16
combinations, or you can create your own.
Colour is key, but their flower forms range
widely too, with names such as ‘Lily’,
‘Parrot’, ‘Peony’ and ‘Fringed’ summing
up their personalities pretty well. They are
versatile plants: in pots and containers; as
part of a more formal garden schemeThere are a few tulips that are reliably
perennial, coming back year on year (such
as ‘Apeldoorn’ and ‘Spring Green’). How-
ever, most are one-season wonders —
buying them for their colour and shape is
as close as horticulture gets to visiting a
sweetshop. Some suppliers offer foolproof4
Joe Swift picks his
favourite varieties
to give your garden
the wow factor
Outside
My big tulip
guide: it’s
time to put
your bulbs in
H
ave you been to Keukenhof
gardens in the Netherlands
in spring? It is a memora-
ble day out and showcases
what can be achieved
with tulips (yes, there are
other spring bulbs there,
but the tulips steal the show).
The gardens are laid out with perfect
blooms in a vast range of colour schemes.
There’s inspiration to be had everywhere,
with the crazy kaleidoscopic combina-
tions the most fun. I remember wandering
around giggling to myself, not sure
whether I had woken up in some kind of
Disney animation or perhaps someone
had spiked my stroopwafel (you know,
those delicious Dutch waffle caramel bis-
cuits) with some kind of hallucinogen. It
was the sheer scale and audacity that got
me going — and on a few occasions I’ve
gone a little OTT myself with tulips for a
one-off display.1
2
3