My Bed of Tulips

A beautiful and serene scene you've created there! They look like the late single, 'Maureen' to me, which I have blooming nicely in their 2nd year in the garden now.

Such a beautiful spring scene!

Leawood: I like them very much. Beautiful display of soothing cream! Are they fragrant, too?

Very nice.

They have a very light fragrance (not especially appealing - just smell 'fresh') - so light I frankly had not even noticed it - I just went out to 'sniff' them.

I remember being surprised several years ago to learn that some tulips are fragrant. I never had though that they had any fragrance. I have since learned that so many plants do have fragrance, though not always appealing.

Most of the fragrant tulips have a light pleasing scent.

Are your neighbors stopping by at least once a day to take a look? I certainly would if you lived near me :-)) Very pretty.

I find that I have to re plant front year beds each year in order to get the fullest lushiest show and to keep the neighbors fully engaged. So make your plans now for next spring's show. It will keep you thinking and excited all through the summer plantings with the anticipation for next spring.

Good luck with the banana tree too!

What are you going to do with this bed after the tulips have bloomed? Won't it be a challenge planting around all the bulbs?

Leawood, did you ever get an answer from your supplier about the name of your ivory tulip and why they substituted, or has "Mrs. Scheepers" taken on a paler shade these days?

Just wondering...

Leawood - it looks beautiful and I'm sure all who pass admire it.

I, too, am curious as to what the bulb seller will do for you.

Thanks, All!

I sent an e-mail with photos to Van Bourgondien last Thursday. When I didn't get a response, I called yesterday. The customer service rep was friendly and sympathetic. He agreed, the white tulips are probably "Maureen". He said he had not heard of any mis-label issues, but said he'd send me a credit for replacement this fall. I sent a second e-mail to VB with photos from Tuesday.

While I was very disappointed I didn't get my bed of yellow tulips, the white tulips are lovely and have attracted a lot of comments from those who walk in my neighborhood (the streets are full of people jogging, walking dogs, airing out their kids in strollers or just walking).

As for plans, I'll take out the bulbs when the blooms are gone (we have had lots of rain and cool weather - they still look great!) and plant the bed with annuals for the summer. In the fall I'll put in bulbs for next spring. I have not decided on a color, but will do something bright.

You could go out and buy one red tulip from a florist just so you could place it in the middle of the pale ones and take a photo to send to a special person with a note that says: "You're one in a million".

Pirl- What an awesome idea!

Thanks. I've done it before with other plants.

Even one really tall tulip (maybe in a pot) and a note that says: You'd stand out in any crowd!

Pirl you are thinking outside of the box!! ,,,,,,It sure would be pretty in a picture with that bright red tulip showing up in the middle.
Cuckoo

Thanks!

OK - One last 'hurrah' - the rain and cool weather has allowed this bed of tulips to last longer than I expected. Yesterday the sun came out for a couple of hours late in the day and I could not resist one more pic. In retrospect, the mis-labeling of these tulips was a bonus - the white tulips look great with the dogwoods blooming in my yard. I could not have planned it that well, so I guess I'll just chalk it up to luck.

A happy accident and a lovely sight. :)

Standing ovation from Long Island! Job well done. It's lovely!

What a lovely view. I really like this last pic because it shows just how big the bed is and how nicely it fits into your yard. I know you wanted the yellow ones but I have to say that the color you have is wonderful with the trees.

Your tulips look absolutely elegant! Love them!

Wondering if you are trying to win a photography contest!! Those tulips are beautiful and so are those blooming dogwoods too.
Cuckoo

Beatiful work! Far surpasses any ordinary planting!!! Congrats to you Leawood!

Pirl, what a fantastic idea!!!

OK - Here we are, THREE WEEKS after they started blooming, and today (May 13, 2009) they are still holding up!

I've never had tulips last this long - they aren't what I ordered, but I sure have enjoyed them!

I guess you can chalk it up to a "happy accident" (in the words of the late Bob Ross)

Lovely shots!

