Some of you may remember me planting up an old tin bath (which was my bath when I was a baby) a year ago, with Iris reticulata and crocus. I was full of good intentions at the time, meaning to plant the bulbs in the garden when they were over.
Somehow this never got done and once again the bath is full of the same flowers, looking very pretty, I think.
As each day goes by, more flowers open.
The colour of the crocus is picked up by the yellow stripe on the iris.
I think they look lovely together.
Of course, all this is a happy accident, the iris should all have been the purple “Pauline” but half of them turned out to be these lovely blue ones, which I love, I’m still waiting for the others to flower. “Pauline” is obviously being very lazy and doesn’t want to wake up yet for her bath!
Last year they were all flowering at the end of March, so far they are a lot earlier this year, but then, I was late planting them last year. I really must plant them in the garden this time and make room for something else in the bath for the summer, I think the south facing slope to the ditch by the woodland might be the ideal place for them, they get plenty of sunlight in the winter and should have excellent drainage, what do you think?
The bath looks beautiful, and what a wonderful thing to keep your old baby bath like that! Another Pauline is using it now … that position sounds perfect.
My parents kept it for years Catmint, moving it from garage to garage each time they moved house, eventually it came to us when my mother moved in with us when she had dementia. I decided to put it to good use and not just hang it up in our garage. I’m a bit concerned that now I’m sharing my bath with either Edward or George!
Yes, they really are lovely, particularly at this time of the year. And what a great use of your ‘bath’.
I think the bath is far better with bulbs in it than just hanging up in the garage Rosemarie. The stunning blue colour is a real eye catcher with the crocus.
I noticed the soap scum around the rim. Obviously you were a mud gardener back then so your mother had to scrub extra hard!
Thanks for the smile.
Thanks Mark! I don’t remember playing in the soil back then, but you never know. After all, it was during the second World War and we were busy dodging bombs!
This is a lovely combination Pauline and I must say looking very Swedish. Maybe I should give it a go!
Thank you Denise, if it looks Swedish, then definitely you must give it a go!
I did the same thing with tulips last year, planted them up in big pots, planning to dig them and put them out in beds. Not a chance! They’re coming up in those same pots right now. Your Iris and Crocuses are so pretty together. I keep seeing Iris reticulata on other blogs and on Facebook and I think I really need to plant some this fall.
I’m glad I’m not the only one full of good intentions Alison! Iris reticulata are such a lovely splash of colour at this time of year, I think you need to plant some too, you won’t regret it!
I think the Iris reticulata look better massed together in a container the way you’ve planted them; they often seem a bit lost in the garden but your new position for them sounds good too. what will you plant in the bath for summer?
What will I plant in the bath in the summer Christina, Id better see if I remember to move the crocus and iris out first! I do like the massed effect of the iris in the bath, but think they need new soil anyway, so a move would be beneficial for them.
What a lovely planting combination. They both bring out the best in each other!
Thank you Annie, I so agree with you!
This looks gorgeous, Pauline! Have you put holes in the bottom of the bath? I grew nasturtium in a bath like this last year but had the bath raised up above a water butt and with the dry summer they didn’t get watered enough and didn’t do especially well, so I shall try something different for this year. Not sure what yet
Thank you Cathy, glad you like them, I love the vibrant blue of the iris shining out on a dull day. Yes, we drilled holes for drainage, but the plants in there survived just on rain water as someone forgot to water them! Haven’t decided what to plant for the summer yet, will have to get my thinking cap on for if and when I move the bulbs.
Very pretty indeed! It’s interesting that ‘Pauline’ has been in that tub at one time or another since your infancy. (That’s some twenty years ago, right. 🙂
I wish Peter, and the rest! What is worrying is that Pauline is now sharing her bath with either George or Edward, I can’t remember which!
Bathing with kings. Heavens, Pauline is impressive.
But they weren’t even invited Peter, they just hopped in to join her!
I love that you’ve managed to hold on to your baby bath all these years – so many things that we treasure now were of less value at the time. As a planter, it looks totally fab but your woodland spot for the bathing beauties sounds ideal and will look beautiful. I’ll have to follow your lead and get round to planting out snowdrops and alliums growing in the pots that I put them in last year – if I run out of planting time, I have a tendency to fling things into pots, meaning to transplant them sooner rather than later! We’re always running out of time, aren’t we!
I’m not sure why Caro, but the bath moved with my parents each time they moved, it was just hung up in the garage whichever house they were in.It came to us when my mother moved in with us when she had dementia and I decided that it ought to have a second life after all this time and not just be hung up in our garage! I must make time to transfer the bulbs when they have finished flowering, the bulbs need new soil if nothing else. I invariably end up potting up bulbs when I run out of time in the winter, so many need planting out now!