Tulips don't grow well in our soil, so I plant them up in pots - great but someone has to lift those heavy pots, water them when the conditions are dry too. I have new Vincent van Gogh this year, delivered direct from Holland (my brother's partner) the rest are one or 2 year old corms and they get thrown out after 2 years as they just don't do so well after 2 years.
Out the front of my house I have a fairly narrow border (about 3 ft by 20ft) filled with pink roses. I have always planted a mixture of pink and dark purple tulips there (old fashioned shape). This year I thought I would plant a plethora of alliums, the plan being that the alliums would come out as the tulips were going over. So, I planted lots more tulips in the desired colour and 50 allium bulbs. I saw it in my mind so clearly. Total disaster. Fair enough the tulips were fine - alliums not. Of the 50 bulbs I reckon I got 8 alliums - they were not as tall as I expected from the description nor as big. And they did not appear until long after the tulips had gone. Disappointed? Gutted!!
In my back garden I plant orange and purple tulips together, the bigger and blowsier the better. Probably because only I can see them and no-one will be able to comment on my strange taste! I love tulips!
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
I'm planning not to buy any of the new dwarf tulips. I had three varieties this year and they were vile. One variety was a huge high viz orange cup practically at ground level. Another had alternate pi n k and yellow stripes and another had flowers about the size of cherries at ground level. All went on the compost heap while still in flower -and I'm usually a softie when it comes to killing healthy plants.
I've learnt not to trust the pretty pictures on the packets.
Purple and orange are a great combination Hogweed - they complement each other. Pale pink is for wusses anyway....
I love the species tulips B3 - they survive our wet soil here and work beautifully with crocus underneath perennials or later shrubs. It's a question of picking the right ones though! Pink and yellow together is a real no no for me too
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It was Yviestevie and in my efforts to find it I scrolled though most of May on the Garden 2016 thread. It's on page 24 but all of May is worth a look!
The biggest advantage of pots for me is that I can tuck tulips in against a wall or other planting to prevent them being shredded by the wind and weather. I've had too many lovely displays ruined.
I'm sure it waits patiently till they're out, so that I get conned into thinking the tulips will be beautiful for weeks....
Just becsue you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I love spring green too Fairygirl. And I've given Cheerfulness as presents before in pots for friends who've just had babies.
Hogweed - are you on heavy soil? I find in our clay soil alliums aren't always perennial, but I plant more each year as I do love them so and they usually make the first year even if they don't come back. Spheracephalon are often perennial and hollandicum, but not as successful with atropurpureum, which I love.
B3 - I love Thalia and this year I grew white tete a tete in a pot with mixed Muscari and they were fabulous. 
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Tulips don't grow well in our soil, so I plant them up in pots - great but someone has to lift those heavy pots, water them when the conditions are dry too. I have new Vincent van Gogh this year, delivered direct from Holland (my brother's partner) the rest are one or 2 year old corms and they get thrown out after 2 years as they just don't do so well after 2 years.
Out the front of my house I have a fairly narrow border (about 3 ft by 20ft) filled with pink roses. I have always planted a mixture of pink and dark purple tulips there (old fashioned shape). This year I thought I would plant a plethora of alliums, the plan being that the alliums would come out as the tulips were going over. So, I planted lots more tulips in the desired colour and 50 allium bulbs. I saw it in my mind so clearly. Total disaster. Fair enough the tulips were fine - alliums not. Of the 50 bulbs I reckon I got 8 alliums - they were not as tall as I expected from the description nor as big. And they did not appear until long after the tulips had gone. Disappointed? Gutted!!
In my back garden I plant orange and purple tulips together, the bigger and blowsier the better. Probably because only I can see them and no-one will be able to comment on my strange taste! I love tulips!
I'm planning not to buy any of the new dwarf tulips. I had three varieties this year and they were vile. One variety was a huge high viz orange cup practically at ground level. Another had alternate pi n k and yellow stripes and another had flowers about the size of cherries at ground level. All went on the compost heap while still in flower -and I'm usually a softie when it comes to killing healthy plants.
I've learnt not to trust the pretty pictures on the packets.
Purple and orange are a great combination Hogweed - they complement each other. Pale pink is for wusses anyway....
I love the species tulips B3 - they survive our wet soil here and work beautifully with crocus underneath perennials or later shrubs. It's a question of picking the right ones though! Pink and yellow together is a real no no for me too
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm definitely sticking to the species too. I will also buy more thalia and tete a tete
Someone posted a purple/orange combo last year (might it have been Perki
) and they were stunning! Outrageous but stunning! 
It was Yviestevie and in my efforts to find it I scrolled though most of May on the Garden 2016 thread. It's on page 24 but all of May is worth a look!
Tulips abound!
The biggest advantage of pots for me is that I can tuck tulips in against a wall or other planting to prevent them being shredded by the wind and weather. I've had too many lovely displays ruined.
I'm sure it waits patiently till they're out, so that I get conned into thinking the tulips will be beautiful for weeks....
Just becsue you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I love spring green too Fairygirl. And I've given Cheerfulness as presents before in pots for friends who've just had babies.
Hogweed - are you on heavy soil? I find in our clay soil alliums aren't always perennial, but I plant more each year as I do love them so and they usually make the first year even if they don't come back. Spheracephalon are often perennial and hollandicum, but not as successful with atropurpureum, which I love.
B3 - I love Thalia and this year I grew white tete a tete in a pot with mixed Muscari and they were fabulous. 
Can't wait to get planting...
I've not got much chance of winning the lottery either Fairygirl as I don't play - a waste of tulip money!!! ☺