Garden and Landscape Petal For Your Thoughts

Garden and Landscape Petal For Your Thoughts

By Richard Zondag

( SPONSORED CONTENT)— The arrival of fall brings cooler weather, vibrant foliage and bountiful harvests. It’ s also time to decide which spring-flowering bulbs to plant over the next few months so you can enjoy them next spring. Flowering bulbs offer some welcome relief from the cold, isolating winter, and the dull color palette of a snowy landscape.

Daffodil, crocus, hyacinth and allium are among the many types of spring bloomers available for purchase each fall. And who can forget about tulips— arguably the most popular choice by home gardeners?

Choosing the Right Tulips for Your Garden

When selecting tulip varieties, location is key. Are there other spring-flowering perennials already in that area? If so, you’ ll want to choose tulips that will complement what’ s already there, considering mature height and flower color. You can extend the bloom season by picking early-, mid- and late-season varieties.

Tulips thrive in Hardiness Zones 3 to 7, performing best when grown in full sun and well-drained soil. If you live in Zones 8 to 10, they will require extra care and should be treated as annuals. Most tulips, except for some wild varieties, need a cold treatment to bloom. In warmer areas, this can be accomplished by storing the bulbs in the refrigerator for eight to 10 weeks before planting them.

Understanding Different Types

All tulips are classified and registered by the Royal General Bulbgrowers’ Association. The classifications include:

• Kaufmanniana Tulips: are the first to appear in spring. They have short stems and large flowers that, when fully open, resemble waterlilies. Their ground-hugging, wind-resistant foliage is sometimes mottled or striped. Excellent companions with early daffodils, examples include Early Harvest and Heart’ s Delight. All perennialize easily.

• Single Early Tulips: produce large, single blooms on stout, 10- to 18-inch stems. Their moderate heights make them a good choice for the flower border or forcing indoors— a gardening technique that encourages bulbs to bloom indoors earlier than their natural season by simulating winter conditions. Apricot Beauty, Purple Prince and Sunny Prince are a few single early tulip varieties.

• Double Early Tulips: produce large, double blooms early in the season that resemble peonies. Their flowers are long-lasting, and at 10 to 16 inches tall, they also work well for forcing indoors. Abba, Dreamer and Orca are some popular options.

• Fosteriana Tulips: have some of the largest blooms of any tulip. They are fantastic when planted in large drifts and are the perfect companions for daffodils. Often referred to as

Emperor Tulips, they are one of the best for perennializing and reach a mature height of 14 to 18 inches tall. Sweetheart and Purissima are two varieties from this class.

• Gregii Tulips: are known for their striking foliage. These tulips feature leaves mottled and streaked with maroon-purple stripes. Their large, richly colored flowers stand 8 to 12 inches tall, making them ideal for the front of borders or for forcing. Gregii tulips also perennialize well, returning reliably year after year. Popular varieties include Red Riding Hood and Für Elise.

• Triumph Tulips: are created by crossing Single Early varieties with late-flowering varieties. This class has one of the widest color palettes in the tulip family. Heights vary from 10 inches for Calgary and Yellow Calgary, to 14 inches for Negrita and Prinses Irene to 24 inches for Zurel. The shorter varieties are good candidates for forcing.

• Darwin Tulips: are chiefly the result of hybridization between Darwin and Fosteriana Tulips. The result is varieties with strong, tall stems that are useful in tulip arrangements. They do not work well for forcing but are a fantastic choice for mixed flower borders. Darwin varieties include Apeldoorn, Big Love and Salmon Impression.

• Fringed Tulips: are known for the unique fringe around the edges of their petals. They are excellent as border flowers and in cut flower arrangements.

Plant height varies from 10 to 20 inches. Labrador and Lambada are two examples.

• Lily-Flowered Tulips: produce flowers with pointed reflexed petals on slender but sturdy stems. These elegant tulips grow 18 to 22 inches tall. Varieties include Ballerina, Red Shine and White Triumphator.

• Double Late Tulips: produce full, double flowers that resemble peonies late in the season. Heights are like their early-season counterparts, and they make beautiful arrangements. Varieties include Black Hero, Danceline and Dream Touch.

• Parrot Tulips: have an informal appearance, adding interest to the flower border. Their petals open wide and lie flat, like unique pieces of garden art. Heights range from 16 to 26 inches. Examples include Apricot Parrot, Negrita Parrot and Rasta Parrot.

• Single Late Tulips: have tall, strong stems and are available in a great assortment of colors, making them excellent for cut flower arrangements. Varieties include Kingsblood, Maureen and Renown.

Planting Tips for Healthy Blooms

When planting tulips, space the bulbs 6 and 8 inches apart and 6 to 10 inches deep, depending on your soil type. Plant bulbs deeper in lighter soils than in heavy clay soils. Apply a bulb booster fertilizer at planting and again in spring as the shoots emerge to help ensure the flowers return each year. Continue fertilizing the bulbs twice a year, in spring and fall. Allow the plant ' s foliage to die back naturally, as this process helps the bulb store energy for next year’ s blooms.

Planting tulips and other spring-blooming bulbs this fall is an investment that will reward you with a stunning burst of color just as the snow melts and a new growing season begins.

About the Author:

Richard Zondag is a horticulturist, master gardener and the owner of Jung Seed Co.

8 AcreageLife September 2025 AcreageLife. com

AcreageLife. com September 2025 AcreageLife 9