what to plant after tulips die?

As many of you know from my previous threads, I am a newby to any type of planting. I had wonderful success (thanks to many of you who held my virtual hand) with my tulips, but now need to add color, quickly, to my planting beds, to take the place of the tulips.

No, I will not be letting my bulb foliage die back for next year's growth, but will be snipping down to the soil and planting color (annuals and/or perrenials) this weekend.

I have another tea to host on the patio on Saturday and need to do something quickly. Any suggestions on what to plant?

Are you hoping to have your tulips come back next year? If so then you need to leave the foliage at least for a while--maybe not until it completely dies back, but if you cut it now right after the blooms finish, the bulb won't have had time to store energy for next year so it won't come back. If you're in a warm enough area where they don't get enough winter chill to bloom the following year anyway then it doesn't matter but I think you may have a cold enough winter that they would come back if you let them keep their foliage for a bit.

As far as what things to plant--since you need color for Saturday your best bet is to head over to your local nursery and see what they've got that's in bloom and go with whatever you have. Any suggestions you might get here don't do you any good unless your nursery happens to have them in stock and blooming now, so if it's critical to have color for this party on Saturday I'd just go grab some pretty stuff from the nursery. Maybe focus on annuals vs perennials because perennials it might be better to take some time to think and plan, but annuals will only be there for this year so if you decide you'd rather have something else there next year it's no big deal.

Coleus>

How big is your tulip bed? Can you possibly set a table or large box over them, cover it with an inexpensive plastic table cloth and set potted plants on it for Saturday's party? That way, you'll have more time later to decide what you really want to do for a second planting of flowers in your tulip bed.

no, I will be treating my daffs and tulips as annuals. I've either pulled them up or cut them off at level. I was looking for ideas on what to plant for color. Just ideas on annuals or perinneals that other people put in.

Ga Peach...How about petunias? Wave petunias would look beautiful in your garden area and they will spread color for the rest of the summer!

Im always a fan of geraniums, hardy and fill in nicely. Although if you want fast, lots of people put in pansies, tons of color, and they even just pull them up after, or leave them in to plant other flowers.