I don’t buy Tulips every year for the garden – I get rather cross when they don’t come back year after year.

Probably they should be treated as annuals, well certainly some varieties – then if they [...]]]>

This post is for the “Tulip Photo Fest” hosted by Shirl at Shirls Gardenwatch

I don’t buy Tulips every year for the garden – I get rather cross when they don’t come back year after year.

Probably they should be treated as annuals, well certainly some varieties – then if they do come back it’s an added bonus.

My “Queen of the Night” however, have been coming back for the past 4 years, and she is still one of my favourite tulips

And this year looks as elegant as ever.

Unfortunately “Angelique” put in a poor show and “Shirley” not at all – but that is more to do with a rather large Sage completely over-running the area where they were planted.

Really they did not stand a chance.

I am pleased with the way that the garden looks right now – and this is because of the tulips I did manage to plant in the Autumn.

Lots of them are in pots and tubs.  Somehow, I have managed to achieve a restrained elegance!

The majority of the tulips I bought were lily flowered;- “China Pink”, “White Triumphator and “Burgundy”

These all look rather lovely combined with the pink and white blossom of the apple and ornamental crab apple

This year is the first time I have planted T. Viridiflora ‘Spring Green’.

I don’t think it really stood a chance – the concept was lovely,

Spring Green followed by Alliums, but the ground was not properly prepared

As I ran out of steam in the Autumn (in fact some of them didn’t get planted until February)

Now they have been over-run with hairy bitter cress – which looks kinda nice if you squint ….

Who am I kidding – it looks a mess!

In the large pot at the center of the keyhole bed I put the lily flowered burgundy tulips together with the double late ‘Mount Tacoma’

I have read good reviews about Mount Tacoma – but I think it is just OK.

Although I am very taken with the burgundy tulips – they seem to go with everything and I will certainly be ordering these again next year.

The other double tulip in my garden this year is T. ‘Double Dazzle’

They have been a visual success – although they look nothing like tulips

From a distance they have a peony look to them.

The last tulips in the garden, which this year are in pots going up my steps are Viridiflora Tulip ‘Nightrider’

They are appealing in that they are quite neat for a Viridiflora type tulip,

Although they did not have quite the depth of colour I was hoping for – but I would like to see them re-appear next year.

I made a long(ish) list of tulips that caught my eye while I was at the Bloms stand at the Malvern Spring Show,

But I seem to have lost the bit of paper, hopefully I will find it again before the Autumn.

I think I noted down a lot of orange ones ….

Which with all the pink and white in may garden at this time of year might be a ghastly mistake!

Or a lot of fun!

To see gorgeous pictures of Tulips pop over to Shirls.

I might have to redo my shopping list after reading her delicious post

While you are there; you can also check out Mr. Linky for lots of Tulip ideas for next year.

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