink and peach. They manage to be both robust and delicate at the same time. All have perennial tendencies in the landscape (see page 22 to learn more). Introduced 2009

14

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1517 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 24� Per 1000

25/25/25/25 $37.00 $280.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Much Niceness

This blend looks like something you’d see on the dessert cart at a posh restaurant. The pastry chef has created something light and sweet to tempt you. A pity to take a fork to it. All you want to do is marvel at his exquisite composition. Introduced 2012

Item No

1219 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$37.00

Height

16–20” Per 1000

$315.00

1441 Blend %

34/33/33

Ala Ska

A purple double and a white-and-pink semidouble rub shoulders below a purple lily-flowered tulip that is touched with white at the base. The look is cool and refreshing, like a glacier on a north-facing slope. Introduced 2014 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$320.00

colorblends.com

15

Big Ups ® An inviting blend of strong-growing Darwin Hybrid tulips.

They welcome all viewers with a hello shout. Some companies offer mixtures to unload seconds and leftovers. Big Ups is a carefully choreographed blend of topsize tulips. Their flowers are large, their colors complementary, their vigor impressive.

It’s not unusual for them to repeat their performance for several springs (see page 22 to learn more). Introduced 2005

16

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1264 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 22” Per 1000

8 colors $36.00 $295.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

BIG UPS IN NEW YORK

Tough tulips for tough situations

The Darwin hybrid tulips that make up the Big Ups blend are dependable even in an urban environment, where they have to cope with blustery winds and sudden changes in lighting (full sun one moment, deep shade the next). And where conditions aren’t so difficult? That’s when they really shine.

BIG UPS NEAR CHICAGO FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com

17

Glow Motion ®

A glowing, ever-changing Colorblend of three big, strong tulips in shades of orange and yellow. The colors shift slightly day by day as the flowers mature. The effect, from start to finish, is magic. Introduced 2008

18

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1209 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 22” Per 1000

34/33/33 $35.00 $280.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

White Hot ÂŽ

A dazzling red with a creamy yellow that matures pure white.

Immensely effective in the border because it attracts attention from a distance. White opens first but carries on to overlap perfectly with the red. Introduced 1991 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1225 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

22� Per 1000

$270.00

colorblends.com

19

Lava ÂŽ

A radiant fiery red interplanted with a rich and luscious red-yellow. The warm color of the solid red is repeated in the two-toned variety, giving an overall glowing effect. Seen from far or near they create a sensation. Introduced 1998

20

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1215 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

24� Per 1000

$270.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Above the Cloud

The cloud here is a billowing white double that has green and yellow accents. Above it soar a glowing red with a gold base and a light lemon yellow with fringed petals. Forget the in-flight movie. This is where the action is. Introduced 2014

Item No

1249 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16–22" Per 1000

$295.00

1201 Blend %

34/33/33

Magmatism

There is something irresistible about this warm blend of red, orange and yellow. It draws the eye from a distance and pulls you in for a closer look. And the closer you get, the harder it is to reverse course. Introduced 2011 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

12cm+ Per 100 22� Per 1000

$34.00 $290.00

colorblends.com

21

Perennial Tulips: the straight dope

IT’S A COMMON F RUSTRAT ION: You buy tulip bulbs, plant them in the fall and enjoy a great display in the spring. But the following spring, all you get is a smattering of flowers and maybe a bunch of leaves. “What happened?” you ask yourself.

“Aren’t tulips supposed to come back? My grandmother has tulips that have bloomed every spring for as long as she can remember.

Did I do something wrong?”

PAMPERED BEGINNINGS

More than likely, you are not to blame.

It’s in the nature of tulips. Most are not strong perennializers in the land­­scape. They don’t flower well the second year after planting.

Why don’t tulips come back? The tulip bulbs you buy and plant in the fall have been groomed to bloom.

They were raised in sandy Dutch soil and fertilized in just the right measure.

When they bloomed in the spring, the flowers were cut off soon after they opened to keep them from drawing too much energy from the bulbs. The leaves were allowed to continue to grow for another six weeks in the famously cool Dutch weather. After going dormant in early summer, the bulbs were dug and stored in a climate-controlled warehouse to mimic a long, hot, bone-dry summer in the mountains of Central Asia, which is where most tulips are native.

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SPLITSVILLE USA

All of this TLC yields a high percentage of flowering-size bulbs, including many topsize bulbs, which measure 12 centimeters in circumference or larger. A topsize bulb can’t get bigger, but it will get smaller, typically by splitting into two or more smaller bulbs. Under less-than-perfect garden conditions, when the bulbs split into smaller bulbs, those smaller bulbs may take years to grow to flowering size. Some may also rot due to heavy soil or excess moisture. And so your breathtaking tulip display dwindles to little or nothing.

BUCKING THE ODDS

Despite the obstacles, there are some tulips that are willing (but not guaranteed) to bloom well for more than one year. The best known are the Darwin Hybrids, but other types, such as the Fosterianas, and many of the wild, or species, tulips also have perennial tendencies.

They won’t keep going indefinitely, but it’s possible to get two or three reasonably good displays from them before you feel the need to replant.

You can find a list of these tulips on our website, colorblends.com, under Tulips, along with tips on encouraging perennial behavior.

HONEST TALK

Some bulb companies feature perennial tulips and charge a premium for them. Since repeat performances are never a sure thing, Colorblends avoids making promises the bulbs may not keep.

We’d rather keep our prices wholesale and our information straight.

The Tang Dynasty

A juicy blend of pure white, yellow and apricot-orange tulips.

They will rule your spring display with dignity. Strong growing and can give you a few return years (see facing page to learn more). Introduced 2005 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1262 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 18� Per 1000

$35.00 $270.00

colorblends.com

23

Miss Confection ®

A sweet combination of a strong reddish pink and a creamy yellow that turns pure white. They bloom earlier than most other large tulips, offering a delicious preview of the parade of color to come. Introduced 2006

Item No Bulb Size Height

1270 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$30.00

16” Per 1000

$260.00

Rex Ray

This blend consists of a cream-and-yellow that turns pure white and a clear lemon-yellow. They start early but carry on to finish with the midseason tulips. Both have perennial tendencies (see page 22 to learn more). Introduced 2008

24

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1222 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

18” Per 1000

$260.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Pinkster

Fresh colors for the season of renewal—pink, yellow and white.

These tulips start early, when the weather tends to be cool, and that helps them hold up longer than most. They will put a spring in your step after a long winter. Introduced 2012

Item No Bulb Size Height

1214 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 16” Per 1000

$34.00 $275.00

Quantum Leap

Blends are tulip alchemy. In this case, a variable pink is combined with a double white, and the result is somehow way more interesting than either variety is on its own. Plant it and see for yourself. Introduced 2014 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

1251 Per 25

50/50

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$310.00

colorblends.com

25

& Good Barbecue and Colorblends

Y

ou walk into a popular barbecue restaurant and ask the chef for the sauce recipe.

Do you think he or she will give it to you? It likely took years of testing ingredients and cooking techniques to arrive at just the right balance of flavors. The chef isn’t going to hand over the recipe. The chef just wants you to come in and have a delicious meal.

We realize that blending tulip colors and textures is not rocket science. Nor is it haute cuisine. But coming up with good Colorblends is an endeavor that involves a lot of time and effort, trial and error, failure and success. Experience tells us nine out of ten test blends will fail for one reason or another.

A blend that makes it into the Colorblends catalog has overcome many obstacles. Colorblends strives to ensure that you are happy with every selection you make.

Lately there are large bulb

26

companies that are mimicking or offering to mimic Colorblends.

Some have even photographed Colorblends displays, given them new names and introduced them in their catalogs or websites as their own. Some people would call this flattery; others something much less flattering.

Occasionally, a competitor gets a request for a Colorblend and creates a knockoff blend bearing a Colorblends name. The price may be right, but chances are good the buyer will have an unwelcome surprise in the spring. There are no sauce surprises here. Developing, presenting and delivering winning combinations is what Colorblends is all about.

Our sincere appreciation for your support and patronage.

We will continue to work hard to develop and present new ideas to you. Please look through this catalog and enjoy the original sauce. Colorblends just wants you to have a satisfying spring display.

SIZE Matters In the flowerbulb world, bigger is better.

That’s because large bulbs produce more or larger flowers than small bulbs. When purchasing bulbs, always ask what size bulb you are getting.

Colorblends only delivers size 12cm circumference tulip bulbs or larger. The flowers produced by small bulbs (10–11cm or 11–12cm) will look small next to flowers from 12cm+ tulips. Why go to all the effort of planting only to spoil the end effect by using smaller bulbs? Your savings will be negligible and much of the time and effort spent planting will seem wasted. Larger tulip bulbs simply produce superior plants with more impressive flowers.

COLORBLENDS BULBS

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE

With daffodils, large bulbs will give you 2–3 flower stems in the spring, smaller bulbs just one. The definition of “large” for a daffodil is harder to pin down, because some daffodils naturally make bigger bulbs than others. But given the choice between a 16cm bulb and a 12–14cm bulb, you (or your client) will be happier with the display from the 16cm bulb. The larger bulb appears to be expensive, but it’s actually more economical than a small bulb if you count the flowers you get.

And isn’t the purpose of planting bulbs to have a great spring display with lots of flowers?

Here we show Colorblends tulip and daffodil bulbs next to bulbs obtained from another source.

27

Double Time

Full and fluffy tulips in brilliant red and yellow. Plant the bulbs closely (just a few inches apart) and you will create a vivid carpet of bloom that will dazzle anyone who has the good fortune to see your handiwork. Introduced 1997

28

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1285 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

16� Per 1000

$290.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Too Fruition

Luscious double tulips in red, orange and yellow. They look like a plate filled at the sweet end of the salad bar. Plants are compact and stand up well to wind and rain. Spaced closely, they put on a deliciously vibrant spring show. Introduced 2013

Item No Bulb Size Height

1289 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 16” Per 1000

$36.00 $320.00

Wheels Up

Red and purple lily-flowered tulips take flight over a frothy sea of double yellows. A bold and beautiful blend that is guaranteed to attract notice. The captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. Buckle up! Introduced 2012 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

1207 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$310.00

colorblends.com

29

Petal Pushers ®

Big double tulips in primary colors: red, yellow and purple (standing in for blue). They make a blend that is simple, cheerful and eye-catching. Best in full sun. Introduced 2008

30

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1238 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 18” Per 1000

34/33/33 $36.00 $290.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Martian Spring

Full-bodied purple tulips arch gracefully over a dense mass of rich orange. The juxtaposition of cool and warm is irresistible to the eye, especially on a bright sunny day. Plant the bulbs close together for best effect. Introduced 2012

Item No

1226 Blend %

50/50

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$43.00

Height

14–18” Per 1000

$380.00

1434 Blend %

34/33/33

Sven Ska

A two-story tulip display. Densely petaled doubles in purple and yellow mingle below; a purple lily-flowered tulip floats above. Together they create a chromatic and dynamic feast for the eye. Introduced 2013 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$290.00

colorblends.com

31

Sol Array

Red, yellow-and-red and purple. These big double tulips do more than capture the energy of the sun; they intensify it.

Caution: Prolonged viewing may damage the naked eye.

Protective eyewear recommended. Introduced 2014

Item No Bulb Size Height

1442 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 18� Per 1000

34/33/33 $35.00 $310.00

Chiquita Bordeaux

A carpet of double tulips in bright yellow and silvery purple.

The flowers are very large and densely petaled, much like peonies. Very floriferous and long lasting. Introduced 2001

32

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1283 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

18� Per 1000

$295.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Parrot Blend

Parrot tulips make terrific cut flowers. We placed a bouquet of our three-color blend in the front window of the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, and everyone stopped to see if they were real!

Sensational in the garden, too. Introduced 2005

Item No

1417 Per 25

$23.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$56.00

14” Per 500

$260.00

1293 Blend %

34/33/33

Height

Spangle

Red, white and blue? Not quite—blue is not a color that tulips can do. That’s all right. Red, white and purple is plenty nice enough. These big double blooms create a spring tapestry that will make viewers pay attention. Ten–HUT! Introduced 2009 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

12cm+ Per 100 18” Per 1000

$42.00 $360.00

colorblends.com

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Sultans of Spring ÂŽ

These long and lovely tulips bring royalty to the garden. As cut flowers, they have no rival: Few tulips give as much pleasure as they unfold their beauty in a vase. Whether you cut them or leave them, you will adore them. Introduced 2004

34

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1408 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 30� Per 1000

4 colors $39.00 $350.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Cakewalk ÂŽ

Orchestrating tulip displays is hard. You have to juggle bloom times, heights, shapes and colors. Great ideas on paper are often flops in the landscape. Better to plant Colorblends like this one. Easy, beautiful and foolproof. Introduced 2011 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1403 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 22� Per 1000

$38.00 $295.00

colorblends.com

35

See View Plait ®

Three gorgeous tulips—a silvery pink, a mauve and a purple with a sparkling white edge—interweave in perfect harmony.

