In case you missed it in print, here are some recent articles about Chris Wiesinger, aka The Bulb Hunter in Southern Living Magazine and the New York Times.
We are very pleased to be working with Chris this fall. Olive Barn has already started shipping orders for Southern Bulbs.
I was out in the garden yesterday and noticed my Oxblood Lilies blooming. Bought these from our good friends at Southern Bulbs last year.
Rhodophiala bifida is the scientific name for the Oxblood lily, which is sometimes called the School House lily. These hardy plants frequently make appearances in older neighborhoods of Central Texas. Red flowers bloom from September to November each year in the South. Oxblood lilies are historic and, until now, are almost impossible to buy.
Olive Barn is partnering with The Southern Bulb Company this fall to offer some unique gift bulb kits that will be sold on Olivebarn.com. Chris Wiesinger is the owner of Southern Bulbs and I first met Chris a few years ago at a lecture he was giving. He’s got a passion for growing bulbs in the South. I’ve always felt that southern gardeners are often neglected by the “BIG BULB” companies, with product that is not designed for warmer climates. Chris discovered heirloom bulbs growing at old homesteads and gardens throughout the South and his passion for collecting them, and propagating them has turned into a thriving business. So much so, they need help shipping those bulbs.
Chris Wiesinger of Southern Bulb
That’s where Olive Barn comes in. We’ve been shipping product and growing our thriving web business since 2001. We’ve got the expertise in order fulfillment and we’re small enough to offer personal service. Best of all, we’re eco-friendly! Chris may be known as the “Bulb Hunter“, (and I must admit I really like that name), but we are known around Houston as the “Green Girls“. From our carbon-free shipping to our eco-friendly packaging, our business is embracing the green movement. And the proof is, I am still hauling all of those empty warehouse boxes to the recycling bin after work. Yes that’s right, the President of the company is hauling empty boxes to a recycling bin. Heck, we’re even composting in the Olive Barn kitchen now. Mind you, it is vermicomposting (that’s right WORMS.) If you live in the Houston area and want to see the worms, feel free to stop by and take a peek.
Want to get to know Chris and learn more about the outstanding work he is doing? Check out his videos at Southern Bulb. Here is a sample: