With most tulips, especially from garden centres, you get a great display in year one, in year two only half of them grow, of which only half flower, year three, zilch. If you want them to keep coming back, you need to buy what the trade calls species tulips. There are plenty to choose from, the flowers are smaller and less showy than the fadeaway sort, because they are closer to the naturally occurring plants. They might cost more, but they're better value.
If you live in a colder area,you don't need to worry about waiting to plant tulips. We can plant in October here without any problems. If you want early displays , the species tulips are brilliant, and not like the usual kinds which diminish as time goes by, as Josusa says. I love them, and have quite a lot in a new border I created a couple of years ago. The little reticulata Irises that Joyce mentions are gorgeous too, but they tend to fade a bit in numbers over time as well. Some pots near the house with crocus, the little irises, species tulips and dwarf daffs/narcissus will give a lovely display to get you through to spring. I'd echo Peter Nyssen too as a great supplier. If you have a good Garden Centre nearyou though - they'll have plenty in late August/early September.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
A small tip: if you want to grow something else once the daffodils have finished flowering, avoid late flowering varieties. Decaying daffodil leaves have to be left to decompose at their own pace and only now am I seeing the leaves finally go. Floppy, sprawling daffodil leaves are an irritation.
Personally I like to plant a minimum of 10 bulbs of one variety in a clump and 15+ are better. Each to their own, but I dislike mixed displays of daffodils and consider double daffodils to be the painted strumpets of the plant world.
With some bulbs (like tulips), I plant them in ordinary plant pots which can be plonked out in the border or placed inside a prettier planter at flowering time. When they've finished blooming, I whip them out and leave them to die down in a less prominent position in the garden. The planters and gaps are then empty, to be filled with summer annuals etc.
There are already first daffodil bulbs being sold in one of the large DIY stores. I was a bit shocked to be honest, somehow it is always a sign of autumn for me.
Personally I absolutely love spring bulbs. They appear at the time of the year when green leaves and flowers are most needed to cheer us up. And there are no easier plants to grow - just put them in the pots and wait for the first shoots to appear. And once they are there, you know, the worst part of winter is over (although for me spring begins right after the boxing day )
Looking forward to picking different varieties of tulips this autumn - had a few gorgeous ones from a regular diy store last year. But since then I discovered a really great garden centre close by, so can't wait to see what they have to offer. Spring bulbs are all about anticipation
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The little reticulata Irises that Joyce mentions are gorgeous too, but they tend to fade a bit in numbers over time as well. Some pots near the house with crocus, the little irises, species tulips and dwarf daffs/narcissus will give a lovely display to get you through to spring.
I'd echo Peter Nyssen too as a great supplier. If you have a good Garden Centre nearyou though - they'll have plenty in late August/early September.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Personally I like to plant a minimum of 10 bulbs of one variety in a clump and 15+ are better. Each to their own, but I dislike mixed displays of daffodils and consider double daffodils to be the painted strumpets of the plant world.
The planters and gaps are then empty, to be filled with summer annuals etc.
There are already first daffodil bulbs being sold in one of the large DIY stores. I was a bit shocked to be honest, somehow it is always a sign of autumn for me.
Personally I absolutely love spring bulbs. They appear at the time of the year when green leaves and flowers are most needed to cheer us up. And there are no easier plants to grow - just put them in the pots and wait for the first shoots to appear. And once they are there, you know, the worst part of winter is over (although for me spring begins right after the boxing day
)
Looking forward to picking different varieties of tulips this autumn - had a few gorgeous ones from a regular diy store last year. But since then I discovered a really great garden centre close by, so can't wait to see what they have to offer. Spring bulbs are all about anticipation