They deserve a prominent location where people may stop to admire them. Introduced 2006

Item No Bulb Size Height

1472 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 18” Per 1000

34/33/33 $37.00 $320.00

Pillow Talk

Here a soft rose and a creamy yellow touched with pink are joined to form an irresistibly beautiful combination. Their semi-double flowers open to wide, shallow bowls. Give them pride of place, and plant thickly. Introduced 2000

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C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1464 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$37.00

16” Per 1000

$330.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Hi–Hat

A mauve tulip paired with a white tulip that is stippled and brushed with the very same mauve along the edges of the petals. The synchronicity is uncanny; it’s almost as though one tulip is taking color from the other. Introduced 2013

Item No Bulb Size Height

1431 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$42.00

20” Per 1000

$380.00

Three Queens

Three pinks of regal bearing—a reddish pink touched with white, a soft mauve and a lilac. They light up when the sun hits them. This three of a kind takes the pot. Introduced 2008

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1474 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 20” Per 1000

$37.00 $310.00

colorblends.com

37

Your Imminence

A strong purple blended with a rich rose-pink, both with white accents. The combination seems obvious (“Pink and purple. Of course!”), but that won’t prepare you for the beauty of the music they make together. Introduced 2012

38

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1206 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$33.00

22” Per 1000

$280.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Jacques and Jill ÂŽ

If you were to imagine mauve-pink and orange in combination, you might think twice, but when you see them, you understand how beautifully they work together. These tulips have fantastic color synergy. Introduced 2009 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1525 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

20� Per 1000

$295.00

colorblends.com

39

Maybelline

Here are the elements for a spring makeover: marmalade foundation, popsicle pink blush and ruby lip gloss. This look is striking in the landscape, irresistible in a vase. The blend goes easy on the red because a little is enough. Introduced 2007

Item No Bulb Size Height

1420 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 22� Per 1000

40/40/20 $39.00 $350.00

Mixed Company

Pointed yellow tulips mingle with large goblet-shaped blooms of deep red. A dynamic sight to behold at the end of the tulip season. Introduced 1992

40

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1430 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

20� Per 1000

$360.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Heart

Stately lily-flowered tulips in handsome ivory-white and glowing red. Both carry gently reflexed flowers on tall, sturdy stems. Excellent for cutting. Can be massed in a display bed or planted here and there in a perennial garden. Introduced 2002

Item No Bulb Size Height

1416 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$43.00

22� Per 1000

$370.00

Les Colettes

Multiflowered tulips are prized by florists because each stem is a bouquet. But these prolific bloomers also work wonders in the landscape, where they form a sheet of color so dense you can hardly see foliage, let alone the ground. Introduced 2013 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1440 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 16� Per 1000

$46.00 $390.00

colorblends.com

41

Cool Out

Glistening white lily-like blossoms and dark maroon goblets float above a plush carpet of pink and white peony-shaped doubles. A beautifully choreographed show. Neither words nor photos can do it justice. Introduced 1989

Item No

1401 Blend %

30/30/20/20

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

16–24” Per 1000

$370.00

White On

Ivory oval flowers are complemented by the arching petals of a pure white, lily-shaped tulip. White is the first color to emerge in the morning and the last to be snuffed out at dusk, so this blend is ideal for those who work long hours. Introduced 1998

42

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1410 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$49.00

26” Per 1000

$440.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Strike Me Pink

Most people favor bold colors. Nothing wrong with that, but the broad range of hues in tulips also makes it possible to set a reflective mood. Here a deep maroon and a lavender-pink form a blend that puts both eye and mind at ease. Introduced 1994

Item No Bulb Size Height

1405 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

24� Per 1000

$270.00

Black Tie

Two handsome tulips decked in glistening white and deep, dark maroon carry themselves on tall stems. A rich contrast that will add a stately touch to the border in late spring.

Introduced 2004 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1488 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$41.00

25� Per 1000

$360.00

colorblends.com

43

Carnaval Light and bright, cheerful and happy. These tulips hold a party wherever they are planted and welcome everyone to join in.

You can almost hear the cry of trumpets, the pulsing beat, see the floats and the crowds dancing in the street. Introduced 2013

Item No Bulb Size Height

1439 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 22� Per 1000

34/33/33 $38.00 $330.00

Colorblends: W H AT YO U S E E I S W H AT YO U G ET We know you are busy and don’t have the time to figure out what blooms with what and when. Colorblends does its homework and tests hundreds of blend ideas.

This diligence allows Colorblends to guarantee that the bulbs will flower as described in this catalog and give you satisfying spring displays. Colorblends innovates.

Colorblends tests. Colorblends guarantees.

Thank you for supporting all of this.

THE RAINBOW COALITION PAGE 4

44

Critical Mass ÂŽ

Blending tulips is a little like mixing chemicals. Get it wrong and nothing happens, or maybe too much. Get it right and the colors seem to feed off of each other. This chain reaction of yellow, purplish pink and maroon is all good. Introduced 2007 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1406 Blend %

34/33/33

12cm+ Per 100 24� Per 1000

$37.00 $290.00

colorblends.com

45

PLAN

T I NG TU L I PS I N

We hear the same question from transplanted Northerners and envious Southerners (and Californians): Can I grow tulips here? The answer, more often than not, is “maybe.” Here’s what Sun Belt residents need to consider.

In the pink zone, tulips should be prechilled starting in October and planted in December

ALMOST ALL TULIPS (AND MOST OTHER SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS) NEED A PROLONGED COLD PERIOD TO GROW AND FLOWER WELL.

If they don’t get enough winter cold, they tend to bloom short. The dividing line between enough cold and not enough cold is fuzzy, but in general, bulbs planted in Zones 7b and warmer don’t receive sufficient natural chilling.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SUPPLEMENT WINTER COLD BY PLACING BULBS (DRY, WITH LOTS OF AIR) IN A REFRIGERATOR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD BEFORE PLANTING.

We recommend 8–10 weeks of prechilling, starting in early October.

Customers placing small orders generally elect to prechill the bulbs themselves. Large customers often ask us to do the prechilling. We charge a flat fee of $20 per order for this service. (We advise gardeners in Zones 9 and 10 in the Southeast—coastal Texas and Louisiana and Central and South Florida—to avoid planting tulips entirely, prechilled or not.)

PRECHILLING DOES NOT GUARANTEE A GREAT SPRING SHOW.

Most tulips are native to Central Asia, where springs are long and cool.

Prechilling tricks the bulbs into “thinking” they’ve had a cold winter but does not prepare them for an early March heat wave or a late wintry blast when the flowers are in their prime. To our southern customers we say: “Prechill your bulbs, ensure they have the water they need from planting through bloom and keep your expectations modest. The quality of the display is in nature’s hands.”

PRECHILLED BULBS SHOULD BE TREATED AS ANNUALS.

Most spring-flowering bulbs planted in mild-winter climates will bloom for just one spring. There are only a handful of exceptions (including certain daffodils). For a good display, you must plant fresh bulbs each fall.

For a list of bulbs that perform well in mild-winter climates (with or without prechilling) and more information on the prechilling process, see the Southern Recommended page at colorblends.com.

46

Lipsticks

Large tulips on long stems in fire-engine red and deep rose.

A Colorblend with a great richness of color. Bold and beautiful.

Excellent for large effects. Introduced 2001

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1475 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

20� Per 1000

$295.00

colorblends.com

47

French Blend Rose

This is a stunning blend of large, florist-grade tulips in shades of pink, rose and apricot. Plant these, and next spring you and your friends and neighbors will know the simple pleasure of having a bouquet of home-grown tulips. Introduced 2005

Item No Bulb Size Height

1411 Blend % 12cm+ Per 100 24� Per 1000

5 colors $39.00 $340.00

Sherbet ÂŽ

Soft violet-mauve makes a light and fruity pairing with a pearly pink that gradually turns to apricot-salmon. When the sun hits them, they become even sweeter. Introduced 2002

48

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

1421 Blend %

50/50

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

22" Per 1000

$290.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

French Blend

An all-color mixture of long-stemmed tulips, bright as lantern globes and nearly as large. We suggest you plant them for use in cut flower arrangements. They look great in the garden, too.

Each bag contains at least 8 different varieties. Introduced 2003 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

1414 Blend %

All Colors

12cm+ Per 100 24� Per 1000

$39.00 $360.00

colorblends.com

49

Cubed Tulip Blends

Cubed blends comprise an early, mid and late variety to give you an extended run of spring bloom.

Flowering is sequential, but overlap is common, and welcome.

Red Cubed

A blend of three red tulips that bloom in succession. They provide three overlapping shows in the same space, increasing your pleasure exponentially. Since the bulbs don’t all bloom at once, plant thickly for a full display. Introduced 2006

Item No

1512 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$295.00

1514 Blend %

34/33/33

Yellow Cubed

Three succeeding rounds of yellow tulips. Excellent where a long run of color is needed. Also useful for cutting: When one bouquet fades, another can be harvested. To ensure a full display, plant the bulbs thickly. Introduced 2006

50

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$280.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Pink Cubed ®

Pink to the third power—early, mid and late. The display begins at daffodil time and continues until the alliums start.

Along the way, there is plenty of color and plenty of spring flowers for cutting. Introduced 2008

Item No

1515 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$280.00

1516 Blend %

34/33/33

Red–Yellow Cubed

A three-act circus in one ring. Each pyrotechnic show rolls seamlessly into the next, drawing applause from family members, neighbors and passing motorists, all of whom will be amazed at your horticultural prowess. Introduced 2008 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

Height

15–22” Per 1000

$290.00

colorblends.com

51

White Cubed

A rolling display of three white tulips. Each starts creamy yellow and matures pure white. As with the other cubed blends, it’s best to plant thickly, since flowering comes in waves, one-third at a time. Introduced 2009

Item No

1513 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$350.00

1518 Blend %

34/33/33

Threedom

Three distinct oranges for a dynamic spring show. The vase-shaped early tulip is soft orange. The mid bloomer is a gold and red double that reads as fiery orange. The finale is a lily-flowered tulip in glowing sunset shades. Introduced 2009

52

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

16–20” Per 1000

$310.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Trifecta

A race to bloom that’s never in doubt. Red is always first, followed by yellow, with purple third but by no means last.

This blend of tulips is a sure bet. To ensure a good run, plant the bulbs closely—just 2–3 inches apart. Introduced 2011

Item No

1583 Blend %

34/33/33

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

16–22” Per 1000

$295.00

1581 Blend %

34/33/33

Triathlon ®

There’s a new competition at the beauty pageant next spring: endurance. Yellow starts, then comes soft orange, and red leans across the finish line. Despite the effort that goes into this event, none of these beauties breaks a sweat. Introduced 2011 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

16–20” Per 1000

$290.00

colorblends.com

53

E N T R E E K A A RT

Pay one museum admission, get one free.

Value â‚Ź5 (or same as 2 cups of coffee) Limit 3 per coupon

54

VISITING AMSTERDAM? Learn about the history of the tulip, Holland’s most famous flower, from its origin in the central Asian highlands to its modern-day cultivation in the fields of the Netherlands.

The Amsterdam Tulip Museum is in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam, just a one-minute walk from the Anne Frank House.

The surrounding historic neighborhood is a romantic place, with many museums, antique dealers, art galleries, restaurants and cafes to explore and enjoy. The museum shop sells bulbs to plant, books to educate and craft items to bring the story and beauty of tulips into your daily life.

For more information about the museum, visit amsterdamtulipmuseum.com. For information about visiting the Jordaan district of Amsterdam, go to jordaanweb.com.

S T R E T C H YO U R O T HOW

$100 T O T H E 408

Massage for 1

3 tickets to an MLB baseball game

1 hour

2 tickets to an NBA basketball game

3 hours

2 hours

Dinner for 2, with glasses of wine

1.5 hours

2 hours

1 night at a hotel

14 hours

hours

Some say tulips don’t bloom long enough to justify the cost. Tulips flower an average of 17 days in spring. That’s 408 hours of bloom.

Compared to other recreational activities, tulips are a great value.

21 hours

Approximate Hours of Enjoyment

The $100 tulip value equation

_ $10000

MAX

4th of July fireworks

300 tulip bulbs

1 adult day pass to Disney's Magic Kingdom

A springflowering bulb’s growth cycle S

pring-flowering bulbs have a growth cycle that sets them apart from most other plants. They make roots in the fall, bide their time through winter, emerge and bloom in spring, and go completely dormant in early summer. During their brief period above ground, the plants must store up enough energy to survive their long dormancy (bulbs are very much alive in their dormant state), produce roots, and send up leaves and flowers again the following spring—in that order. That is why it is important to let the leaves die back naturally after bloom. If you cut the leaves early, you force the bulb to make sacrifices—starting with the next spring’s flowers.

55

Tulip Solids

Sometimes a single variety is what you need. Here you’ll find a broad selection of tulips: early to late, short to tall and in almost every color save blue.

Best Red

Vivid poppy-red. A vigorous tulip of strong substance and radiant color that is sure to attract attention from a distance.

One of the best red landscape tulips.

56

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

1501 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$32.00

Height

20� Per 1000

$270.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Best Red–Yellow

A warm red tulip brushed with soft yellow at the margin. When lit by the sun, it sets the spring landscape ablaze. Strong lasting qualities.

Item No

1507 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$32.00

Height

20” Per 1000

$260.00

Best Yellow

A rich golden yellow tulip, impressive both for the size of its flowers and their longevity. Best landscape tulip in its class. It can light up a garden, the entrance to a building, or an entire traffic median.

Item No

1502 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$30.00

Height

20” Per 1000

$260.00

Best Pink

Magnificent, vivid pink flowers on stout stems. Flowers grow to enormous size. Unsurpassed for borders and mass plantings. Strong perennial tendencies. This variety is also known as Pink Impression.

Item No

1505 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

22” Per 1000

$300.00

Best Purple

Satiny deep purple flowers. A strong and dependable garden tulip that’s clearly the best solid purple around. Combines wonderfully with lighter-colored tulips.

Item No

1504 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

Height

18” Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$290.00

colorblends.com

57

Best White

Large flowers open creamy yellow and soon turn pure white, retaining just a touch of yellow at the base.

Strongest white in the world of tulips. In a sunny spot, it can come back and bloom for several springs.

Item No

1506 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$29.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$260.00

Mistress

Except in movies, the other woman is rarely a striking beauty. This mistress is an attractive but understated cool pink. Tall and shapely, she is interesting on her own. In combination, she blends easily, like a member of a chorus.

