More Tulips

By Mary Jo Baur


Tulips that bloom in the mid spring would be the Triumph and Darwin Hybrid groups.  Triumphs come in a wide range of colors, but are not perennial; so if you purchase this type, expect to see them for only one spring.  Two striking examples are Shirley and Tequilla Sunrise.  Darwin Hybrids are considered the best for perennial bedding.  They will return year after year.  They make good cut flowers, and mix well with other bulbs, annuals and perennial flowers.  I have grown Pink Impression, Daydream, Apeldoorn, and Apricot Delight.

Single Late tulips flower in May.  This fall I ordered Maureen and Menton.  They look great in the photos.  I'll let you know next spring how they performed.  Lily-flowered tulips are graceful and elegant.  They do not return reliably, but I have in the past planted Ballerina which are reddish-orange with a yellow edge on the petals.  Fringed tulips bloom mid to late season and are an interesting novelty in your garden. 


The next category to bloom are the Viridiflora tulips.  They have strong streaks of green on their petals.  This year I ordered an eye-catching one named Night Rider.  The last two types to bloom are the Parrots and the Double Lates. The Parrots are very showy with scalloped and fringed petals.  The flowers are heavy, so don't plant them in a windy spot or you may find that they get blown over.  The last group, Double Lates, resemble peonies or roses as they have multiple petals per flower.  I have grown Angelique, which is a pale pink.  This type also needs protection from the wind since they can be top-heavy, but they are very beautiful.

Once you look through a catalog or view tulips online, you will be amazed at the vast variety available to us to plant and appreciate in our gardens.