Hey schoolhouse!
I have some Chinodoxa, one with a purplish tint, that I just id a couple of years ago. It spreads relativly quick, in terms of bulbs. I enjoy seeing every spring how far it has inched over. It is one of the first to bloom in my yard and it has a grape-like scent. I love it! The foliage does die down very soon after blooming. The foliage looks really ratty until then though. I have seen someone around here have some in their lawn. It looks really neat naturalized like that.
If you didnt want that how about Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)? It forms clumps quickly, which you could divide, and the foliage looks fresher longer (perhaps it may even look good all year with a trimming?). Hope this helps!
CMK

Grape Hyacinth? Oh,no! (shriek). While the ARE pretty, they are the bane of my garden, especially around the stone courtyard. It's been 20yrs or more and I can not get rid of them, they pop up everywhere and in between the stones yet to boot. I used to toss them on the weed pile until I realized they grew wherever they landed; so now I dig them up and squish their little bodies. But you're right, if you need a spot of blue in a border or bed for Spring, the grape hyacinth is a good one.

Thanks for answering my question about the Chinodoxa foliage, tho! I had an idea they may behave that way, and that's exactly what I want to happen. But do you mean the foliage turns brown and stays visible as a dry clump all summer? That on the other hand is something I don't want.

I also have a few spots of them planted in a grassy area along a fence down in the orchard. Just love to see them herald Spring. Like I mentioned, they are slow to multiply for me and they've been there for many years. Maybe I planted a different variety. Thanks for your input.

Thats interesting that Muscari are rampant in your area.
Ive noticed that the foliage of the Chinodoxa will often start to get yellow while the plant is still blooming, like an Allium. The yellow leaves will hang on for a few weeks after bloom, but will pretty much blow away and decompose after that.
CMK

I looked up Chindoxa, but only saw one photo, and that was with another plant. When I tried to look up its common name, my search did not match any documents. Could someone tell me its common name?

My grape hyacinths have foliage again. I'm trying to remember if that means they will bloom again in the fall. I have a friend who wants some, but don't know if I can dig them now that they have green foliage again. Who knows about that?

Sue

"Glory of the Snow" is the common name. But if you Google the images for the correct spelling - chionodoxa, you'll get many pages of pictures.

Grape hyacinths/muscari very often send up new leaves in the fall - unlikely to bloom, however. This does not affect their coming back again in the spring as good as new agaibn.

I guess I could plant a few under the hedge tunnel this fall, just to get an idea of what to expect if I planted enmasse.
If I remember right, the chionodoxa (sorry for the typo in my second post)used to be sold under the name "Snow Glories" in bulb catalogs and nurseries years ago.

Spring Beauties would be another excellent choice to create a woodland effect under the hedge. Altho, they are pink/white and are started from plants, not bulbs. Am I right?

Muscari taking over? Are you sure you're not thinking of the Scilla siberica which also has a similar bright blue flower in March/April.

I would hestitate to plant too many chinoxa, if any at all - they behave much like the scillas (which seed everywhere) and can create a wet rotting carpet which many perennials have a hard time pushing up through.

I would source out the Spring Beauties.You will achieve the effect you are looking for and as a native bulb it coexists nicely with other companion plantings - the decaying foliage decays quickly with little or no mess and no damage to other later emerging perennials.

I just wanted to mention that there are diffrent types of Chinodoxa too. I have C. forbesii, which is a light purple with a white eye. There is also a C. forbesii 'Alba' which is all white. There is also a light blue one (C. sardensis) that I am positivly dying for.
CMK

Yes, the Grape Hyacinth bulbs that I planted many years ago around the edges of the stone courtyard multiplied year after year, no matter how many I pulled up. They love the sandy soil between the stone pavers and also travel by seed. If you dig up even a small clump, you will find the bigger bulbs with bunches of tiny new ones surrounding them. I bought them as Grape Hyacinth and thought that's what I planted.

Ok, now the area I am thinking of planting the chionodoxa is inside a tunnel of privet hedge - there are no other perennials planted there, only bare earth similar to a path in the woods. No grass. No companion plantings But, I certainly don't want a "wet rotting carpet". I'll have to experiment.
Here is the tunnel, but the hedge does not leaf out until very late Spring, so there would be enough sunlight.

{{gwi:271825}}

They will be planted down both sides, not planted in the center.

Schoolhouse,
That is a lovely area, and I think the bulbs there would be pretty. I wonder what it would look like to have Woodland Phlox patches alternate with patches of Chionodoxa.

I've never grown chioodoxas, but I got myself up and found my sack of bulbs I purchased, and saw that I have 10 Forbesii bulbs. I plan to put them around some daylilies and iris.

Sue

I think a mass planting of Chionodoxa would look stunning. The nice thing about Chionodoxa is their foliage does die down quickly, I have some planted at the base of deciduous Azaleas.

Your tunnel brought to mind another tunnel planted with spring bulbs. Sigh, if only I had the room. I say go for it, we want pix of yours when up and blooming so we can all drool.

Tunnels are sooooo cool.

Annette

Here is a link that might be useful: Laburnum Tunnel at Barnsley House

Your hedge tunnel is so awesome schoolhouse!!
I love the view from that second pic, the tunnel draws you in and invites you to see what lies just beyond. Very neat, and I do think Chinodoxa would look fabulous there.
CMK

I forgot to add trunks, branches and twigs have a beauty all of their own. I love looking at their intricate forms with the sun filtering through. Chionodoxa dancing along the edges, the sun playing peek-a-boo with them will make such a pretty picture.

Annette

Thank you for the compliments!

I'm going out to measure off 1' and estimate how many bulbs per foot I would need. Just brought home a bag of 12 bulbs I purchased for $2.49 at the local farm store, I'll use those to get an idea of how to plant them.

gonativegal, re the scilla: I'm looking at Scheeper's catalog here, and I see a variety they are calling scilla siberica "Spring Beauty". A solid blue (no white center); and they describe scilla as great for naturalizing. More expensive tho.

Hmmm...now I'm not sure if I should go with a solid blue scilla or the blue chionodoxa with the white center. Decisions, decisions.

I know im probably being a pest, but you mentioned Scilla...
I have those too, and they are so cute! Nodding little blue flowers that smell like grape soda! But they dont seem to clump as quickly as my Chinodoxa do. Their foliage drops soon after flowering like the Chinodoxa though.
Are bluebells invasive where you are? They arnt here, where its cold, but I know my relatives in Seattle have a very difficult time containing them.
Make sure to post pics of your lovely tunnel area in the spring, with whatever you decide to plant there!
CMK

How dare you think you are being a pest. I came here asking for input and that's exactly what I'm getting. I'm grateful for everyone's contributions. (I'm leaning toward the "Snow Glories"! wink)

I measured, and if I plant 30' down the right side of the tunnel and 130' down the left; appx.8 bulbs per foot; I'll need - 1,280 bulbs.(!) That's not planting the bulbs the recommended 6" apart, tho, more like 3". But if they naturalize quickly, I wouldn't (shouldn't) plant that many.

When I first began my garden 25yrs ago, I brought woodland ferns from a property my parents had and planted them. Also some hosta type looking plants. Well, over the years all manner of wild flowers emerged from that soil of the woods and bluebells was one. They were beautiful and really took off AND began popping up everywhere. I tore alot of them out year after year, and sadly today I have only one very very small clump of those bluebells left.

Did a test planting today of 12 bulbs. I knew the soil would be a little dry and that there would be roots from the hedge to contend with but: If I plant a whole lot of these bulbs I think I'll wait for a day after a nice soaking rain. The many small roots laying just below the surface and sometimes on top of the ground really make it difficult to dig up even a small square of earth, so I bet I'd have to plant one or maybe two bulbs in a single hole and continue the whole length of the tunnel that way. Could turn out better, more natural.

Maybe a Dibble or dibbler as some call it would work in this situation. Just poke holes and pop the bulbs in. A

Yes, that will be the way I'll have to plant them. Maybe I should use a hand drill with a bit big enough to make an inch wide hole. Wait a minute - haven't I seen something like this advertised on TV! ha. Ok, I'll post an update later if and when I accomplish this project. Thanks all.

I stumbled upon this "conversation" while searching for more info on grape hyacinths. I planted these along the front edge of all the garden beds in my front yard last year, nearly 1000 bulbs, and this past spring they were glorious! The leaves have begun to come back up, thicker than last year, but some of the leaves are so long and floppy that they very much resemble crab grass leaves and lay all over everything nearby. I would love to trim these leave back a bit so they would stand up on their own and look nicer but I don't want to harm the bulbs. Does anyone have any information about how to keep these a little more under control?
Also, schoolhouse: the thing you're talking about is called a bulb auger. I don't know about on TV but I've had one for about 20 years. It fits into my drill like a drill bit, only it's about 2 ft. long. It works pretty well for planting bulbs and saves your knees a little better than a hand bulb planter or a trowel.

Hi, juder. That's the term I was searching for - bulb auger. Thanks. As far as the grape hyacinth foliage, it's been my experience that trimming their foliage will not mean a thing to those little buggers. Sounds like you've given them a great home, and they'll be with you forever more!

To help with trying to keep them in their places, try cutting off the seed stalks after they have bloomed. Other than that, you may have to dig up any strays that pop up in your lawn or other areas they aren't invited before the bulbs have a chance to form corms (sp?).