What does he see in her?

Item No

1130 Per 25

$12.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$30.00

Height

22” Per 1000

$280.00

Aperitif

The name is good: This tulip really does look like something a mixologist would dream up. Lemon juice on the bottom, grenadine layered on top, an unseen spirit floating in between. Tasty, but a sip is not enough. More is better.

Item No

1123 Per 25

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

Height

20” Per 1000

$16.00 $41.00 $365.00

Queen of Night

Queen of Night is as close to black as a tulip is likely to get. It’s actually a very deep maroon. Combines nicely with other late tulips, including Virichic (facing page).

Item No

1500 Per 25

$12.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$32.00

Height

58

24” Per 1000

$270.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Scarlet Baby

Starry red flowers, tinted pink, with a buttery base. They open bright and early in the spring, providing a welcome jolt of color. Scarlet Baby blooms at only half a foot tall, but its intensity makes it seem big.

Item No

1060 Per 25

$12.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$29.00

Height

6” Per 1000

$265.00

Yume no Murasaki A purple lily-flowered tulip that lasts an exceptionally long time, both in the garden and as a cut flower. On sunny days, its petals open wide to reveal a contrasting white base. Combines well with many mid and late tulips.

Item No

1751 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$38.00

Height

22” Per 1000

$340.00

Virichic

An exotic beauty with vase-shaped blooms composed of narrow, wavy petals. They are vibrant pink, with lighter tones, and have a green stripe down the middle. A terrific cut flower—Virichic is worth planting for that purpose alone.

Item No

1658 Per 25

$16.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$38.00

Height

24” Per 1000

$340.00

Semper Máxima

This tulip is the poster child for hybridization. Luscious double blooms of pure white feathered with deep red rise over green foliage enhanced by a white margin. One of the last tulips to flower, but worth the wait.

Item No

1553 Per 25

$18.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$46.00

Height

16” Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$390.00

colorblends.com

59

Big Eartha ®

A spectacular pink tulip, so large and vigorous it’s hard to believe it’s real. As the flowers expand, their sumptuous pink satin slowly deepens to a rich, glowing rose. Can return for several springs (see page 22 to learn more).

60

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

1227 Per 25

$16.00

Bulb Size

14cm+ Per 100

$38.00

Height

25” Per 1000

$340.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Big Red

Large red goblets with a silvery sheen are lifted skyward on thick stems. Where bold is called for, Big Red is an excellent choice. It can dominate a spring landscape.

Item No

1229 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$31.00

Height

26” Per 1000

$260.00

Big Apricot

A sibling of Big Eartha, with a heavy apricot tone. It’s a monster grower with huge, long-lasting flowers. One of the largest Darwin Hybrid tulips available. Makes a big impact in the landscape.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

1228 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$32.00

Height

26” Per 1000

$270.00

colorblends.com

61

Banja Luka

Huge goblets of marigold yellow feathered deep orange-red.

A brilliant and sturdy variety, very showy to say the least.

This tulip is a movie star.

62

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

1239 Per 25

$12.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$30.00

Height

20� Per 1000

$260.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Daydream

Among the wonders of the world of tulips. The flower starts a clear lemon-yellow. As the bloom expands, the color shifts to rich apricot-orange. This changeable flower will give you a reason to wake up in the morning.

Item No

1508 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

Height

20” Per 1000

$280.00

Orange Queen

Orange Queen is a beautiful orange with red tones. Inside, it is touched with yellow at the base. The large flowers literally glow in the sun.

A strong performer.

Item No

1259 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$30.00

Height

20” Per 1000

$270.00

Beauty of Spring

This tulip lives up to its name.

The large flowers are soft yellow, feathered with red along the edges of the petals. Striking whether planted en masse, clustered here and there in a perennial bed or arranged in a vase.

Item No

1302 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$38.00

Height

24” Per 1000

$350.00

American Dream

Ravishing reddish orange blooms with broad strokes of cream on the outside. On sunny days they open wide to reveal a yellow base. If you’re looking to stop traffic, this tulip will do it. Planting a bed of American Dream is like putting up a neon sign.

Item No

1511 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

20” Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$290.00

colorblends.com

63

Flair

Bright red-and-yellow blooms that catch fire in the sun. This tulip has many good characteristics: large flowers, a strong constitution and an exceptionally long bloom time. Starts with the daffodils in early spring and goes on and on.

64

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

1016 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$30.00

Height

15� Per 1000

$270.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Gudoshnik

A remarkable tulip loved for its variegated blooms. The flowers vary from an almost plain creamy peach to a deep rose-red, with all possibilities in between. A wealth of colors that has to be seen to be believed. Gudoshnik means “artist” in Russian.

Item No

1252 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

24” Per 1000

$310.00

Amazon

A planting of this remarkable tulip resembles a flock of tropical birds. The arching orange petals, which look as though they have been dipped in yellow paint, flutter over purple-striped foliage. When the sun hits them, they glow.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

1010 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$35.00

Height

18” Per 1000

$320.00

colorblends.com

65

Akebono

Akebono is a full-figured tulip from Japan. The name means (roughly) “bright sky at daybreak.” The semi-double flowers are big and full, but their pale yellow coloring, often touched with red and green, gives them surprising lightness and grace.

Item No

1310 Per 25

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$49.00

20” Per 500

$220.00

Height

$20.00

Cretaceous

Enormous double blossoms of buttercup-yellow touched with varying amounts of scarlet. In some cases, the markings are so heavy a flower approaches red. How big is “enormous”? Join your hands to make a bowl. They are that big.

66

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

1286 Per 25

$16.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$37.00

Height

18” Per 1000

$300.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Carmen Rio

Semi-double, bright yellow flowers feathered with blood red.

Planted en masse or in small clumps, they yield a beautiful splash of color. Excellent wherever a bold statement is needed.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

1287 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

Height

14� Per 1000

$295.00

colorblends.com

67

Cartouche

A luscious double raspberry red edged with white. Neither the eye nor the camera can resist it. Planted closely, it makes a frothy pool of delectable beauty. You may have to fight the urge to dive in.

68

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

1960 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$36.00

Height

14� Per 1000

$320.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Angélique

Candy for the eye: a double soft pink touched with silver on the edges of the petals. Angélique has frequently been declared one of the most beautiful of all tulips.

Item No

1055 Per 25

$19.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$44.00

Height

15” Per 1000

$390.00

Flaming Purissima

Large white vase-shaped blooms brushed with rose-red. Each flower is different, each flower is beautiful. But mass the bulbs together and you create a display that is truly one of a kind.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

1107 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$38.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$350.00

colorblends.com

69

Maureen

The unrivaled standard in tall, late-season white tulips. The goblet-shaped blooms open creamy yellow and turn ivory-white as they mature. Maureen works equally well in large plantings and intimate flower gardens.

Item No

1620 Per 25

$21.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$52.00

Height

24” Per 1000

$450.00

Menton

Menton is a rich pink with orange highlights that give it a hint of warmth. It looks beautiful on its own and combines easily with any of the other French tulips. Great for cutting, too.

Item No

1619 Per 25

$14.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$34.00

Height

24” Per 1000

$290.00

Roi du Midi

Large, bright yellow goblets on tall stems. The name means “king of the south of France,” and like all the French-type tulips, it performs better in the American south than do most other varieties. Excellent in northern landscapes, too.

Item No

1675 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

24” Per 1000

$360.00

Dordogne

A lovely multicolored tulip that seems to change its hue with the light. Is it pink brushed with orange? Yes. Did I see a hint of yellow in there? Probably. Today it’s salmon. Am I going nuts? No! Relax and enjoy the show.

Item No

1623 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

70

24” Per 1000

$340.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Blushing Lady

Very large yet supremely elegant flowers of pale yellow and rose with orange lights. Their long stems are ideally suited to use in arrangements.

Item No

1556 Per 25

$16.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

30” Per 1000

$350.00

Temple’s Favourite

Huge orange goblets, flushed with purplish pink, nod toward the sun on thick stems. There’s nothing else like them in the world of tulips.

Excellent for cutting.

Item No

1555 Per 25

$16.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$37.00

Height

30” Per 1000

$330.00

El Niño

This tulip is beautifully indecisive.

Its flowers can be amber or orange, or both at the same time, often overlaid with stripes of rose and speckles of red. No two flowers are exactly alike. Plant in quantity to see the full range of possibility.

El Niño can set a bed on fire.

Item No

1701 Per 25

$18.00

Bulb Size

12cm+ Per 100

$42.00

Height

30” Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$390.00

colorblends.com

71

Wild Tulips

The forebears of the big hybrids.

They need sun and good drainage.

Aladdin’s Carpet

Wild tulips fit so easily into informal landscapes that they look as though nature herself planted them. We’ve combined six of these beauties with three muscari and a dwarf daffodil for a colorful, long-running display. Introduced 2006.

Item No Bulb Size Height

6050 Blend % Topsize Per 200 4–10” Per 1000

10 varieties $48.00 $210.00

Tubergen’s Gem

Crimson buds open to yellow stars.

Mass them for a cheery sight that can repeat itself for several years.

Tubergen’s Gem is a selection of Tulipa clusiana, which makes its home in Afghanistan and Tibet.

Item No

1026 Per 100

$22.00

Bulb Size

5–6cm Per 1000

$195.00

Height

8”

Batalinii Bright Gem A low grower and a late bloomer.

The flowers open butterscotch yellow and take on bronze tones with age. Effective among stones or along the edge of a path. The species is native to the Pamir-Alay Mountains of Central Asia.

Item No

1031 Per 100

$20.00

Bulb Size

6cm+ Per 1000

$185.00

Height

72

6”

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Bakeri Lilac Wonder

Showy lilac-pink flowers with deep yellow centers bob in the slightest breeze. Every garden should include at least a hundred of these little beauties. The species is native to the island of Crete.

Item No

1011 Per 100

$22.00

Bulb Size

6–7cm Per 1000

$180.00

Height

8”

Praestans Shogun

Flowers are a beautiful but hard-todescribe color—pumpkin, perhaps, with light red speckles—and are carried several per stem, forming little bouquets. On sunny days, they reveal blue-black stamens. The species can be found in the Gissar Mountains of Tajikistan.

Item No

1036 Per 100

$24.00

Bulb Size

10cm+ Per 1000

$220.00

Height

12”

Turkestanica

Small, sweetly fragrant white flowers with gold eyes borne 4–8 to a stem. Planted thickly, they make a starry mass of bloom that will light up the edge of a flower border or the floor of a shrub planting. Easy to grow and a good stayer. As its name indicates, it is native to Turkestan.

Item No

1024 Per 100

$18.00

Bulb Size

8cm+ Per 1000

$160.00

Height

9”

Humilis Violacea

Red Crocus Tulip. This violet-red gem resembles a crocus but blooms a little later—at daffodil time. Bulbs planted in a sunny location where the soil drains very well can form dense clumps over time. Native to Iran and Turkey.

Item No

1021 Per 100

$24.00

Bulb Size

6–7cm Per 1000

$215.00

Height

6”

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com

73

Linifolia

Flowers open to shining scarlet stars with black hearts. Makes quite a splash in the rock garden.

Also excellent along the edge of a path or a well-drained flower bed.

Central Asia.

Item No

1022 Per 100

$14.00

Bulb Size

5–6cm Per 1000

$130.00

Height

8”

Little Princess

The one-word color description for the flowers is “orange,” but there is a lot more to say. As they develop, you will see two oranges at least, and some red, and inside black markings and a band of yellow.

“Showy” isn’t a color, but that’s the right word for this little tulip.

Item No

1030 Per 100

$29.00

Bulb Size

6–8cm Per 1000

$260.00

Height

4”

Kolpakowskiana

A sturdy wildling with soft yellow flowers brushed with red on the outside of the petals. They make a lemony constellation in the sun.

Planted where it enjoys plenty of sunshine and well-drained soil, this species can come back for several years. Kazakhstan.

Item No Bulb Size Height

1029 Per 100 8–10cm Per 1000

$24.00 $220.00

4”

Tarda

Clusters of yellow star-shaped flowers, edged white. Plant thickly to create a glittering spring carpet.

Given a sunny spot, this little tulip proves most reliable, often blooming year after year. Tien-Shan Mountains, China.

Item No

1025 Per 100

$19.00

Bulb Size

8–9cm Per 1000

$170.00

Height

74

5”

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

SWEDEN

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LATVIA DENMARK LITHUANIA

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RUSSIA

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MACEDONIA ALBANIA

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QATAR SAUDI ARABIA U.A.E. OMAN NIGER SUDAN CHAD

Where do tulips come from?

ERITREA

YEMEN

ost people associate tulips with Holland, but they didn’t originate there. Some species are indigenous to Turkey, where they have been cultivated and venerated for centuries, but the majority hail from the forbidding mountainous regions of central Asia, where they can still be found growing wild today. They may look small next to today’s big hybrids, but you have to admire their beauty and tenacity.

You’ll find a sampling of wild tulips and near-relatives at left and on pages 72–73.

75

Fields of If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit the Netherlands during tulip time, you should put it near the top of your bucket list. The riot of colors that stripe the fields has to be seen to be believed. For the Colorblenders, this is the paint store, the apparently limitless variety from which the best must be selected for American landscapes. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it!

Daffodils for Naturalizing

The daffodils on these pages are selected for their vigor and naturalizing capabilities. Their hefty bulbs will produce 2 or more flowers the first spring.

The Gold Shoulder ÂŽ

A blend of hardy, dependable daffodils, one yellow, one white.

Both have strong perennial behavior. Given half a day of sun or more and well-drained soil, the bulbs often increase their number, forming thick clumps that bear many flowers.

