I've found that lily flowering tulips are reliable repeat flowerers - Ballerina is one of these but there are other colours too including pink and purple. This link shows other options: Buy Lily Flowering Tulip Bulbs | J Parkers Dutch Bulbs
Although it's best to plant them in November, a lot of popular tulip varieties tend to sell out early so order them in good time - many suppliers keep bulbs in reserve for advance orders and deliver nearer planting time. (Or you can store them in a cool, dark, dry place.)
The species tulips are all perennial, and will multiply, but they still need good conditions - ie sun and well drained soil. Have a look at Peter Nyssen's site, and you'll see the varieties available. Whether others return reliably often comes down to conditions. I'm lucky if I get some returning for a few years, regardless of type. I'm afraid I disagree re the grit at the bottom of a hole. It just acts as a sump in wetter conditions. I mix loads of grit through the compost I use for tulips in pots, so that the entire medium is free draining. The ones in a bed are in very light, improved soil as it's a raised bed, and the medium is tailored for them. Even then, I lose some each year. I can't change what comes out of the sky.
Gritty, lighter soil is what they all need, and enough water at the right time. If you're in a drier area, it's much easier to have them returning reasonably reliably
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm very fond of tulips Peppermint Stick and Ronaldo as a colour combination of pink/white/purple. Peppermint stick are botanical tulips so are perennial, and Ronaldo has come back better for me this year than last but that may be more luck than judgement.
There's some good advice here on planting and caring for tulips. Bloms bulbs also have a good range of species or botanical tulips if you want your bulbs to naturalise and repeat flower - probably the best option if you are planting in large numbers.
I have heard Purple Dream and Blue Aimable are perennial. (According to Katy Merrington, gardener at the Hepworth gallery). I think Negrita is another one. I've not grown them myself.
I’m on year 3 of blue amiable and they have come back well so far. They’re very nice, quite tall and also a bit later than most
I have Ronaldo too @tlchimera - great colour. I've had some appearing for a few years now. I do most of my tulips in pots [apart from the species ones] and then stick them out in borders, and they just have to get on with it after that. Most of them disappear after a year or two. Those are in the best spot I can possibly give them and have been ok, especially this year after the non existent winter we've had. That may be the reason yours have also done better this spring
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The very few tulips I have grown which really persisted (and even then only where they received plenty of sun in summer) are: ‘China Pink’, ‘White Trimphator’, ‘Bleu Aimable’, ‘Angelique’, and the species T. bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’.
I think that's why my Ronaldos were good this year too @Cambridgerose12 - we had a very hot summer here last year, as well as the mild, dry winter. I love White Triumphator, but it couldn't cope with the usual weather, so it was more of an annual for me. Perhaps if we're going to get more of this type of weather here, I can get more and keep them going longer
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Although it's best to plant them in November, a lot of popular tulip varieties tend to sell out early so order them in good time - many suppliers keep bulbs in reserve for advance orders and deliver nearer planting time. (Or you can store them in a cool, dark, dry place.)
Whether others return reliably often comes down to conditions. I'm lucky if I get some returning for a few years, regardless of type. I'm afraid I disagree re the grit at the bottom of a hole. It just acts as a sump in wetter conditions. I mix loads of grit through the compost I use for tulips in pots, so that the entire medium is free draining.
The ones in a bed are in very light, improved soil as it's a raised bed, and the medium is tailored for them. Even then, I lose some each year. I can't change what comes out of the sky.
Gritty, lighter soil is what they all need, and enough water at the right time. If you're in a drier area, it's much easier to have them returning reasonably reliably
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Tulip bulbs planting | Tulip Bulb Growing Advice, Tulip Planting, After Flowering & Naturalising. (blomsbulbs.com)
Those are in the best spot I can possibly give them and have been ok, especially this year after the non existent winter we've had. That may be the reason yours have also done better this spring
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
what's meant by "species tulips"?