This year I planned to have a lovely contrast of pink and purple tulips in my front garden. Blousey pink Tulipa Rai proved to be a big success with clients, so it’s back again as the star of the show. I love it here alongside my Red Giant Mustard leaf. The purple tulips which I hoped would work well with the T.Rai look to be a week or so behind, but orange Ballerina is now returning for its third year since planting, and yellow and red Helmar has also popped up again in quite a number from last year’s planting.
I’ve always assumed that in my heavy clay soil that tulips will struggle to return, but these are raised beds that I’ve added plenty of compost to over the last few years, and some varieties are definitely more adept than others on making a comeback. As ever, my chosen combinations are not quite as planned (yet!), but looking forward to seeing how the bed progresses over the next week or so…
P.S.
Out of my shed 
Reblogged this on Linda's New Garden & Wildlife Journey and commented:
lovely flowers
Hi Linda, Love trying out new combinations every year and also intrigued to see which tulips make a comeback. Don’t really like the Helmar with the Rais though-might cut them for the house….(just about to reach for my secateurs!)
Pretty!
Thanks Nicolette!
Naomi,
Deborah here of cats/allotment/gardener.
I have a little proposal that you may be interested in
My friend Mandy Hill who works at the Harington Scheme,(very interesting horticultural training place in Highgate with lovely grounds is offering a marquee in the walled garden on evening of 17th July. I suggested that you may like to come and talk about your work and book (and sell books etc). I could join in and I have suggested Tom Moggach of City Leaf, who also has a book out. It’s a brilliant venue and they are very well supported by Highgate residents.
http://www.harington.org.uk/
Let me know what you think, could be good, they will publises and want to sort something out soon. You could come and see the place and meet Mandy and decide,
let me know.
Deborah (schneebeli morrell)
Hi Deborah, Yes, please! A walled garden will always grab my attention. Sounds like a wonderful garden to visit/talk in!
I LOVE the combination of the pink petals and those dark leaves. Fab. I’ve found that where I left tulips in the ground a few have returned, but where I left them in pots, apart from one lone flower, none of them have managed to re-emerge. Do you think there is any point in transferring bulbs from pots to the ground once they’ve flowered? Seems such a shame just to compost them.
Hi Charlotte, That’s a great question, but one I don’t know the answer to! I pack my tulips in pots so close together, I don’t know how well they’d transfer -that is if I had a spare spot to transfer them to. If you had some spare ground, might be worth experimenting though…Give them a really good soak before removing from the pot and then plant straight into well draining soil so they can build up enough energy to flower the following year?
Hi Naomi, Those Mustard leaves are great! I’ve had a disappointing Tulip year, even with my sandy/dry soil. The Ballerina’s are mostly a no show …drat. T Rococo a new one was a show stopper though !
Hi Linda, Rococco looks like a sumptuous Parrot Tulip. Did you plant Ballerina for this spring or are they ‘no show’ from previous years? Not always easy to get exactly the combination you’re after (as I’m finding again this year!).
Gorgeous! We have just one poor red tulip plant in the yard, but it comes back every year despite attack from dogs, cats, chickens, sheep, donkeys (not that the latter two are supposed to be in the yard), etc. Very brave that lone tulip! 🙂
Very brave tulip indeed!
Fantastic combination. Love the burlesque shapes of Ms Rai! Must try it out next year.
Hi Dan, struggled a bit with stumpy parrot tulips last year, but Ms. Rai is putting on a grand show this year. Would definitely grow it again.
I’ve been looking forward to hearing about your tulips as your post last year inspired me to get some. Foolishly I’ve forgotten where I planted them, but most are popping up nicely. I like those mustard leaves!
Hi Rachel, I know what you mean about forgetting where you’ve planted tulips. I have some in my back garden, planted a bit more randomly. Just about surfacing now, but squirrels are having a field day (GRrr), tossing newly emerged flowers all over the garden. Tulips above are planted in my front garden so I don’t get so cross!
Love the combo of the tulip and mustard leaf. Did you seed the mustard leaf or buy starts?
Hi Andrea, Grew mustard leaves from seed last year and planted out seedlings in early autumn. Looks great but it’s rather hot to eat at the end of its growing season. Growing Red Knight Mizuna at the moment. Still purple leaves (if a little smaller), but with a delicious mild mustardy flavour.
A luscious combination -,Ballerina is the perfect punctuation.
Thansk Stoneav. Ballerina is a welcome interloper-I’m wondering how may years it will keep on coming back.
Lovely post as always. Am pleased I’m not the only one whose carefully planned combinations don’t come off exactly. A rogue red tulip has been snipped out of the bed full of Black Hero. I’ve got some very short stemmed tulips as we are short of rain. Success for cutting: Apricot Parrot, quite mad, very frilly, amazing shot colour, would be no good in a bed, but fabulous in the vase. Will be trying Rai next year.
Hi Anne, Black Hero looks amazing-on my list for next year. These Parrot tulips are gorgeous, if somewhat temperamental. My Irene Parrots last year were very stumpy (and very disappointing), but they’re so darn gorgeous, I can’t help having another go every year or two. Think my Helmars are being chopped any minute now for vase life….
What a glorious colour combination Naomi. Have always had mixed feelings about tulips – love the flowers but not fond of the leaves. Your planting is a great way of drawing the attention away from the tulip leaves and edible too. Did you sow the mustard at the back end of last year?
Hi Anna, yes, my mustard leaves are from the end of last summer.vAlways nice to have an edible mixed in with the ornamentals. Think I’ll plant a few more in the mix next time as they work so well with the tulips.
I think your combinations have come together very nicely – it’s always very satisfying when they go to plan isn’t it?! Very punchy, happy gardening, Ursula
Thanks Ursula-still awaiting my darker blooms-just hope the Rais last until then….
Lovely combination.
Thanks Helen! Love your post on Head Gardeners’ blogs.
I was very excited to see your book on Hodges & Figgis in Dublin recently:)
Hannah! Thanks for letting me know. V.exciting!
Lovely colour palette 🙂
Thanks Judith! Just planted one corner of the bed with leaves, but will plant more next year as they’ve worked well with the tulips. Love planting up these experiments!
I planted 50 Ballerinas two years ago ,only about twenty bloomed, then I went and ordered TEN MORE last year ,This year I’ve had maybe TEN BLOOM …well miffed !
Hi Linda, Maybe Ballerinas prefer richer soil? Or an unreliable bulb supplier? Frustrating indeed when bulb plans don’t come to fruition.
[…] week later than my last tulip post and the very dark ‘Queen of the Night’ and the softer, more frilly ‘Curly […]
Ballerina have always done well for me, so am surprised others seem to have problems with it. ‘Rai’ has now gone to the top of my bulb shopping list for next year. Love it with those mustard leaves.
My tulips are just starting to put on a show after keeping me waiting for weeks – but it’s worth it and even though I have discovered there are mislabelled impostors in latest batch, am delighted to see them all again.
Hi TG,I think Tulips are such joyous plants. Looking forward to experimenting more with planting new combinations later in the year. Mislabelled impostors usually get brought inside to decorate the house, although sometimes you do get some fantastic accidental combinations. Hope your show is wonderful!
Oh, beautiful tulips, I have just been to Sarah Raven’s garden and she did the same pink tulip/giant mustard combination which I must do next year. It looks so good.
Hi Sneaky Magpie, Glad to hear I’m in such august company! Just saw some fantastic combinations at The Inner Temple Garden just off Fleet Street yesterday. Hopefully will have time to post some pics soon.