Excellent for landscaping and low-maintenance plantings.

Introduced 1997 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

78

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3065 Per 100

$49.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 1000

$480.00

16� Per 5000

$2250.00

Height

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

“I just had to let you know how fantastic the Spring Loaded blend I bought from you three years ago is. I planted 1000 bulbs and, despite neglect, they continue to thrive and increase.

What a variety of forms and colors! I have fallen in love with varieties that I thought I wouldn’t like—there’s not one that isn’t beautiful in its own way.”

—POLLY G., NORTH PLAINS, OR

Spring Loaded ®

This mixture makes planting daffodils on a large scale very economical, with no compromise in bulb size. It contains at least 20 proven named varieties, covering the full spectrum of daffodil colors and bloom times. These time-tested beauties will provide a succession of flowers for many springs to come.

Introduced 2000 DEER AND RODENT PROOF FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3076 Per 100

$49.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 1000

$440.00

Height

12–18” Per 5000

$2050.00

colorblends.com

79

The Daffodil 100

This is a veritable encyclopedia of daffodils, drawn from the largest collection in Holland. Each bag of 100 bulbs contains at least 85 varieties—all of them large- and medium-size daffodils that are strong growers. If you plant a good quantity of this blend, you’ll have century-old varieties standing next to the latest American and English hybrids. There are no better ambassadors to the wide world of daffodils. Introduced 2003 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

80

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3100 Per 100

$55.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 1000

$480.00

Height

12–18” Per 5000

$2300.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

THE DAFFODIL 100 GROWING FIELDS IN NORTH HOLLAND

Daffodils: pretty tough flowers

All daffodils are deer, elk, moose and rodent proof. If you plant them in the fall where they will get 6 hours of direct sun each day for at least 8 weeks after they flower in the spring and you let the foliage turn yellow before you cut it, daffodils will come back year after year.

A LANDSCAPE PLANTING OF THE DAFFODIL 100 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com

81

nce upon a time, there

was a golden trumpet daffodil named King Alfred. It became so popular that people came to think of it as the golden trumpet. King Alfred was soon superseded by other varieties that grew better and had larger and arguably more attractive flowers, but demand for King Alfred, based mostly on name recognition, persisted even as production steadily declined.

Today, people still ask for King Alfred, and sometimes they get it—or think they’ve

gotten it: Bulbs bearing the name King Alfred are almost always those of another variety.

King Alfred was a great daffodil in its time, but current production is almost zero.

For those seeking an all-gold daffodil today, we offer not one but four great candidates: Rijnveld’s Early Sensation (below), Marieke (facing page), and Golden Harvest and Carlton (page 84). They are the current gold standard-bearers.

The Gold Standard seal identifies the best of today’s all-yellow daffodils.

Rijnveld’s Early Sensation

The earliest trumpet daffodil: It often blooms with the crocuses. The petals are a soft yellow, the trumpets gold.

Excellent for naturalizing. Plant it, and you’ll be first in the neighborhood to have daffodils in bloom. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

82

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

3027 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 14” Per 1000

$23.00 $54.00 $480.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Marieke

Here is a golden yellow daffodil that is sure to replace many older varieties. Its large flowers are beautifully proportioned, graceful despite their size, nicely scented and very long lasting.

The name is pronounced mar–EE–keh. DEER AND RODENT PROOF FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3010 Per 25

$24.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$65.00

Height

18” Per 1000

$600.00

colorblends.com

83

Golden Harvest

Golden Harvest is an old-timer (almost 100 years old) but still an incredible daffodil. Vigorous and long lasting. The bright yellow daffodils that you see along the roadside are often Golden Harvest. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3560 Per 25

$22.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$550.00

Carlton

A two-tone yellow daffodil with a strong perennial nature. Soft yellow petals encircle a large, frilly, golden yellow cup. Carlton is a splendid multiplier that also does well in the South.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

84

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3006 Per 25

$22.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

15” Per 1000

$490.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Roadside Yellow

TM

You know that spring has arrived when yellow daffodils light up the highways and streetscapes. Here’s a great way to participate in this annual fiesta. Bulbs are packed in bulk and priced accordingly. DEER AND RODENT PROOF FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

3737 Per 250

$110.00

14–16cm Per 1000

$390.00

16” Per 5000

$1860.00

colorblends.com

85

Landscape Favorites

These daffodils, along with the traditional yellows, form the backbone of a landscape planting.

They are big and showy, and most are priced for volume purchases.

Pink Charm

White flowers with wide cups that look as though they were dipped in apricot nectar. Pink Charm is a great natural­izer. It’s also very adaptable: It grows well almost everywhere and is the best pink cup for the Deep South. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

86

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3053 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

18” Per 1000

$20.00 $49.00 $470.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Ice Follies

Very large, silvery white flowers with a wide lemon-yellow cup that turns ivory as the flowers mature. One of the strongest growers ever and great for naturalizing, North and South.

We call it “Nice Follies.” DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3040 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

18” Per 1000

$20.00 $49.00 $470.00

Delibes

Beautiful primrose-yellow flowers with a large, shallow cup that shades to orange at the mouth. A reliable perennial and a strong multiplier. Delibes is easy to like. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3042 Per 25

$24.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$580.00

colorblends.com

87

Pay Day

Most trumpet daffodils are early bloomers. Pay Day extends the season by blooming much later, after most other trumpets are done. It’s also a handsome flower and an excellent landscape daffodil. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3309 Per 25

$24.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$55.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$520.00

Accent

Accent was a major breakthrough when it was introduced over 50 years ago. Many other pink cups have since come and gone, a testament to Accent’s enduring appeal and value in the landscape. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

88

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3057 Per 25

$22.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$49.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$470.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Pimpernel

Light yellow with a large tangerine cup. Pimpernel has an iron constitution and will thrive in most situations. A big, showy landscape daffodil that is also excellent for naturalizing.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3059 Per 25

$27.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$69.00

Height

18� Per 1000

$610.00

Las Vegas

A giant bicolor with a frilled, lemon-yellow trumpet that is surrounded by creamy white petals. The size and bright colors of this daffodil make it stand out in the landscape.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3011 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$79.00

18� Per 500

$380.00

Height

$26.00

colorblends.com

89

Mount Hood

Mount Hood has been around since the 1930s but remains the best known and most widely grown of the all-white trumpet daffodils. The flowers open creamy yellow and mature an even bright white. A landscape staple. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3302 Per 25

$21.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$550.00

Merels Favourite

A recent introduction with creamy white petals and a warm yellow cup. The flowers are large, the color contrast striking.

A large planting of this showy daffodil will light up your spring landscape. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

90

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3615 Per 25

$27.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$67.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$610.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Thalia

Nodding pure white flowers, usually 2–3 per stem, with narrow petals and a delicate cup. They have a light, feathery quality. Excellent for massing at the edge of woods or in a shrub border. Also grows well in the Deep South. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3015 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 14” Per 1000

$15.00 $39.00 $360.00

Barrett Browning

The petals are pure white, the cups a rich orange-red. Barrett Browning is very free-flowering and early, and one of the best for naturalizing.

Performs well everywhere—even in the Coastal South.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3052 Per 25

$23.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$550.00

Misty Glen

White blooms with a touch of green deep inside the cup. They shine in the landscape and glow in a vase.

Like most white daffodils, Misty Glen blooms relatively late, often overlapping with midseason tulips.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3096 Per 25

$25.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$69.00

Height

16" Per 1000

$650.00

Brackenhurst

Rich yellow petals encircle a dainty cup of intense orange. Excellent for mass planting: Brackenhurst is very showy, even at a distance. Good perennial, too. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3060 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

16” Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$25.00 $67.00 $590.00

colorblends.com

91

Fragrant Rose

Fragrant Rose has won many prizes on the show benches of daffodil societies all over the world. As its name suggests, it has, with some imagination, the fragrance of a rose. An easy-to-grow, strong sturdy daffodil. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3540 Per 25

$21.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$52.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$480.00

Professor Einstein

Pure white petals set off a broad, flat cup of rich reddish orange that ripens in the sun to a light pumpkin that verges on amber. The professor is almost 60 years old but remains one of the best perennials we know. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

92

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3531 Per 25

$25.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$62.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$590.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Actaea

Sweetly scented, snow-white flowers with scalloped petals and a small flat eye of yellow, edged bright red. Actaea is one of the last daffodils to flower and one of the best for naturalizing.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3017 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

16” Per 1000

$26.00 $75.00 $650.00

Stainless

The acme of all-white daffodils. It has beautifully formed, lightly scented flowers of crisp uniform whiteness. Stands out brightly in the landscape. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3055 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$91.00

18” Per 500

$440.00

Height

$33.00

colorblends.com

93

Daffodil Blends

Blending daffodils is even more challenging than blending tulips, but when you come up with a winning combination, it’s worth all the trouble.

Sunshine Boys

A combination of two good bright-colored landscape daffodils that are as durable as they are attractive. Happy Spring to all who plant these stalwart friends. Introduced 2005 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

94

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3750 Per 25

$24.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$550.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

3D

This blend of three yellow trumpet daffodils starts the season early and keeps the show rolling, providing a succession of flowers over several weeks. Plant the bulbs closely to ensure a dense display. Introduced 2009 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3715 Blend %

34/33/33

14–16cm Per 100 12–16” Per 1000

$64.00 $560.00

Pink and Lemon

Here is a pair of soft-colored daffodils that play well together.

They are easy on the eye and enduring in the landscape.

Introduced 1998 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3054 Per 25

$22.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$560.00

colorblends.com

95

Evan Scent

Jonquils offer fragrance as well as beauty. When you walk by or bring your nose near, you pick up a sweet perfume. This is a blend of four varieties that complement each other nicely and smell great. Introduced 2008 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

To get the most from follow these 4 basic rules Daffodils want to be perennial.

All they need is a little help from you.

1

Plant them where they will get at least six hours of direct sunlight—even after the trees have leafed out. Daffodils must have lots of sun after they bloom to produce the following year’s flowers.

2

Plant them in soil that drains well. Avoid areas where water stands after a rain storm.

96

3

Fertilize very lightly with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, preferably organic, just as the shoots emerge in early spring.

4

After daffodils flower, wait at least 8 weeks— until the leaves turn yellow—before cutting them. Never tie or braid foliage. This year’s leaves = next year’s flowers.

3710 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 12–16” Per 1000

$16.00 $46.00 $395.00

Gritty Southern Daff Blend

This blend is made up of 10 varieties that grow and bloom well in the Deep South, where many daffodils struggle. They thrive despite heat and humidity, and tolerate heavy soil. Also good in Southern California. Introduced 2011 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3761 Per 100

$49.00

12–16cm Per 1000

$470.00

12–18” Per 5000

$2250.00

Funhouse

A blend of two daffodils that do very different things with similar colors and form. They make an interesting and very dynamic duo. Introduced 2012 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

3701 Per 25

$25.00

14–16cm Per 100 16” Per 1000

$67.00 $570.00

colorblends.com

97

Double Daffodils

A double daffodil is much more than a single with extra petals.

Each bloom is a marvel of floral architecture. You’ll want to cut a few, or a bouquet, for closer study.

Tahiti

Fully double flowers of soft yellow accented by tufts of coppery orange. They stand like torches on strong stems. Tahiti is a favorite among commercial growers in Holland because it grows and flowers so well. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

98

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3056 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

14” Per 1000

$25.00 $67.00 $590.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Oh Pairs

This pair of double daffodils provides a lot of bang for the buck.

Both are vigorous growers that like to come back year after year, and both make large, long-lasting flowers. They look terrific together, too. Introduced 2008 DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3757 Per 25

$25.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$63.00

Height

14” Per 1000

$570.00

Flower Parade

Double white blooms with bright orange petals in the center.

Flower Parade is a child of Tahiti (facing page) and exhibits the same vigor and staying power in the landscape. Also makes a beautiful spring bouquet. DEER AND RODENT PROOF FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3083 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

14” Per 1000

$28.00 $76.00 $690.00

colorblends.com

99

Queen’s Day

A double yellow named for the Dutch holiday that was long celebrated on April 30. (Now that the Dutch have a king, they celebrate King’s Day—on his birthday, April 27.) A beautiful, perhaps even regal daffodil. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3081 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$79.00

16” Per 500

$380.00

Height

$29.00

Sir Winston Churchill

A double sport of Geranium (page 110), with the fragrance to prove it. Each stem bears clusters of 3–5 white flowers with flecks of orange in the middle. Their scent is fresh and sweet.

Great for cutting. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

100

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

3512 Per 25

$22.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$59.00

Height

18" Per 1000

$540.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Delnashaugh

Double creamy white petals enriched by fluffy peach-pink segments. An uncommon and delicious daffodil. It’s also fragrant, vigorous and long-lasting.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3051 Per 25

$22.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$62.00

Height

16" Per 1000

$540.00

Acropolis

Beautifully constructed, glistening white flowers with orange-red segments nestled in the center.

