THE COASTAL GARDENER:Better bulb choices

Fields of long-stem tulips, pots overflowing with fragrant hyacinths and spectacular fritillarias exploding out of fields of blue muscari-like spring fireworks. These are the images many gardeners have of flower bulbs.

However, to be a successful Orange County gardener, we must remember where we live and garden.

Yes, many northern, cold climate bulbs can be grown here in our mild Mediterranean climate. Like tropical fish in a heated aquarium or polar bears fed special diets in the modified confines of a zoo, with enough work and some losses along the way, we too can cultivate the “poster children” of the flower bulbs.

I suspect that, left to fend for themselves in Orange County, polar bears and tropical fish wouldn’t last long. This might also be said for most of the bulbs coming to Orange County from the fields of northern Europe.

Today, over 9 billion flower bulbs are produced each year in the Netherlands, and about 7 billion of them are exported, with the U.S. being the largest consumer of Dutch bulbs.

For better or worse, we garden at latitude of 33 degrees. Our winters are mild, and our summers are bone dry and warm. Our unique climate is not remotely similar to that of the Netherlands, where 80% of the world’s tulips and hyacinths are produced.

However, far from the Netherlands, there are a few other parts of the world that have a nearly identical Mediterranean climate to ours in Orange County. One of those places is the southwestern portion of South Africa, where over 1,400 species of bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes flourish naturally, in a climate nearly identical to that of Orange County.

As a gardener along the coast of Orange County, it may be wise to consider a few of these climate-appropriate bulbs. Unlike their more famous northern cousins, many of the bulbs from South Africa and parts of the Mediterranean basin will thrive in our gardens.

Most Mediterranean bulbs will be smaller in flower size, but will make up for it in their ability to multiply and return each year, often with no effort from the gardener.

Unfortunately, Mediterranean climate bulbs are poorly represented in garden centers, discount stores and home centers.

These are small bulbs; even at maturity they are only a fraction of the size of the Dutch specialties and are easily passed over.

Their names are foreign to most gardeners: babiana, brodiea, calochortus, chasmanthe, dichelostemma, ipheion, ixia, lachenalia, leucojum, moraea, nerine, oxalis, scadoxus, spiloxene, tritelleia, tritonia and urginia.

Here are just a few that you might find and that I recommend.

Freesia: These plants of small stature are among the most popular of the South African flower bulbs and are ideally suited to local gardens. Intensely fragrant, they are best used in the front of beds or in pots where their flowers and fragrance are best enjoyed.

The bulbs and plants are small, but inexpensive, so mass large quantities closely together for the best display.

Sparaxis: Related to freesias, but about twice as tall at 14 inches, sparaxis are one of the most colorful Mediterranean bulbs and will naturalize in our gardens.

The brilliant star-shaped flowers — usually in warm shades of orange, red, yellow, white, purple or pink — are upward facing and look especially at home under our bright, sunny skies. Like freesias, be sure to pack the bulbs close together for the best show.

Dutch iris: Iris represent a large group of plants, ranging from alpine meadows to desert edges. The popular group referred to as Dutch iris have little to do with Holland.

Instead, they are a complex cross of several wild species that grow in the arid parts of Northern Africa, Portugal, Spain and southern France, in climates much like ours.

Dutch iris are among the showiest of the bulbs that will naturalize in our local gardens. Easily tucked into most gardens because of their tall, narrow, upright stems, they look terrific planted in large wandering drifts or in pockets of one to two dozen bulbs.

With almost no effort, they’ll be back every spring with a delightful display.

Tulip bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’ and tulip clusiana var. chrysantha: Yes, there are even a few tulips that will grow easily here. These are not the big, gaudy Dutch hybrids.

Mediterranean tulips are smaller, more delicate in appearance and more relaxed in their presentation. Growing wild in the Mediterranean basin, in a climate almost identical to ours, these are as easy as any bulb can be in Orange County.

The dime-sized bulbs should be left in the garden all year, where they will multiply at will.

These are just a few of the hundreds of little-known Mediterranean bulbs that can thrive in our local gardens.

With almost no fussing by the gardener, these will multiply and return for years to come. I will warn you that only a few Mediterranean-climate bulbs will be found on the shelves of gardens centers, pushed aside by the multitudes of more familiar Dutch imports.

If you get hooked on warm-climate bulbs, as I am, you will need to feed your passion through mail-order or through groups such as the Pacific Bulb Society (www.pacificbulbsociety.org).

Your garden awaits.

Can you please tell me how to eradicate out-of-control morning glory?

PATTY

Costa Mesa

I suspect you’re talking about the common blue flowered Ipomoea acuminata, a fast-growing and rampant perennial vine. I have found that it is not especially hard to eliminate; it’s just a big, dirty job.

The roots can be dug out pretty easily, but you will need to go about 10 to 12 inches below the soil line to avoid re-sprouting.

Alternatively, if in a confined area, the vine can be cut to the ground, allowed to re-sprout about four or five feet and then sprayed with Roundup, following the label directions.

your toughest gardening questions, and the expert nursery staff at Roger’s Gardens will come up with an answer. Please include your name, phone number and city, and limit queries to 30 words or fewer. E-mail stumpthegardener@ rogersgardens.com, or send to Plant Talk at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

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