In the Garden:
Understanding a plant is probably the only way that we gardeners can truly grow them in the first place. Now, I am not saying that we need to know
everything about the plant, but rather a good base of info. Example, what is it's relationship to the sun, what size will it be at maturity and is it pretty to me and fitting for my design? If you start with this knowledge, everything else you learn is just gravy on top and will enable you to be a good "Mom" to the plant.
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| Nice grouping of Tulips |
Tulips are interested in 6 or more hours of sun, it's mature size is quite quaint and therefore I am able to plant as many or as few of them I want to accomplish the size I want and they are pretty to me, "Duh!", which means they are fitting for my garden design. This is a cool way to think about plants huh?
The "gravy" about Tulips:
- The Tulip bulbs you buy and plant have been groomed for blooming. Interesting fact; in Holland, the bulbs are planted in sandy, fertile earth, allowed to bloom but for a second and then all blooms are chopped off! They are not allowed to stay on the plant and suck the energy out of the sell-able bulbs.
- Once we Gardeners in the U.S. plant the bulbs in our garden, do we enjoy their flowers until the very last petals drop from the plant? Yep!
- In doing the above, the bulb underground morph's into a scrawny old thing and multiplies into a bunch of small bulbs that don't have the energy to re-bloom the next Spring.
- Good news: There are some bulbs that are willing to re-bloom for about 2-4 years. These are proven to split at a slower pace and are somewhat perennials. The group of Tulips best known for coming back is the Darwin Hybrid. Which include varieties like 'oxford' and 'pink impression'. Also look for the Fosteriana Tulips which include the 'emperor' series in many colors.
- The cost of Tulip bulbs is so low, that it has been my experience and observation, that most people treat these beauties as if they where annuals, taking them out of the ground when they are done and replacing them with brand new ones in the Fall.
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| White Impression Tulips, about to open. |
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| My White Impression Darwin Hybrid Tulips on their 4th yr! |
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| Orange and red Tulips |
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| Re-blooming Tulips in a neighbors' yard |
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| Tulip that comes back every Spring in a public area in the neighborhood, where I know no-one has planted in for 6 yrs. |