They are carried well above the foliage for easy viewing. Lovely in the garden and terrific in a vase, which also allows ready access to its spicy scent. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3805 Per 25

$31.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$79.00

18” Per 500

$360.00

Height

White Lion

White Lion has white petals interspersed with crepe-like ribbons of soft yellow (the lion’s mane, perhaps). It is an old-timer that continues to be grown because, well, it likes to grow. An attractive and enduring landscape daffodil.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3806 Per 25

$24.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$60.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$560.00

Ice King

Ice King is a sport of Ice Follies (page 87), and if you squint, you can see the kinship. White perianth with a pleated yellow collar and an explosion of lemony petals in the center. The yellow turns to ivory as the flower matures.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3037 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

16" Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$20.00 $52.00 $470.00

colorblends.com 101

Cheerfulness

Each stem bears clusters of 3–4 double, creamy white, very fragrant blooms. This vigorous heirloom (it’s been around since at least 1923) flowers late in the daffodil season.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3023 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 15" Per 1000

$17.00 $44.00 $420.00

Yellow Cheerfulness Cheerfulness in soft yellow. Like her paler sister, she is richly perfumed and multiplies easily.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3024 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 15" Per 1000

$17.00 $48.00 $450.00

Double Smiles

Double yellow blooms open two or three to a stem, making bright spring corsages. A sweet fragrance adds to their charm. Even if you’re not inclined to wear them, you’ll want to cut and bring a few indoors.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3802 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 12" Per 1000

$15.00 $39.00 $370.00

Manly

Yellow buds open to large (up to 3 inches across), double, pale yellow blooms with yellow-orange corona segments. The pale yellow soon turns creamy white. The stems are strong, the flowers long lasting.

Manly is impressive.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3089 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

Height

102

14” Per 1000

$29.00 $72.00 $660.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

FINGERSPITZENGEFÜHL

WE WILL SHIP NO FLOWERBULB BEFORE ITS TIME Fingerspitzengefühl is a German expression that means having a feeling about how something has to be done. Dutch bulb growers use this expression to decide when flowerbulbs are ready to be harvested and shipped.

Y

ou cannot predict when bulbs will be ready for digging and shipping, but if you know just by feeling that the time is right, you call it “fingerspitzengefühl,” which means literally “the feeling in the tips of your fingers.”

Bulbs in general, and especially daffodils, need to mature after harvesting. Harvest time for daffodils is late July or early August.

The bulbs are dug by machine and dropped on the soil. The wind and sun can then dry them out in the open, fresh air. The daffodils need to lose more than 20 percent of their water weight before the end of August. If they are left in the open for at least two weeks, much of the drying will be done naturally. The rest of the drying takes place in a warehouse in large “kuubskisten” (wooden boxes).

THE TYRANNY OF THE CALENDAR

The problem is that bulb growers are being forced to harvest and ship daffodils too early. Why? The exporters in the Netherlands want to take delivery of the bulbs before August 10 and sometimes before August 5. The exporters want them early because they want to ship daffodils with their other bulbs (tulips, crocuses, etc.) to the United States as early as possible.

Why so early? Their customers in the United States, the buyers for the large discount stores, demand that bulbs be delivered by late August.

That way the bulbs are on display for an extra two weeks. The negative early spiral continues when the local garden center owner, who usually knows better, feels forced to have his bulbs delivered early for competitive reasons.

EXCESS MOISTURE SPELLS TROUBLE

If you honor this schedule, it is impossible to give daffodils a proper drying. You have to take the bulbs from the field within a week after digging them. The moisture in the bulbs has much more difficulty escaping during the grading, packing and shipping process.

Or it doesn’t come out at all.

The result is daffodils that are not mature. They will be stored and shipped in an environment with higher humidity because of the moisture they continue to release.

This humidity provides an ideal environment for all kinds of fungus to grow and damage the bulbs.

How much moisture are we talking about? 100,000 doublenose daffodil bulbs weigh about 22,000 pounds. If they need to lose another 10 percent of their weight after packing, we are talking about 2,200 pounds (263 gallons) of water per 100,000 daffodils. That is a lot of extra moisture that is trapped in the packages.

FIRST: DO NO HARM

The bulb industry is not collectively strong enough to “just say wait.”

But at Colorblends, we won’t start delivery until the first day of Fall, around September 22.

We may lose business because of this policy. Having a customer tell us to deliver early, when the bulbs are not ready and temperatures are still too warm, is not an option. It would be like telling a winemaker to harvest his grapes early so the bottles can be on the shelf a little sooner. With agriculture and nature, you need patience. You can’t tell a flowerbulb when it is ready. The flowerbulb tells the grower. Usually through the fingers.

103

Uncommon Daffodils

For most people, a daffodil is a yellow trumpet, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Warning!

Proceed with caution. Daffodils can become a lifelong passion.

Golden Echo

A recently introduced jonquil with white petals and elongated golden cups. The gold seeps into the petals to give a halo effect (the echo in the name). Flowers are often borne 2 per stem and are long lasting and very fragrant. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

104

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

3555 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 16� Per 1000

$19.00 $42.00 $390.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Pistachio

A remarkably beautiful flower. The petals are a light greenish yellow, the trumpet creamy white with a soft yellow rim. In gentle morning or evening light, the flowers glow.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3568 Per 25

$34.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$89.00

16” Per 500

$430.00

Height

Goose Green

White petals frame a small cup of green ringed with yellow and red. This variety is often seen at daffodil shows, but it’s also a strong performer in the landscape. The flowers have a spicy-sweet scent. DEER AND RODENT PROOF FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

3519 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$75.00

16” Per 500

$360.00

Height

$25.00

colorblends.com 105

Avalon

Avalon is what daffodil experts call a reverse bicolor. Its flowers are yellow with a white cup, rather than the other way around. The white grows brighter as the flowers age.

An interesting and appealing look.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3606 Per 25

$28.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$69.00

Height

16” Per 1000

$640.00

Bravoure

Beautifully proportioned flowers composed of a pure white perianth and a long, narrow trumpet that bears a certain resemblance to Abraham Lincoln’s famous stovepipe hat. Great for cutting, striking in the landscape.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3564 Per 25

$25.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$68.00

16" Per 500

$330.00

Height

Sovereign

Sovereign is a showy split corona with a broad, ruffled collar of yellow-orange that almost obscures the white petals. For people who equate “daffodil” with the yellow trumpets of early spring, it is an eye-opener to say the least.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3600 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$75.00

16" Per 500

$350.00

Height

$30.00

Precocious

Precocious is a great Americanbred hybrid with the best pink color to date. It has won several prizes at the Keukenhof display garden in Holland. And like most pink daffodils, it’s also a vigorous grower.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3580 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$73.00

18" Per 500

$350.00

Height

106

$29.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Cassata

Cassata is a showy daffodil that’s perfect for the border and looks great in broad sweeps. Its split cup is bright yellow when the flower opens, turning softer with age. A different and attractive look for early spring. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3520 Per 25

$25.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$69.00

Height

14” Per 1000

$640.00

Sea Princess

Broad, pure white petals, laid neatly three over three, form large, flat, round flowers. In the center is a dainty, pale yellow cup. “Exquisite” says it all. If you believe in love at first sight, plant Sea Princess and prepare to be swept away.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3930 Per 25

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$79.00

16” Per 500

$360.00

Height

$32.00

Fidelity

Soft yellow petals set off a trumpet of equally soft peach. This combination of colors is much sought-after among daffodil aficionados. Shows best where it receives protection from the intense rays of the afternoon sun.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3316 Per 25

$25.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$68.00

Height

16" Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$620.00

colorblends.com 107

Poeticus Recurvus

Pheasant’s Eye. Breeders have done amazing things with daffodils over the past century, but it would be hard to improve on this wildflower. Graceful, reflexed white petals. Yellow cup ringed with red. Spicy scent. Lovely. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3402 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 14” Per 1000

$18.00 $49.00 $450.00

Tripartite

An exotic butterfly-like beauty that bears clusters of 2–3 yellow flowers per stem. The broad-flaring split cup is a deeper yellow than the petals, giving the flowers a nice two-tone look.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

108

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

3039 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 12” Per 1000

$14.00 $36.00 $290.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Alaska

Each bulb of this floriferous daffodil bears multiple stems and each stem bears multiple white flowers. They shine brightly, even on cloudy days, and last a long time in the landscape.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3203 Per 25 12–14cm Per 100 14” Per 1000

$16.00 $45.00 $390.00

Radar Love

A brand-new and very cute split corona daffodil. Each stem carries two showy flowers composed of a pleated and ruffled “dish” and white petals. Hard to know whether it’s sending or receiving, but the vibrations are all good.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3903 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 14” Per 1000

$26.00 $67.00 $580.00

Rapture

Rapture looks like a falcon diving after prey, its petals blown back as it streaks across the sky. A bulb makes several flowers the first spring and can make many more in springs to come, creating whole flocks of graceful golden raptors.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3532 Per 25 12–14cm Per 100 12” Per 1000

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$16.00 $43.00 $390.00

colorblends.com 109

Geranium

A multiflowered daffodil that bears 2–6 deliciously fragrant blossoms per stem. Petals are white, the tiny cups orange. An oldtime favorite that also performs well in the South.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3048 Per 25

$21.00

Bulb Size

16cm+ Per 100

$56.00

Height

18" Per 1000

$490.00

Falconet

Sweetly scented, clear yellow flowers with orange cups cluster 3–7 on a stem. Since a bulb typically produces 4 stems, a planting of 25 bulbs can yield 450 flowers or more.

That’s a lot of fragrance.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3058 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 18" Per 1000

$14.00 $33.00 $280.00

Avalanche

A very old (100+ years) daffodil that is still valued for its strong scent and sheer abundance of bloom: Each stem from an established bulb bears as many as 20 flowers. Thrives in the South and on the West Coast, but can’t take northern winters.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3018 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 18" Per 1000

$22.00 $49.00 $460.00

Pipit

A fragrant jonquil with 2–3 soft yellow flowers per stem. The cup matures to pure white. Brings a soft and cool elegance to the spring garden. It’s also widely adapted: Grows well North and South.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

110

3043 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100 15” Per 1000

$17.00 $42.00 $380.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Kedron

Kedron calls attention to itself, drawing first the eye and then the nose. The petals are an unusual and lovely apricot-yellow.

They frame a small, rich orange cup. Close inspection reveals the heavenly jonquil scent. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size

3549 Per 25 14–16cm Per 100

Height

14” Per 1000

$16.00 $41.00 $360.00

Switchboard

Iridescent, electric blue muscari spikes, which darken toward the bottom, in front of clusters of very fragrant yellow jonquils.

A great contrast planting. Order each separately.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

DAFFODIL QUAIL Item No Bulb Size

MUSCARI 3041

14–16cm

Item No

6003

Bulb Size

7–8cm

Height

14”

Height

6”

Per 100

$30.00

Per 100

$15.00

Per 1000

$275.00

Per 1000

$120.00

colorblends.com 111

Miniatures

Miniature daffodils are adorable, and a great choice for tight spaces.

Tête–à–Tête

This beautiful little daffodil carries 1–3 bright yellow flowers per stem. It is very early and valuable for edging a formal bed or brightening a perennial border. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3021 Per 100 12–14cm Per 1000

$27.00 $220.00

7”

Minnow

This little daffodil is one of the delights of spring. It offers at least a pair of bright, cream-and-yellow flowers per stem. The flowers are hardly bigger than a quarter, but somehow they jump out at the eye and raise a smile. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

112

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

3047 Per 100 10–12cm Per 1000

$19.00 $170.00

8” TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Topolino

A miniature that bears bicolor flowers of creamy white and yellow on stems not much more than 6 inches tall. It looks like a standard trumpet daffodil that shrank in the wash. Excellent in a rock garden or along the edge of a perennial bed.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3620 Per 100

$26.00

Bulb Size

9cm+ Per 1000

$250.00

Height

6”

Hawera

A tiny lemon-yellow daffodil that makes up for its size by producing 6–8 flowers on each stem. Use it along a path, at the front of a border, in a rock garden. Planted in a sunny spot, it can last for many years.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3044 Per 100 10–12cm Per 1000

$22.00 $205.00

8"

W.P. Milner

An heirloom (it was first grown before 1869) with nodding blooms that open soft yellow and mature creamy white. It has a natural, almost wild look that suits it to massing around shrubs or along the edges of a groomed landscape.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3542 Per 100 10–12cm Per 1000

$32.00 $280.00

7"

Sun Disc

A miniature and a late bloomer, with soft yellow, circular flowers that feature a flat golden cup. It is a jonquil and has the sweet fragrance and grass-like foliage of its kin.

Looks great planted in bunches near rocks or along a walk.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3202 Per 100 12–14cm Per 1000

$27.00 $240.00

10"

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 113

Jetfire

Reflexed golden yellow flowers with narrow terra cotta–orange cups.

Jetfire is small but prolific. It’s also a strong perennial that can be relied on year after year. Looks great planted in large groups in beds, borders and wild areas.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3046 Per 100 14–16cm Per 1000

$29.00 $270.00

10"

Double Campernelle This unusual fragrant daffodil bears 2–3 small, yellow, fluffy double flowers per stem above narrow, erect foliage. Give it a spot all its own to show its delicate charm to best advantage. Also known to be a good southern daffodil.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3038 Per 100 10–12cm Per 1000

$29.00 $270.00

10"

Baby Boomer

A great name for a great little daffodil. Baby Boomer is a cross between Avalanche (page 110) and Narcissus jonquilla, which means lots of flowers (5–10 per stem) and lots of fragrance. Plant closely for best effect. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No Bulb Size Height

3544 Per 100 12–14cm Per 1000

$39.00 $340.00

8"

Obvallaris

Tenby Daffodil. Obvallaris is a cute little golden trumpet that can still be found growing wild along the coast of Wales. Fits just right where space is tight. Grows well in the north and as far south as Tallahassee.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

3028 Per 25

$15.00

Bulb Size

10cm+ Per 100

$39.00

Height

114

10" Per 1000

$360.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Hakari

A charming dwarf tulip combined with the multiflowered miniature daffodil Hawera. Perfect for the front of the border or the rock garden. Use them generously for a darling picture that can repeat itself for many years. Order each separately.

