Featured Blog: Splashy, Showy Tulips, The Harbingers of Spring

It won't be long before we'll be dreaming about Spring. 

Will your dreams include drifts of colorful tulips?  If so, now is definitely the time to purchase those bulbs. 

If you're planning to order from a catalog, that order needs to be placed now to insure shipments in time to plant this fall before the ground freezes.  However, there are many places right here at home where bulbs may be purchased.

Many of the hardware stores and big box stores have bulbs at this time of year.  Their selections may not be as specific as the nurseries and garden centers.  Nursery selections go fast, especially if you are looking for a certain type bulb that will bloom early or late in the season. 

Nurseries often have a selection of individual larger bulbs than those you'll find in packages. You will also find a wide range of prices.

Let's just talk about tulips. There are many, many types of these spring bulbs to choose from without mixing in all the other bulb possibilities. 

Streching the growing/blooming season of our plants is each gardener's quest.  Good gardening practices, good soil preparation, water, proper feed, all these things are important.  But, suppose, just like the addition years ago, of colors beyond red and yellow, the hybridizers developed some bulbs that bloomed earlier or later than the typical bulbs we have known.

That has been done. In fact, bulbs with those characteristics have been around for quite awhile. Many of us just haven't been paying attention or haven't been that selective when purchasing tulip bulbs. 

The 'Water Lily' tulips, Kaufmanniana Hybrid, are low growing, often used in rock gardens and for border plantings.  They are early spring bloomers.  Mine were blooming in mid March of last year; of course, last spring everything was a week or two early.

Fosterian tulips are considered "early spring blooming". These include the 'Emperor' tulips that have huge flowers. 'Triumph' tulips, a cross between 'Darwin' and the early tulips have strong stems and large shapely blooms.  These bloom April/May.  I have read, "If you grow the Giant Darwin Hybrids don't cut the blooms if you want them to come back to bloom the next year."

Some of the single 'Darwin' and 'Cottage' tulips are late blooming as are the 'Fringed' and 'Viridiflora' varieties - all holding their beauty until the last, sometimes into mid May.  'Parrot' tulips are also considered "late flowering."

As you can see, there are many choices, many varieties.  Next time you go bulb shopping, take a few extra minutes and really read the signs on the bulb bins.  With a little study and effort you can have tulips blooming almost all spring. 

Buy now - plant before the ground freezes.