I love the look of the white. I am amazed how long they have lasted for you. Did you figure out which one they are? If they are Maureen, it has never lasted that long for me, but has come back for the last few years very well. I don't lift them, and they are planted with hosta in partial shade. Patti

All of my searches indicate this must be Maureen, but Van Bourgondein has not responded to my inquiries (busy season, I guess). I'm glad you've had great returns with that variety, but my experience with big beds like this tells me I need to rip them out and plant something new this fall (see my thread on my disappointment last year - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/968351/).

Since I'm tight, I'm going to try Donna Mack's suggestion of lifting the bulbs this spring and holding them until fall to replant. It won't cost me anything (except the sweat on my brow, and I need the exercise), and if I save a couple hundred bucks on my bulbs this fall, I'll be even happier.

Since you plant annuals there for summer, I think that's an excellent idea. I'm glad to hear you're going to try that- the idea of good bulbs going into compost just pains me, LOL. If you want to extend the season of color, and/or would like to add color, Pansies could be planted on top of the bulbs this fall. I guess that is an option for your zone? They do well here planted in the fall if they're mulched, and start blooming in late winter.

That's an excellent idea! I've had mixed results with pansies planted in the fall, Gemini. Several years ago I planted a bed next to the house with pansies in November and by spring, they were healthy, hearty and looked great. The next year I did the same and they all froze and turned to mush by spring. I think it depends upon how much extended cold we get.

If you are planting annuals why lift them at all? If they are Maureen they may all come back. But if you do lift them, then this is what the pros do in Holland. I will be watching for next years show, no matter the color. Patti

Thanks, Patti! That's a great article!

Unfortunately, it's too late to decapitate the tulips - those that had not already dropped their blossoms had them beat off by heavy rain last night. As much as I would like to leave the foliage to store energy in the bulbs, my garden is on a very visible corner and I know myself - I'm too concerned about the 'visual' of dying tulips to let them sit another three weeks... since it's muddy, nothing will happen this weekend (2.5" of rain in my 'offial' rain gauge - a straight-sided cocktail glass on the patio table). We'll see if I can make it to June 7 without ripping out the bulbs and planting something else!

Because it is so visible, I don't want to 'experiment' with leaving them in the bed. I'll take them up and plant them in this bed in the fall, and do a different variety on the corner.

That is stunning too! Patti

I've followed your thread since the beginning and enjoyed it very much. Thank you. :-)

Thanks, 3gardeners!

I understand the principle of deadheading tulips to help the bulbs recover and replenish its energy....and so forth. But not in my zone, the summer heat will cause these bulbs to become mush. I plant my tulips fresh yearly. That's all there is to it. Love them tulips. Leawoodgardener, you've done an outstanding job with your bed, not only with the tulips but with the annuals on the rest of the growing season. Thank you, for sharing with me and others.

At the urging of my friends on DG, I've decided to 'experiment' and try to get these white 'mystery' tulips to bloom again. I'm digging them up, sorting out the biggest bulbs and planning to store them in my cool basement for the summer. This fall I'll plant them in a different bed to see how they perform.

They certainly look healthy.

With all the recent rains, the ground in this bed is very wet and heavy. One thing is certain - it's a lot easier to plant 1,000 tulips, one at at time, than it is to dig and sort 1,000 bulb clusters, one at a time! Oh, my aching back! I worked most of the day Sunday and I'm only half done!

Greetings,

I just finished digging the last of mine up last week. They are in the garage on pot saucers, and I the foliage finshes yellowing, I put them into the kind of brown paper bags that are sold for carrying lunch, making sure to label the bags.

Just break down the task by doing it over several days.

And yes, the bulbs can look VERY healthy. You may find that some have formed offsets - free bulbs!

Donna

I thought you had to wait for the leaves to brown before digging them/? What ever, that is a huge job. Did you decide ifthey were Maureen? I look forward to your replanting of them and the results. I'll bet you will be happy just to stand up straight again after all your work of digging and sorting them. Patti

This message was edited Jun 15, 2009 9:49 AM

Bbrookrd,

Before digging them? Noooo. You dig them with the foliage intact and let them turn yellow out of sight (garage). Then, once they have yellowed, you cut off the foliage and put them in the little bags.

Maureen, in particular, comes back beautifully. I had some three year old dug up ones, purchased some new ones, and couldn't tell them apart (way to go Scheepers).