Dress Up Gardens And Roadsides*
by Rosemary McCreary

   Every summer, tourists and new residents alike are fascinated by naked ladies that come out of nowhere and run up and down fence lines and roadsides throughout Sonoma County.  They pop up in our cities, too, some standing straight and tall, others seductively bobbing their frilly pink heads.

   No, it isn't a bevy of Hollywood dollies or even Dame Ednas stripped to the bone, but some might say the sight is just as audacious.  Not everyone loves naked ladies -- the flowering bulbs, that is -- but first-time viewers find them curious and never fail to pose the question, "What are those flowers?"

   Everyone calls these belladonna lilies by their more titillating name.  Botanically they're known as Amaryllis belladonna, a native of the South African Mediterranean climate.

   Not a lily at all but a true amaryllis, this is the only plant in the Amaryllis genus.  Its many cousins, such as Lycoris, , in the same family bear a close resemblance.  (What we call amaryllis that we force into bloom in winter is botanically classified as a member of the genus Hippeastrum.)

   In spring, the amaryllis bulb produces mounds of strap like leaves that resemble lily-of-the-Nile (Agapanthus) foliage, but are shinier.  It isn't until months later that this would-be lily blooms on naked stems, long after lush spring foliage has died back, hence the naughty name.

   Flowering begins in July, sometimes in August, depending on the microclimate where you live.  Clusters of trumpet-like blossoms, which are nearly always pin, last for several weeks.  The variety Hathor is said to bear an average of 16 fragrant white blossoms.  A few other named cultivars exist in varying shades of pink, but they seem to be rare and not easy to locate.

   Bulbs become quite large and heavy and multiply as they age.  If you want to divide them, now is the time, but don't be surprised if transplants or new plants resist blooming for a couple of years.

   Oddly enough, the sturdy-looking bulbs are extraordinarily temperamental.  They demand very specific growing conditions, including well-drained soil in winter that stays warm and dry throughout summer in full sun or partial shade.

   It isn't unusual to find old plantings on a slight rise above a drainage ditch along the roadside, such as along a stretch of Lohrman Lane in west Petaluma.  Outside the fence is safe enough since the bulbs and flowers are equally deer- and rodent-proof.

   When you plant belladonna lilies, ignore advice about planting bulbs at a depth three times their width.  Instead, set them with their tops at or just below the soil surface.  Winter rains provide the only water they require.

Other late-bloomers:

   If you love the color and uplifting beauty usually associated with spring, you're bound to fall for two other bulbs that arouse the same enthusiasm as their spring counterparts.  One is a true crocus; the other is just called that.

   Several crocus species bloom in fall in violet blues or white with yellow centers.  Most are quite small, as you might expect, but a few (Crocus speciosus and cultivars) are as much as 6 inches tall.

   They look best massed together in places where you're able to see the small blooms clearly: in pots, along edges of patios or planting beds or within tiny-leafed, mat-forming ground covers.

   By planting saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), you can actually harvest the orange-red stigmas used in flavoring the in dye-making.  Watch for flowers to open, carefully snip off the thin stigmas, and dry before storing.

   A similar plant, autumn crocus (Colchicum), grows from a corm, not a bulb, and isn't really a crocus at all.  There are several species and cultivars that bloom in shades of pink, purple and white, all with bright yellow centers.  Most mimic a classic, cup-shaped crocus blossom, but some look like miniature water lilies.

   A few have quite large blossoms and bloom atop 8- to 10-inch-tall stems.  As with belladonna lilies, their broad foliage, somewhat similar to hosta leaves, appears in spring for a few months, then dies back during a dormant period in summer.  In late summer and fall, flowers appear on naked stems.

   When you buy colchicums, don't delay planting them or they'll bloom wherever they lie.  Their flowering habit could turn into a happy accident, though, if you're looking for an unusual bouquet for a shallow bowl.

A serious warning:

   If you do plan to harvest autumn flowering saffron crocus, be sure you have the right plant.  Every part of colchicum, called autumn crocus, is poisonous, so you wouldn't want to mistake it for a saffron crocus.

   Because colchicums are poisonous, critters leave them alone, so they should be safe from browsing deer and burrowing gophers.

   You may be tempted to leave them alone, too, especially in summer, since there is no foliage to indicate where they lie.  Yet, despite their Mediterranean heritage, they do benefit from some watering during their dormancy.  If they rest in bone-dry soil or, conversely, in a constantly wet garden, they will likely be short-lived.