Grower rescues heirloom bulbs, saves Southern history

Chris Wiesinger is on a rescue mission: keeping heirloom bulbs alive in the Southern landscape.

In search of the graceful long-stemmed flowers that have flourished for 50 to 100 years in the South’s warm climates, the Texas-based horticulturist ventures to abandoned homesites, rundown farms and inner-city lots to rescue bulbs that he will reproduce and sell through his Southern Bulb Company. From the Atlanta area, he’s rescued tiger lily, Roman hyacinth and crinum.

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Chris Wiesinger, owner of the Southern Bulb Company, rescues heirloom bulbs from abandoned home sites and farms throughout the South.

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Chris Wiesinger suggests pairing rain lilies such as these pink blooms with liriope.

GARDENING SYMPOSIUM
"Back to Our Roots: The Southern Garden Revisited."
Speakers, including Stephanie Van Parys of the Oakhurst Community Garden and David McMullin of New Moon Gardens, will discuss tried-and-true gardening techniques such as organic gardening, incorporating vegetables into the ornamental garden and design concepts for keeping year-round color and beauty. Symposium begins with silent auction.
8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta. $67 general fee; $57 garden or GPPA members. Boxed lunch available, $10. To register: 404-876-5859, ext. 2558, or www.georgiaperennial.org
More about the Southern Bulb Company: www.southernbulbs.com

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While saving the bulbs — with the permission of the landowner — he learns the story of each and passes on a piece of Southern history, a heritage encapsulated within a simple, fertile vessel.

“I feel it, I sense it, and I try to convey it,” he says. “My whole life senses that connection to our past.”

This weekend, Wiesinger will speak about his adventures hunting bulbs at the Georgia Perennial Plant Association and Atlanta Botanical Garden’s spring symposium “Back to Our Roots: The Southern Garden Revisited,” which also addresses organic and vegetable gardening practices.

“They have a true Southern aesthetic,” he says, referencing crinum — summer-blooming flowers known for trumpet-like blossoms. “They make a huge color impact yet are fitting to the environment and play well with others. … This is an investment for your garden.”

It’s not too late to order spring-planted bulbs (also known as summer-blooming bulbs) that will burst with color in June, July and August.

Wiesinger shares these tips for bringing a touch of yesteryear into your modern garden …

What to plant this spring: Spring-planted bulbs ideal for the Atlanta landscape include crinum, rain lily, canna, gladiolus and hymenocallis. Just remember to wait until the last threat of deep freeze has passed. (Most Atlantans plant bulbs in late April to early May.)

Best bulbs for beginners: Crinum lilies, which Wiesinger says are effortless summer-blooming bulbs.

Where and how to plant: Most bulbs love the sun, so look for a spot where they will receive a half day of light. Wiesinger also suggests planting the bulbs in groups of three. Prep the soil by adding expanded shale and using an even ratio slow-release fertilizer.

Watering requirements: Minimal watering needed. Current restrictions allowing people to hand-water their gardens on specified days for 25 minutes would more than meet a bulb’s requirement. (Hand-watering means using a garden hose with a spray nozzle that shuts off when not in use.)

Wiesinger adds that Atlanta’s natural rainfall (even amid a drought) is sufficient.

Store in the winter: Southern Bulb Company bulbs do not need to be dug up and stored during the winter, but Wiesinger suggests checking with your local bulb seller for a bulb’s hardiness.

Pairing suggestions: Try rain lily with liriope for an ethereal look, crinum with salvia, or crinum with fall-planted bulbs such as the spider lily.