My Pink Parrot (neon pink and fringed petals) have re-appeared for the 4th or 5th year running. Only a few of the Black Parrot ones have done so. The orange lily Ballerina ones also repeat. I've got clay soil in a south-west facing garden.
Other than the botanic types, I think Negrita is the most reliable. I listened to a talk recently, where they suggested 'Jan Reus', 'Negrita', 'Purple Dream' and... I think the orange one is 'Ballerina'... I can't read the text!
However if you want a 'wild-flowery look' some of the botanical ones must be worth a look. I have just grown T. sylvestris and am very happy with it - it's got more presence than a lot of the other botanics; a bit taller, with bigger flowers and several of them per bulb. I also tried T. orphinadea Whitallii Group, it is a bit more of a subtle thing. It's lovely when it is backlit by the sun, which brings out the orange colours in it, though.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Thank you @Fairygirl yes I guess just knowing that they are likely to not come back is the key, and then if any do reappear it is an added bonus. I guess I just plant them this Autumn for 2022 Spring and wait a year to see how 2023 Spring fairs. If it's rubbish I guess that's for Autumn 2023 me to then deal with 🤣 my currently 1 year old son will be 4 by autumn 2023 so maybe I could delegate some garden work to him by then!!
Thank you @Bee witched it is good to know that you have tulips coming back even with the conditions in your garden, so finger crossed my suntrap will have some success as well. I love that Negrita it is exactly what I am looking for! And have also seen a lot of Darwin types available, so it sounds very hopeful. Geraniums seems to do well in my totally neglected front garden, so hopefully I will have just as much luck in the back with them as well.
Thank you @JennyJ I hadnt come across a species type that I liked the look of before, but that lilac wonder is very pretty and I could easily be swayed! Yes that is the issue isn't it, I want tulips to come back but don't want to sacrifice the plot for the other 10/11 months of the year that they are not blooming!
@micearguers thank you for the suggestion, I've looked up Ronaldo and it is a lovely colour and available on the website I was going to buy from, so I'll add it to my list.
@edhelka thank you for the link that is very helpful! Also geraniums seem to be a common suggestion and as you say, seem like a good plan to cover up all the dying tulip leaves.
@Lizzie27 thank you its good to hear that your pink parrots have survived, I did particularly like the parrot ones but thought they might be too fancy to last.
@Loxley thank you negrita seems to be a popular choice and purple dream would also be a great colour. Ill have a look at some of the botanical ones you've mentioned as I'd never considered them before but could easily be swayed!
I’ve had success with ‘China Pink’, ‘White Triumphator’, ‘Tres Chic’, ‘Bleu Aimable’, the species tulips mentioned above, the double ‘Angelique’, and I’ve seen some Parrot tulips that come back each year. It does depend on your soil and conditions, though. You seem to have excellent conditions—how about trying a batch of 20 of any given variety in a year, and keeping notes on which survive and which don’t? I’m already adding people’s suggestions here to my own list!
@didyw thank you for checking! Yes I am just getting ahead of myself as I am abojt to fill the currently empty raised bed where they will eventually go.
@Cambridgerose12 yes the 20 a year sounds like a good, sensible plan. I'm currently not feeling very sensible though and just want to plant as many as possible 🤣🤣 although as an ongoing thing, buying a few more of a new tulip each year sounds like a great idea, I imagine it can get very addictive!
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However if you want a 'wild-flowery look' some of the botanical ones must be worth a look. I have just grown T. sylvestris and am very happy with it - it's got more presence than a lot of the other botanics; a bit taller, with bigger flowers and several of them per bulb. I also tried T. orphinadea Whitallii Group, it is a bit more of a subtle thing. It's lovely when it is backlit by the sun, which brings out the orange colours in it, though.
Thank you @JennyJ I hadnt come across a species type that I liked the look of before, but that lilac wonder is very pretty and I could easily be swayed! Yes that is the issue isn't it, I want tulips to come back but don't want to sacrifice the plot for the other 10/11 months of the year that they are not blooming!
@edhelka thank you for the link that is very helpful! Also geraniums seem to be a common suggestion and as you say, seem like a good plan to cover up all the dying tulip leaves.
@Loxley thank you negrita seems to be a popular choice and purple dream would also be a great colour. Ill have a look at some of the botanical ones you've mentioned as I'd never considered them before but could easily be swayed!
@Cambridgerose12 yes the 20 a year sounds like a good, sensible plan. I'm currently not feeling very sensible though and just want to plant as many as possible 🤣🤣 although as an ongoing thing, buying a few more of a new tulip each year sounds like a great idea, I imagine it can get very addictive!