|
| |
Tulip bulbs - an easy
way to capture springtime glory
The tulip
bulb has been a stealer of hearts, capturer of spirits and the cause
of incredible greed
|
|
In the 17th century
at the height of tulipmania in Europe, a single tulip bulb was worth
more than its own weight in gold.
Today the tulip
bulb is a lot less expensive but is still one of Holland's largest
exports.
And springtime in
Holland is so spectacular that each year, hundreds of thousands of
people visit the bulb fields just to witness the flowers at their
vibrant best.
|
There are many different
types of tulips to choose from. Some are tiny gems small enough for the
rockery or front of a border. Others are tall and majestic reaching a
height of 60cms (24ins).
Here's a few things to note
about some of the different types.
-
Dwarf
tulip species and their hybrids, sometimes referred to as botanical
tulips, are found growing in regions with plentiful spring and winter
rainfall and hot, dry summers. They grow in most types of soil but do
best in well drained soil. So if you are planting your tulip
bulbs in clay soil dig in lots of grit to provide the necessary
drainage. They flower early (Mar/Apr) and grow to about 10-15cms
(4-6ins)
-
Amongst
the taller tulip varieties are the mid-season tulip flowers in the
Triumph range. These have a long flowering period well into May and
with strong stems 40-50cm (16-20ins) tall are suitable for growing in
exposed or windy areas.
-
On the other hand the
giant Darwin hybrids have enormous, vivid flower heads and long stems
up to 60-70cm (24-28ins). These flower in April/May.
-
An unusual group of
tulip flowers for the garden is the Viridiflora tulip, such as Spring
Green. Here a degree of green is blended into each flower giving them
a sophisticated, elegant look. these are medium height tulips and
flower late April/May.
-
You can extend the tulip
flowering season well into May by growing giant paeony tulips such as
Angelique, a charming sugar pink or Black Hero, a velvety dark blue
black. These reach 40-50cms (16-20ins).
-
The
dwarf tulips the Batalinii Group AGM are amongst the most popular and
are well suited to rockeries and growing in containers. In areas
that don't experience severe winter cold the dwarf tulip bulb is
reliably perennial. All they need to thrive well is full sun and well
drained soil. Plant them and leave them alone and they will go on
flowering year after year. They come in a range of lovely colours
and produce lots of wonderful flowers year after year and increase
naturally. 'Bronze Charm' with its delightful bronze coloured flowers
is one of the most popular tulip bulb, closely followed by 'Bright
Gem'. 'Yellow Jewel' has bright yellow flowers from April to May.
-
If
you're looking for a virtually black tulip flower then 'Queen
of the Night' is the very darkest tulip bulb ever produced with
rich, velvety, intriguingly beautiful, exotic dark almost black purple
flowers up to 60cm (24in) tall. It makes a spectacularly bold
statement in any garden.
Most
varieties of tulip flowers come in a wide range of vibrant colors that
simply light up the spring garden as no other flower can. (Read more about
tulips - how to grow)
You can place your tulip
bulb order now for immediate delivery from Michigan
Bulb Co who've got a special offer of 20$ off
order of 50$ or more on bulbs, trees and perennials right now.
|
| |
| Free
gift when you send us your gardening tip |
Got a useful
gardening tip you'd like to share? Then send it to us and we'll publish it
on this site. Click here to send your
tips. As a thank-you, we'll give you a copy of Homeowners Guide to Landscaping
worth $47.00 absolutely FREE and send you our occasional newsletter with
all our latest gardening tips, tricks, ideas and news.
|
| Can't find
what you're looking for? Visit our gardening partners
for more gardening tips and gardening ideas
|
|