DAFFODIL HAWERA

TULIP PINK

Item No

Item No

Bulb Size

3044 10–12cm

Bulb Size

1011 6–7cm

Height

8”

Height

8”

Per 100

$22.00

Per 100

$22.00

Per 1000

$205.00

Per 1000

$180.00

Liberty

The white petals and pale yellow cups of the sweetly scented, vertically challenged jonquil named Sailboat are set off perfectly by the true blue spikes of muscari. A very cute couple. Order each separately.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

DAFFODIL SAILBOAT

MUSCARI

Item No

Item No

6005

Bulb Size

10cm+

Bulb Size

3595 12–14cm

Height

10”

Height

6”

Per 100

$39.00

Per 100

$16.00

Per 1000

$350.00

Per 1000

$130.00

colorblends.com 115

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11

12

14

15

The Bulb Grower’s Year 1 October: Planting 2 November: Putting on winter cover 3 March–April: Crop inspection 4 April–May: Cutting flowers 5 May–June: Bulbs growing 6 July: Digging 7 July–August: Grading by size; 8 drying and curing 9 August: Bulbs ready for packing 10 August–September: Checking and packing; 11 crates ready for export; 12 export inspection by USDA; 13 loading "reefer" container; 14 container being hoisted aboard ship in Rotterdam 15 September–December: Schippercrates ready to be shipped.

116

4 BULB MYTHS

BUSTED

The Black Tulip There are no black tulips, though a few varieties come pretty close. They look black on a cloudy day, but with the sun behind them they show their true color: eggplant.

We carry Queen of Night (page 58). It adds depth to bright colors.

Pink-Cupped Daffodils In daffodils, “pink” is a relative term. Some catalogs and websites show daffodils with clear pink or even blue-pink cups, but what you see in your garden is salmon or apricot or peach. Yes, it’s pink compared to the usual daffodil colors (yellow, white and orange) and it’s beautiful, but baby pink it’s not.

The Blue Tulip There is no such thing as a blue tulip.

You’ll find tulips described and pictured as blue in catalogs and on the web, but when spring comes, the blue you longed for will be just another (lovely) shade of lilac, violet or plain old purple. Despite the evergrowing range of tulip colors, blue is still just a hybridizer’s dream.

You Can Plant Tulips at Any Time of Year All spring-flowering bulbs make roots in the fall, grow and flower in the spring, and then go dormant in summer. The only time to plant them is in the fall (September to December), when the soil has cooled down. If someone has leftover bulbs for sale in spring or early summer, beware: chances are good the bulbs are dry and dead, and even if somehow they are still alive, they are unlikely to flower properly.

117

Hyacinths

After breathing stale indoor air all winter, nothing beats the sweet scent of hyacinths. But wear gloves when handling the bulbs in the fall.

They can make you itch!

Étouffée

A mélange of four hyacinths in pastel shades. They are easy on the eye, and their sweet perfume is the toast of spring. In much of the country, hyacinths provide the first real fragrance of the year. No garden should be without them. Introduced 2007

118

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

4052 Per 25

$20.00

16–17cm Per 100

$65.00

10” Per 500

$310.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Blue Jacket

Perhaps the most useful of all the hyacinths, because its deep blue hue blends easily with almost any color in the spectrum.

Combines especially well with yellow daffodils, which bloom at about the same time. Smells as good as it looks.

Item No Bulb Size Height

4049 Per 25

$18.00

16–17cm Per 100

$62.00

10” Per 500

$290.00

Fondant

Large heads of clear pink flowers with a white edge emerge from tufts of thick foliage. A refreshing sight after a long winter. The sweet scent floats easily from bloom to nose on a light spring breeze.

Item No Bulb Size Height

4050 Per 25

$17.00

16–17cm Per 100

$60.00

10" Per 500

$290.00

Carnegie

White hyacinths shine at dawn and dusk and on cloudy days, and they go well with most other hyacinth colors. Their scent is just what you want after a long winter: strong, sweet, refreshing.

Item No Bulb Size Height

4047 Per 25

$17.00

16–17cm Per 100

$60.00

10" Per 500

$290.00

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 119

Purple Sensation

Dense clusters of fragrant, rich purple blooms on thick stems. No need to stoop to detect the scent of a hyacinth; it comes to you.

Item No Bulb Size

4048 Per 25

$19.00

16–17cm Per 100

$63.00

10" Per 500

$290.00

Height

Gipsy Queen

Full heads of intensely fragrant, apricot-orange blooms. They look great with purple and blue. As with all hyacinths, give them full sun and let the foliage die back after bloom to help them perennialize.

Item No Bulb Size

4045 Per 25

$19.00

16–17cm Per 100

$65.00

10" Per 500

$290.00

Height

City of Haarlem

Soft yellow hyacinths, maturing to ivory. Planted with Jan Bos (below), they make an eye- and nosestopping display. Hyacinth bulbs may make you itch, so handle with gloves and plant late in the day.

Item No Bulb Size

4043 Per 25

$18.00

16–17cm Per 100

$63.00

10" Per 500

$290.00

Height

Jan Bos

Big heads of powerfully fragrant fuchsia-red flowers. Yes, they are bold. Exactly what’s wanted after a long winter of olive, tan and brown.

Item No Bulb Size Height

120

4044 Per 25

$17.00

16–17cm Per 100

$60.00

10" Per 500

$290.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Jambalaya

A spicy blend of five different hyacinths in bright, clear colors.

They look tasty and smell heavenly. Plant closely in a large bed or sprinkle them in bunches through the landscape. You really can’t go wrong. Introduced 2006

Item No Bulb Size Height

4055 Per 25

$20.00

16–17cm Per 100

$65.00

10” Per 500

$310.00

Blue Delta

The floral equivalent of waves breaking on a sunny shore. You may feel an urge to dig a beach chair out of the garage so you can relax and take in the scene. There will be no hint of salt in the air, just a sweet perfume. Introduced 2012 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

4053 Per 25

$20.00

16–17cm Per 100

$65.00

10” Per 500

$310.00

colorblends.com 121

Saints Parade

An attractive and vaguely patriotic blend of reddish pink, white and blue (there is no true red hyacinth). Their look is refreshing, their perfume intoxicating. They make a sweet salute to spring. Introduced 2014

Item No Bulb Size Height

4057 Per 25

$20.00

16–17cm Per 100

$65.00

10” Per 500

$310.00

House Bayou

Deep blue and bright yellow do nice things for each other, and they will do wonders for your spring landscape. You can even enjoy them with your eyes closed. Their scent is that strong.

Introduced 2014

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C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

4056 Per 25

$20.00

16–17cm Per 100

$65.00

10” Per 500

$310.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

You know it’s

fall planting time when…

You start bringing blankets to the football game Fall nighttime temperatures stay between 40° and 50°F

The fall foliage has moved just past peak

BIRDS START Squirrels are GROUPING digging in acorns Soil temperatures in your as fast they can area are approaching 55°F You wake up in the middle of the night and look for a blanket

You don’t hear crickets anymore

You say,

“Man it’s COLD out”

for the first time

In the NORTH you start closing windows YOU START TURNING THE HEAT ON IN YOUR CAR

The mesquite trees lose their leaves

In the SOUTH you start backing off the air conditioning IS

FR

O S T ON

Y

O UR

IN THE M

O

KILLING FROST

I

You get your first

R

NI

W I N DS H

Winesap and Wolf River apples start turning RED

You no longer have to dodge night-flying bugs to get in the front door

NG T H E R E

YO U S TA RT T O S M E L L WO O D S M O K E

LD

THE GRAPES ARE RIPENING ON THE VINE

While driving, you see leaves bouncing along the interstate

E

THE RAGWEED STOPS BLOOMING

The hummingbirds are gone THE HOSTAS START TO LIE DOWN Your OLD WORK SHOES

If there is something that tells you Fall has arrived in your area, please email it to us at plantingtime@colorblends.com.

ing

aren’t keeping your feet warm anymore

aw n

YOU SEE TRUCKS ON THE ROAD LOADED WITH FIREWOOD

THE DEER ARE LOSING VELVET ON THEIR ANTLERS

t ro B ro w n

ut s

t tar

sp

123

Specialty Bulbs

Tulips and daffodils play the lead roles in spring, but they benefit from a strong supporting cast.

Here you’ll find both familiar characters and quirky bit players.

Woodland Blend

A blend of early bloomers that are unappetizing to deer and can take up long-term residence in the shade of trees that lose their leaves. All they need is well-drained soil and plenty of spring sunshine. Introduced 2010 DEER RESISTANT

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C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

6051 Blend % Topsize Per 200 3–6” Per 1000

5 varieties $41.00 $185.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Snowdrops

Galanthus elwesii Snowdrops are the earliest of all bulbs. They open their white, winged flowers before anyone dares whisper “spring.” Bulbs are most at home in the shade cast by trees that lose their leaves. Limited supply.

DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

6020 Per 100

Bulb Size

7cm+ Per 1000

Height

$48.00 $380.00

5”

Winter Wolf’s Bane Eranthis cilicica Spring’s first yellow. Its little cup-shaped flowers, which sit on fans of bright green leaves, open at the first hint of warmth. Likes to grow under deciduous trees. Bulbs are very small: Plant lavishly.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6022 Per 100

$19.00

Bulb Size

4cm+ Per 1000

$160.00

Height

3"

White Squill

Scilla mischtschenkoana White squill is one of the delights of early spring. It pushes its milk white flowers through fallen leaves and twigs even before the crocuses begin to bloom. A woodland bulb that can come back for many years.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6007 Per 100

Bulb Size

8cm+ Per 1000

Height

$31.00 $245.00

5”

Glory of the Snow

Chionodoxa luciliae An early bloomer with starry, lavender-blue flowers that shade to white in the center. When massed, the plants look like a summer sky fallen to earth. Grow in sun or light shade. Capable of spreading by seed.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6021 Per 100

$11.00

Bulb Size

5cm+ Per 1000

$90.00

4” Per 5000

$430.00

Height

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 125

Tommies Crocus tommasinianus

Pinkish purple Tommies bring an elfin charm to the garden in late winter or early spring. A delightful early crocus and one of the easiest to grow. Flowers prolifically in most situations, and deer and squirrels generally leave it alone. DEER RESISTANT

Item No

6024 Per 100

$11.00

Bulb Size

5–7cm Per 1000

$95.00

4” Per 5000

$430.00

Height

Blue Squill Scilla siberica

Blue squill is excellent for naturalizing beneath trees that lose their leaves, where it will form drifts of singing blue bells in early spring. Needs a few years to really hit its stride. Try it with Tête–à–Tête (page 112). DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

126

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

6009 Per 100

$16.00

Bulb Size

7–8cm Per 1000

$120.00

6” Per 5000

$580.00

Height

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Hokus Crocus

Dutch crocuses never fail to surprise the eyes after a long winter. Freely planted, they proclaim that spring is on its way.

Hokus Crocus is a blend of large, goblet-shaped flowers in white, purple and white striped with purple. Introduced 1996

Item No Bulb Size Height

5020 Blend % 9–10cm Per 100 5” Per 1000

34/33/33 $24.00 $210.00

Crocreation

This cheerful blend of purple and golden yellow Dutch crocuses will brighten your early spring landscape. Plant them under trees or shrubs, or in the lawn (but be sure to let the leaves yellow before you start mowing). Introduced 2000 FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

5021 Blend %

50/50

9–10cm Per 100

$24.00

5” Per 1000

$210.00

colorblends.com 127

Trout Lily Erythronium

Trout lilies make their home on the forest floor, where their nodding flowers provide a welcome spark of spring color.

Pagoda is the most reliable of the group. Its delicate yellow blooms, which resemble turks cap lilies, shine in dappled light.

Item No

6040 Per 25

$19.00

Bulb Size

Topsize Per 100

$60.00

Height

10”

Windflowers Anemone blanda

Windflowers carry daisy-like flowers above ferny foliage. This blend combines a pure white with a lavender-blue. Planted thickly in sun or light shade, they make a soothing spring tapestry. (Not suitable for very cold climates.) Introduced 2000

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C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

6012 Blend %

50/50

5–7cm Per 100

$16.00

5” Per 1000

$135.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Snake’s Head Fritillaria meleagris

Pointed buds open to maroon (occasionally white), bell-shaped blooms amid narrow foliage. The plant looks like a wildflower and is best used as such—in a meadow, under trees, around shrubs. Best in part shade and moist soil. DEER RESISTANT

Item No

6039 Per 100

$20.00

Bulb Size

6cm+ Per 1000

$155.00

Height

10”

Red Crown Imperials Fritillaria imperialis

A majestic plant that carries a circular cluster of pendulous, orange-red flowers under a tuft of leaves that recall a punk haircut.

Plant in full sun or light shade.

Not a good choice for the South.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6035 Per 5

$29.00

Bulb Size

24cm+ Per 25

$120.00

Height

36"

Yellow Crowns

Fritillaria imperialis Lemon-yellow counterpart of the above and just as theatrical. Crown imperials have a skunk-like smell that repels deer and rodents: It is rare to find an animal that will touch them. Extra-large bulbs.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6036 Per 5

$29.00

Bulb Size

24cm+ Per 25

$120.00

Height

36"

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 129

Grape Hyacinth Muscari armeniacum

Grape hyacinths produce several dense spikes of tiny, true blue flowers from each bulb. They are lovely on their own, but their greatest value may be as companions to midseason tulips. That rich blue makes any tulip color pop. Extra-large bulbs.

Item No

6005 Per 100

$16.00

Bulb Size

10cm+ Per 1000

$130.00

6” Per 5000

$570.00

Height

Muscari latifolium

This little-known cousin of the grape hyacinth has attractive two-tone flowers: bright blue on top, deep concord grape– purple below. Looks great on its own in a border or rough grass, even better with daffodils or early tulips.

