Spacing tulips that bloom at various times

In a few weeks I'm going to plant three varieties in my tulip bed, one each of early, mid, and late spring bloomers. Can I plant them together in a clump of three, one of each variety in the clump, or would it be best if I spaced them one bulb every six inches or so? Or does it even matter? Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience with me....

You can do in your garden exactly how you would like it. I think there are several options.

You can plant 3 of the same kind together (or 5) and repeat that throughout the garden and do the same with the others having the same color flower all throughout the garden and making a little of a show, since there are 3 or 5 of the same kind in one spot.

Doing 1 each of 3 kinds in the same spot, only gives one flower at the time and it may look lonely. If you do this you still would need to plant them about 2-3 inches apart in a triangle.

The first one is my favorite way of doing it....you will notice the color.

Thanks, bleek! Actually, they shouldn't be lonely because the bed is 31 feet long and very narrow, and I was going to do a long string. I was just hoping to get tulips as long as possible by planting ones that bloom at different times. Did that make sense? I can do 2-3 inches apart in a triangle though. Then what? Make my triangles about 6 inches apart, I suppose? I've got this spot between the porch and the sidewalk that's long and narrow and begs for tulips as long as they'll last. I can't wait to plant, but must be patient...it's a little early here yet.

How many tulips of each kind do you have? and how wide is the bed? Anything else in that bed?

I have sixty of each kind. It's okay, you can laugh. I perhaps got overzealous and wanted to make sure I had enough. (Smile) Anyway, nothing else is in that bed at the moment. New house. It's just short of 2 feet wide.

I am not laughing, just thinking about all the holes you need to dig.

I would suggest to mark off each foot in length and width so you have 30 x 2 is 60 squares. Then in every other square, I would plant 6 tulips of a kind like the spots on a dice about 2 inches apart in the middle of the square. Alternate varieties so the whole length will show some color when each variety blooms.

In the open spots in the front row you can always plant some marigolds to show some color before the tulips bloom.

Good luck and enjoy.

That's very smart. Thank you for your help! I guess next spring will tell...

I think that 180 tulips in 60 square feet is perfect!

If I could upload a photo I would show you some.

Which tulips are they? I want details and promise to enable you.

I'll plant about 2000 total. Sadly they are annuals for us so this is a big luxury and will stop traffic in the spring.

I do what the local arboretum does. I put mix them together in one tub.
They use large trash can then turn it. I mix them as they go in with my hand. Typically I'll put 200+ in one tub then drag it around with me.

As your hand reaches in it will mix them, but still have several together. The effect looks like you planned a gently varied pattern.

That sounds like the concept Color Blends uses. They give you % of each color in the mix. Very effective in the photos I've seen and really makes me want to set aside a spot for a big mass planting. I have a couple of dry, sandy, rocky places where most things won't grow, but have found that tulips perennialize well there. The idea of a monochromatic extended season display is great! I think either idea of blending or alternating would be very effective. McGlory, keep us posted how it turns out. Would love to see pics when the waves of bloom come. Neal.

Hmmm. Okay, I might be confused now. Should I get a more varieties for each bloom time? That would be awesome if there's enough room.

lovehercowdog - My DH is going to say I don't need more enabling, but I love tulips so I'll take all I can get. I can't fathom 2000. I have Decora for early spring (red with some yellow), Tulip Tarda for mid-spring (short and yellow), and Cashmir (red) for late spring. I went with some shorter ones, like the Tarda, because it's only about 10" between the bed and the bottom of my porch. Couldn't decide which height would be best.

gemini - I don't have a digital camera yet, but my birthday and Xmas are between now and spring. Maybe someone here at home will take a hint.

It will be beautiful!

One thing you can count on with tulips...they will lean toward the light. If its right over head they'll go striaght up, but usually they will lean some.

If one variety is very short (sorry, I don't know these) you're better off to put it on the edge. I've put them in the middle and they get lost under the foliage of the others.

Tulips don't really come on a time table. Some of my early tulips arrive after the mid season. It makes for a really full bed.

No matter how you plant them, they will be beautiful that's the grat thing about tulips

c