Flowering in the crevice garden in early November is the little-known South African bulb, Strumaria discifera ssp. bulbifera. These hail from the winter wet/dry summer region of the Western Cape, and have been right at home in the ground here since 2018. Okay, so it’s not as flashy as a tulip of daffodil, but to quote Abraham Lincoln, “for people who like that kind of thing, I think that is just about the kind of thing they’d like.”

I am so glad you all are giving Strumaria a shout-out. I tucked a few bulbs of Strumaria tenella ssp orientalis in a west-facing step a couple of years ago in Elizabeth Lawrence’s garden. It is a modest thing, but I find myself eagerly awaiting its tiny star-like blooms each year. Here’s to the unsung heroes of the garden: little bulbs!!