130

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

6003 Per 100

$15.00

Bulb Size

7–8cm Per 1000

$120.00

6” Per 5000

$550.00

Height

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Grape Hyacinth Blend Muscari

Grape hyacinths in traditional blue, pure white and a lovely soft azure. They can be used as a foil for midseason tulips or as a stand-alone planting. The pastel blue harmonizes with the deep blue. The white adds sparkle. Introduced 2010

Item No Bulb Size Height

6004 Blend % 6–10cm Per 100 6� Per 1000

34/33/33 $19.00 $160.00

Starflower

Ipheion uniflorum Starry blue flowers decorate mats of straplike foliage. Ideal for the edge of the border or among rocks. At its best where summers are hot and winters not too cold. Excellent in the South and on the West Coast.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6006 Per 100

Bulb Size

4cm+ Per 1000

Height

$17.00 $135.00

4"

Striped Squill

Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica A bright little bulb with white flowers traced with lines of blue.

Striped squill is easy and reliable in a sunny, well-drained location.

Blooms with midseason tulips and with grape hyacinths.

Item No

6008 Per 100

$13.00

Bulb Size

6cm+ Per 1000

$110.00

Height

6"

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

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Snowflake Leucojum aestivum

Clusters of small white bells on arching stems. Prefers rich, not-too-dry soil in full sun or light shade and thrives in damp meadows and on partially shaded river banks. The variety offered here is the best—Gravetye Giant. DEER AND RODENT PROOF

Item No

6015 Per 25

$24.00

Bulb Size

14cm+ Per 100

$80.00

Height

18”

Camassia Camassia leichtlinii

Starry, purplish blue flowers rise in loose spikes on tall stems.

Camassia is most effective when planted in clusters in a shrub border or grassy area, where it looks perfectly natural. It needs full sun and thrives in damp, or even wet, soil. DEER RESISTANT

132

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No

6033 Per 25

$23.00

Bulb Size

14cm+ Per 100

$79.00

Height

36” TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Spanish Bluebells Hyacinthoides hispanica

A shade-tolerant plant that bears spikes of lightly fragrant, porcelain blue, bell-shaped flowers toward the end of the bulb season. Ideal for naturalizing below shade trees. Grows well North and South—California, too. Bulbs are extra large.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No

6028 Per 25

$13.00

Bulb Size

10cm+ Per 100

$32.00

Height

16� Per 1000

$290.00

colorblends.com 133

Alliums

These relatives of onions and garlic bloom late (after tulips are done) and need sun and good drainage. Where happy, they can come back for several years.

Globemaster

The most spectacular of all the alliums. It bears 8- to 10-inch orbs of lilac-purple flowers on tall stout stems. Because the flowers are sterile, they last a long time. An outstanding cut flower, fresh or dried. DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

134

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

6019 Per 5 20–24cm Per 25 36” Per 100

$28.00 $115.00 $430.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Mount Everest

Creamy white 5-inch globes top tall stems in late spring. Splendid grown against a dark background, and like all of the big alliums, it makes an impressive cut flower.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6018 Per 5

$14.00

Bulb Size

20cm+ Per 25

$60.00

Height

36" Per 100

$215.00

Gladiator

Dense 5-inch heads of lilac-purple.

Blooms just ahead of Mount Everest (above) and is a little taller. Our bulbs are the largest you’ll find and guaranteed to please.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6017 Per 5

$12.00

Bulb Size

20cm+ Per 25

$55.00

Height

40" Per 100

$195.00

Schubertii

This intriguing allium draws the eye with its arresting, almost primordial look. It bears huge (10- to 12-inch) spidery heads of rosy flowers. A real conversation piece in the garden and in arrangements.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6025 Per 5

$9.00

Bulb Size

14cm+ Per 25

$38.00

Height

18" Per 100

$130.00

Ambassador

Ambassador produces 6-inch balls of tightly packed, rich purple flowers. Terrific either planted in groups or strung like lanterns through a perennial border. Last of the large alliums to flower: Blooms with roses.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No Bulb Size Height

6061 Per 5 24–28cm Per 25

$30.00 $115.00

48"

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 135

Purple Sensation

An improvement on Allium aflatunense. It bears 4-inch globes of rosy purple flowers on long stems. Best planted in clusters among perennials and shrubs. Like its kin, it needs plenty of sun and well-drained soil. DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No Bulb Size Height

6023 Per 25 12–14cm Per 100 30” Per 1000

$15.00 $39.00 $315.00

Christophii

Stars of Persia. Airy domes of starry, metallic pink flowers measuring up to 10 inches across. They make great accents in a perennial bed. Can be cut and dried or left as decorative elements in the garden. DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

136

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

6014 Per 25 12–14cm Per 100

$15.00 $40.00

18” TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Caeruleum

There are several blue alliums, but only this one is grown in substantial numbers. It produces 1½-inch heads of steel blue flowers in early summer. Makes a cool accent in a mixed border. Plant in dense clusters for best effect.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6062 Per 100

$19.00

Bulb Size

5–6cm Per 1000

$150.00

Height

20"

Moly

Two-inch heads of sunny yellow flowers brighten the garden in early summer. Foliage is a handsome blue-green. Plant in bunches between perennials and shrubs for a golden summer send-off.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6027 Per 100

$10.00

Bulb Size

5cm+ Per 1000

$75.00

Height

12"

Unifolium

Loose heads of lavender-pink flowers touched with white. A lovely gem for the flower or herb garden. This plant is edible. The young foliage can be used in place of chives. Native Americans in California and Oregon ate the bulbs.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6029 Per 100

$12.00

Bulb Size

5–6cm Per 1000

$95.00

Height

12"

Sphaerocephalon

Drumstick allium. The last of the bulbous alliums to bloom. Its egg-shaped, wine-red flowerheads wait until summer to color up. Puts on a nice show when planted in groups in a perennial border.

DEER AND RODENT RESISTANT

Item No

6016 Per 100

$12.00

Bulb Size

6cm+ Per 1000

$90.00

Height

24"

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 137

Amaryllis

Amaryllis are showy bulbs that must be grown indoors in most of the USA. Place them in a sunny window, and they will bear huge flowers in the depths of winter.

Samba

Big red ruffled blooms, edged and marked with white. Samba is a show stopper, a “look at me” flower, which is just what the doctor ordered on a gloomy winter day.

138

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Item No Bulb Size Height

7029 Per 3

$32.00

32–34cm Per 6

$60.00

20" Per 12

$110.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Red Rival

Yet another red amaryllis? Yes! Red Rival is elbowing its way into the company of old favorites with its well-formed flowers and speedy growth. It’s a little shorter than other big reds and its flowers are a bit smaller, but its display is huge.

Item No Bulb Size Height

7065 Per 3 32–34cm Per 6 18” Per 12

$30.00 $58.00 $105.00

Amaryllis GETTING THE MOST FROM

START WITH A BIG BULB.

Colorblends amaryllis bulbs are huge. All will produce at least two stems, and most stems will yield four flowers, sometimes more.

GIVE IT A NICE HOME. Pot the bulb in a 6- or 7-inch pot and set it on a sunny windowsill. Room temperature (60° to 75°F) is ideal.

GO EASY ON THE WATER. Water after potting and then only when the soil is dry to the touch.

HAVE PATIENCE. Amaryllis can be slow to get going. Allow 12 weeks (or more) from potting to bloom. Most bulbs will not bloom until after Christmas.

MOVE THE BULB OUTDOORS FOR SUMMER. Amaryllis can be kept from year to year if they spend summers in the sun.

Amaryllis arrive in our warehouse in midOctober. If you need your outdoor bulbs earlier, please place two separate orders.

139

Dancing Queen

A candy-striped double that has large white flowers brushed with red. As the blooms mature, the red takes on more orange tones. Makes a dramatic winter centerpiece.

Item No Bulb Size

7008 Per 3

$31.00

32–34cm Per 6

$59.00

Height

20" Per 12

$105.00

Naranja

Rich orange flowers with dark, satiny centers. They have the sort of warmth that only orange can provide. You may be able to set the thermostat down a degree or two when Naranja comes into bloom.

Item No Bulb Size

7013 Per 3

$29.00

32–34cm Per 6

$55.00

Height

20" Per 12

$100.00

Faro

Most amaryllis are Broadway stars.

Faro gets attention with its winsome good looks. The rounded, gently cupped blooms are soft salmon and white and have a seersucker texture that makes you want to touch them.

Delicate, feminine, irresistible.

Item No Bulb Size

7022 Per 3

$29.00

32–34cm Per 6

$56.00

Height

20" Per 12

$100.00

Rapido

A miniature and an early bloomer that produces smaller than average flowers but more than the usual number—as many as 25 from one bulb. If planted by early November, it generally starts flowering before the end of December, and the show can go on for weeks.

Item No Bulb Size Height

140

7019 Per 3 32–34cm Per 6 20" Per 12

$30.00 $58.00 $105.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Royal Velvet

Perhaps the best of the wine-colored amaryllis. The flowers are large and well formed, their color a rich ruby red that deepens in the throat. The yellow anthers float like sparks against the sumptuous blooms.

Item No Bulb Size Height

7053 Per 3

$33.00

32–34cm Per 6

$63.00

20” Per 12

$115.00

Double Record

Large semi-double white flowers that are variously brushed and stenciled with bright cherry red.

The more light they receive, the more pronounced the red coloring is. Strong stems keep the blooms from nodding, despite their weight.

Item No Bulb Size Height

7066 Per 3

$32.00

32–34cm Per 6

$60.00

20” Per 12

$110.00

Ice Queen

A double amaryllis with spidery white petals that are touched with green at the base. Plants are relatively compact, and it’s not unusual for a bulb to produce two or even three stems simultaneously.

Bright and very beautiful.

Item No Bulb Size Height

7062 Per 3

$35.00

32–34cm Per 6

$66.00

18” Per 12

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

$120.00

colorblends.com 141

Summertime

Summertime is said to be pink, but that’s an oversimplification.

It’s actually a range of pinks, from deep to soft, with white flares and cranberry rays. You’ll have no trouble appreciating all of this: The flowers are a good 7 inches across.

Item No Bulb Size

7060 Per 3

$29.00

32–34cm Per 6

$56.00

Height

20" Per 12

$100.00

Hercules

The flowers are large, the stems sturdy, the color a luscious fuchsia, with paler highlights and small white markings in the throat. As the name indicates, Hercules will not fail to impress.

Item No Bulb Size

7030 Per 3

$29.00

32–34cm Per 6

$56.00

Height

24" Per 12

$100.00

Flamenco Queen Big white blooms brushed and stippled with red. Flamenco Queen is an attention getter. It will call from the windowsill, insist on being the subject of dinner conversation.

You may need to move it so you can concentrate on something else.

Item No Bulb Size

7052 Per 3

$32.00

32–34cm Per 6

$60.00

Height

20" Per 12

$110.00

Monaco Big, bold blooms of cherry red accented with a white eye and white stamens. The color contrast is arresting: After the initial doubletake, it’s hard to look away. Monaco was a big hit in the Colorblends warehouse last winter. Everyone marveled at its size and beauty.

Item No Bulb Size Height

142

7023 Per 3

$31.00

32–34cm Per 6

$59.00

20” Per 12

$105.00

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Matterhorn

Large white flowers with green throats. They make the most of dim winter light, shining on gray days and sparkling even by candle light.

Item No Bulb Size Height

7056 Per 3 32–34cm Per 6 20" Per 12

$30.00 $58.00 $105.00

Double Dream

A recently introduced variety with reddish pink blooms that are touched with white at the tips of the petals. It is fully double and doubly full, the petals appearing to have welled from the center in waves and flowed onto their predecessors.

Distinctive and very attractive.

Item No Bulb Size Height

7067 Per 3

$35.00

32–34cm Per 6

$66.00

20” Per 12

$120.00

Gervase

When it comes to making flowers, Gervase is delightfully confused. The white background is overlaid with pink and wildly unpredictable lines, streaks and strokes of red. Each flower is different and alluring in its own way.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

Item No Bulb Size Height

7021 Per 3

$34.00

32–34cm Per 6

$65.00

20” Per 12

$120.00

colorblends.com 143

Paperwhites

Paperwhites are powerfully fragrant daffodils that will bloom indoors in fall and winter without special treatment. Think of them as living air fresheners.

Paperwhite Nir

Nir is one of the best paperwhites introduced to date. Its stems are shorter and therefore much less likely to flop than those of Ziva, the standard variety; its flowers are larger and showier; and its sweet fragrance, while strong, is not overpowering.

Allow 5–6 weeks from planting to bloom; for flowers at Christmas, plant by November 10. Bulbs can be started at intervals to provide color and fragrance until after Easter.

Each will produce 2–3 sturdy stems crowned with clusters of large, sweetly scented white flowers.

144

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

Growing instructions included.

October to December delivery.

Item No Bulb Size Height

3016 Per 25

$20.00

16–17cm Per 100

$59.00

20” Per 500

$275.00

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Planting Tools

Bulb Dibber

This 12-inch dibber is the perfect tool for planting small bulbs in loose soil—in a garden bed or on the forest floor. T-wood handle with durable steel point.

Unconditionally guaranteed.

Made in Czech Republic.

Item No

9311

Length Price

12" $10.00

There are a lot of bulb planting tools on the market. Most work better in theory than they do in practice. These are simple and effective and guaranteed forever.

Bulb Trowel

A serious hand tool that’s perfect for planting bulbs. It’s made of 12-gauge stainless steel and has a red grip that’s easy to hold and hard to lose track of. The blade has markings in inches and centimeters so you know how deep you’re digging. Can also be used for weeding and for planting annuals.

Unconditionally guaranteed.

Made in USA. Item No Length Price

9032 12" $19.00

Bulb Auger

This heavy-duty auger allows you to plant a lot of bulbs in a hurry where the soil is relatively free of rocks and roots. It works best with a portable gas or corded electric drill. A variable-speed hammer drill is recommended.

And if you have a helper to drop in the bulbs as you go, the work goes twice as fast. We have landscape contractor customers who swear by this tool. It’s also useful for planting seedlings, mixing small amounts of cement, installing signs, etc.

Unconditionally guaranteed.

Made in USA. Item No

3"

Shaft

⁵/₈"

Flighting

12"

Length

24"

Price FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

We recommend that bulbs be planted when the soil has cooled in the fall to about 55°F. Not sure whether your soil is cool enough? Check it with this thermometer. An aluminum case with a pointed tip makes it easy to push the thermometer into the soil. Can also be used to time seed sowing and annual planting in the spring.

Unconditionally guaranteed.

Made in England.

Item No Length Price

9030 10" $9.00

9324

Diameter

Drill Size

Soil Thermometer

½" $39.00

colorblends.com 145

How to:

Plan, Plant, Order

THE COLORBLENDS

Guarantee

We will deliver premiumquality, commercially propagated, disease-free flowerbulbs of the stated size.

None of our bulbs has been collected from the wild.

S TA R T H E R E

All flowerbulbs have a certificate of health issued by the United States and Dutch Departments of Agriculture.

Colorblends guarantees its bulbs the first spring after

Not sure how many bulbs to order? Where to send your order?

How to efficiently plant your bulbs?

Let us help you with all that and more.

Looking for a catalog index?

You can find one online at colorblends.com/Catalog-Index

planting. After that, it’s in nature’s hands. Our liability is limited to the purchase price of the flowerbulbs.

If there is a problem with an order, please call us within 5 days from receipt of the order.

Answers to FAQs WHEN SHOULD I ORDER MY BULBS?

Reserve your selections now! Early ordering ensures availability of your choices. Your credit card will not be charged until delivery in the fall.

WHEN WILL MY FLOWERBULBS BE DELIVERED?

In the fall (September 22nd through December) when soil temperatures in your area drop below 55°F. This is the proper time for planting. Tulip, daffodil and other bulbs have to be planted in the fall to establish a root system before the onset of winter.

WHAT DOES EARLY, MID AND LATE BLOOMING MEAN?

These are relative bloom times within the spring bulb flowering season, which varies from climate to climate and year to year. They are intended to help you plan a sequence of bloom from very early season to late season. If you have specific questions, give us a call and we will try to help.

CAN I ORDER ADDITIONAL BULBS IN THE FALL?

Yes. Turnaround time on fall orders is very fast, but we recommend ordering early, as some selections sell out quickly.

WHY DO YOU PACK BLENDS IN QUANTITIES OF 100?

This is the minimum quantity needed for a beautiful display.

WHEN IS THE PROPER TIME TO PLANT BULBS IN THE FALL?

Fall arrives at different times as you move from north to south across the United States, so the answer is variable.

See the map on the facing page.

146

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Ideal fall planting times

R L AT E S EPTEMBER & OCTOBE

VEM OCTOBER & NO

BER

MB NOVEMBER & DECE In the pink and portions of the purple zone, tulips should be prechilled before planting. See page 46 for more information.

ER

R LY DECEMBER & EA

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: BULBS THAT FLOWER IN SPRING MUST BE PLANTED IN FALL. There is no getting around this requirement.

BULBS SHOULD BE PLANTED WHEN THE SOIL HAS COOLED TO ABOUT 55°F. Bulbs need cool soil to make roots before the onset of winter.

JANU

A RY

YOU HAVE ABOUT 8 WEEKS TO PLANT AFTER THE FIRST FROST. As long as the ground is not frozen, you can still plant bulbs.

COLORBLENDS CAN MEET YOUR FALL PLANTING SCHEDULE. If you need your bulbs at a particular time, just let us know. Our shipping season begins in late September.

How to plant 100 bulbs in 30 minutes

First: Excavate an area 5 feet square, 5–6 inches deep. Place the soil on a sheet of plywood or cardboard.

Then: Space the bulbs about 4 inches apart and position points up.* (5 minutes)

(15 minutes)

That’s it: Slide the soil from the plywood back onto the bulbs and tamp down lightly.

(10 minutes)

* Don’t be concerned if bulbs are pushed sideways or turned upside down when you replace the soil. They will grow properly thanks to geotropism: Plant stems always grow opposite gravity.

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

colorblends.com 147

How many bulbs per square foot?

This chart will help you determine the number of bulbs needed per square foot to have a dense, full display.

Recommended spacing between bulbs is provided in our planting instructions and on our bag labels. If you have any questions, give us a call at 1 (888) 847-8637.

BULB TYPE

QTY

Tulips, standard

5

Tulips, wild

9–13

Daffodils, large

4–5

Daffodils, miniature

7–11

Allium Globemaster

1–2

Anemone

20–24

Chionodoxa

20–24

Crocus

8–9

Eranthis

20–24

Fritillaria meleagris

10–11

Fritillaria imperialis

1–2

Galanthus

16–18

Hyacinthiodes

5–6

Hyacinthus

3–4

Muscari

14–15

Scilla

15–16

Getting the most from Colorblends flowerbulbs Watch and wait.

When bloom starts in spring, colors and heights may change from day to day. For example, some tulips open one color and then turn a different color.

Before you judge the season, wait until flowering is completely finished.

Don’t spread bulbs too thin.

It is much more effective to plant thickly in one area than it is to scatter bulbs all over the garden.

Deadhead the tulips.

If you want to encourage tulips to bloom the following spring, remove the spent flowers as soon as they fade.

Snapping off the top 3 inches of stem prevents seed formation and focuses energy instead on bulb growth.

Read our planting and growing instructions with care.

Complete instructions are enclosed with every order. They are also available at colorblends.com.

BIG UPS PAGE 16

“I have been buying your tulips for at least 18 years and have never been disappointed. I live in a beautiful historic neighborhood and everyone goes out of his way in the spring to see the tulips.

They have even caused car accidents!” —LIZ W., SOUTHERN PINES, NC 148

C OL OR B L E NDS W H O L E SA L E FL OW E R BU L B S

TO ORDER : 1 (888) 847-8637

Bed area calculations Measure the bed and calculate the square footage using one or more of the formulas below. Then refer to the chart on the facing page to determine how many bulbs are needed to fill the space.

BED SHAPE

HOW TO CALCULATE THE AREA

WI DTH

LENGTH

H E I GHT

BASE

R ADIUS

WIDTH

LENGTH

A

C

D

E

F

G

B

FAX: 1 (203) 338-0744

RECTANGLE OR SQUARE AREA = LENGTH × WIDTH A rectangle is a parallelogram with four right angles. The area of a rectangle is found by multiplying the length by the width.

EXAMPLE: Determine the area of a rectangle where the length = 25 ft. and the width = 13 ft.

Area is: 25 × 13 = 325 sq. ft.

TRIANGLE AREA = (BASE × HEIGHT) / 2 A triangle is a polygon with three sides. The area of a triangle is one-half the base multiplied by the height.

EXAMPLE: Determine the area of a triangle where the base = 25 ft. and the height = 20 ft.

Area is: (25 × 20) / 2 = 250 sq. ft.

CIRCLE AREA = 3.14 × RADIUS² A circle is a closed curve of which every point on the edge of the curve is equidistant from a fixed point within the curve. The area of a circle is pi (3.14) multiplied by the radius squared. The radius is equal to one-half the diameter of the circle.

EXAMPLE: Determine the area of a circle where the radius = 12.5 ft.

Area is: 3.14 × (12.5 × 12.5) = 491 sq. ft.

OVAL AREA = (LENGTH × WIDTH) × 0.8 An oval has an elliptical, or egg-like, shape. The area of an oval is the length multiplied by the width, multiplied by 0.8.

EXAMPLE: Determine the area of an oval where the length = 25 ft. and the width = 15 ft.

Area is: (25 × 15) × 0.8 = 300 sq. ft.

IRREGUL AR SHAPES AREA = SUM OF PERPENDICULAR LINES × DISTANCE BETWEEN THE LINES To find the area of a large irregular shape, divide it into a series of smaller units. This method will calculate the area to within 5 percent.

Step 1: Determine the axis line, the longest line that can be drawn inside the shape.

Step 2: Mark several lines that are perpendicular to the axis and divide it into segments of equal depth. The more lines you use, the more accurate the result.

Step 3: Measure each perpendicular line.

Step 4: Calculate the area by adding the lengths of all the perpendicular lines and multiplying by the distance between the lines.

EXAMPLE: Determine the area of an irregular bed that is 60 f t. long. For convenience, the axis (A–B) is divided by 6 (to make 10-f t. segments). The measurements of 5 lines drawn perpendicular to the axis at 10-f t. intervals are as follows: C = 19 f t., D = 22 f t., E = 23 f t., F = 19 f t. and G = 13 f t.

Area is: (19 + 22 + 23 + 19 + 13) × 10 = 960 sq. ft.

colorblends.com 149

Order Form ORDERED BY

HOW TO ORDER

IMPORTANT NOTE: After October 1st, please place orders by phone or web.

1 (888) 847-8637 FAX : 1 (203) 338-0744 CALL: Name

ONLINE:

colorblends.com

Company Name

Use the item numbers in this catalog to order from our website!

Address

MAIL THIS FORM TO: City

State

Daytime Phone

Fax

Colorblends 747 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06608-2415

Zip

After October 1st, please place orders by phone or web.

Email PO No.

Customer No.

DELIVER TO

DELIVERY

(If different from above address. Must be a street address窶馬o P.O. boxes.)

Name

PLEASE DELIVER MY BULBS (CHECK ONE): At the correct time for planting (Colorblends decides) Late September

Company Name

October November

Address City

State

Please refrigerate my bulbs and ship in December. I agree to a $20 flat charge for pre-chilling.

Zip

ORDER ITEM NO.

QUANTITY

NAME

UNIT PRICE

Order Total $60 minimum

PAYMENT METHOD

Shipping See facing page

Check payable to Colorblends Credit card (circle one) 16 digits CARD NO.

SIGNATURE

1

2

3

16 digits 4

ITEM TOTAL

5

15 digits 6

7

16 digits 8

9

10

EXP. DATE 11

DATE

12

M

M

Y

+

Y Subtotal

13

14

15

16

Sales Tax CT only (+6.35%) GRAND TOTAL

+

Ordering information

Shipping charges Small package orders are shipped via UPS. Pallet orders go by LTL carrier. See chart below for area-based shipping charges.

MINIMUM ORDER

Minimum order $60.

HOW TO ORDER

BY MAIL: Please print all information on the form. Mail to 747 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06608-2415. After October 1, please place all orders by phone or by web.

BY PHONE: Call us toll free 1 (888) 847-8637,

West

Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm, Eastern Time.

East

ONLINE: Go to our website 24/7 and order

securely online: colorblends.com.

BY FAX : Fax us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our fax number is 1 (203) 338-0744.

SALES TAX

Connecticut residents add 6.35% sales tax to sub total (order total plus shipping).

PAYMENT

ORDER TOTAL

WEST

Up to $1500

Add 15%

Add 10%

MINIMUM $15

MINIMUM $12

Over $1500

Checks with order, please, unless charged to Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Credit cards will not be charged until the flowerbulbs are shipped in the Fall.

EAST

Add 12.5% Add 7.5%

Sorry, no shipments to Alaska or Hawaii. We do not recommend planting in the southern portions of: AL, AZ, CA, FL, LA, MS, NM or TX.

PRODUCT PRICING

Prices listed are per selection.

BULB QUANTITIES

Please order in the quantities stated or multiples thereof.

BLEND PACKING

All Colorblend selections are shipped pre-blended unless otherwise stated.

PURCHASE ORDERS

Corporate and institutional accounts are welcome! Purchase orders are accepted from approved companies and organizations. Government agencies, cities, states, counties and public schools are automatically approved. Call us at 1 (888) 847-8637 for details.

Designed by Alexander Isley Inc.

SCHIPPERCRATES

The best shipping crates in the business!

Orders for 500 or more tulips are usually shipped in sturdy, stackable plastic Schippercrates with many uses: recycling bins, irrigation parts storage, laundry baskets, pet beds, you name it.

GCSAA MEMBERS

GCSAA members have pre-approved credit. Reserve your bulbs now. We’ll invoice you after delivery this fall.

“We wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the quality and care you took with our shipment. Thank you!

The products arrived in solid, clean packaging, and when my wife and I began planting, we were very pleased with the health of the bulbs. I was also impressed that the shipment came complete, no split shipments, making our end very manageable and easy to work into our tight time schedules.

Thank you again.”

—GREG T., LAKE BLUFF, IL

© 2014 by Schipper & Company U.S.A. Inc. All rights reserved under United States law and international copyright conventions. No part of this catalog may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission. Designed and printed in the United States of America by Schipper & Company U.S.A., Inc. dba COLORBLENDS. COLORBLENDS, It’s About Spring!, Nature’s Fireworks and all blend names are trademarks used to identify products of Schipper & Company U.S.A., Inc. dba COLORBLENDS and may not be used without permission. Contact: COLORBLENDS, 747 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06608. Phone: 1 (888) 847-8637. Email: info@colorblends.com.

747 Barnum Ave Bridgeport, CT 06608-2415 colorblends.com 1 (888) 847-8637

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PA I D COLORBLENDS

Customer Number

Combining spring-flowering bulbs has to be done with care.

Finding the right combinations is a time-consuming process of trial and error. Colorblends offers a broad selection of tested blends that are sure to give you a spring spectacle we call Nature’s Fireworks . For more information or to place an order, call 1 (888) 847-8637 or visit colorblends.com. Ž

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