The No-Neck Tulip and Other Spring Bulb News
The spring bulbs in our garden are starting to transition from the first to the second act of their annual performance. In my garden, the first act is about just the Snowdrops and Crocuses.
The Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis and G. elwesii) are just past their peak.
Some early Crocus (various species) are fading, but are replaced by others: purple, violet, yellow, white. The blooms are remarkably cheerful, but they do not last very long. I never did write down the names of the varieties I planted, darn it.
Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’ is the first to bloom, but other varieties are just in bud and will need another week or two.
Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Early Harvest’ is also showing just a few of its very first flowers. This is a new variety for me, and first time I have seen a tulip’s tepals fully colored while still cradled in the foliage. Pictures I have seen of ‘Early Harvest’ show short but visible stems. I hope the stems eventually grow on mine, otherwise I will have to call them the No-Neck Tulip. I also have a bunch growing in pots, but they are not yet showing any blooms.
Anyhow, I really do like the color of this tulip and it I am eager to see the effect when all are blooming together (I planted 50). ‘Early Harvest’ is a remarkably early tulip and like other varieties of this species has nice mottled foliage.
Foliage has emerged and is growing rapidly in all eleven of the tulip pots. A few are still sleeping, but my most recent count showed 86 bulbs up and accounted for. Also, all five of the bulbs in my one Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) pot have shown themselves.
Squill (Scilla sibirica) is a supporting player in the second act. It is almost ready to declare its presence on stage with dark blue flowers.
How are your spring bulbs performing this year?
gardeninacity 
Hooray – spring has hit Chicago!!! I suppose I should have thought of putting all those bulbs in pots, back when I bought them. I only got some of them planted, and believe it or not – I just planted some more today. Oh well, either they emerge, or they don’t. There is always next year, right?
Exactly so.
Good to see all your spring bulbs, Gosh, the no-neck tulips are gorgeous as they are! I think they look good without necks, I must look out for some next year, a lovely rich colour too.xxx
I agree.
All those bulbs make me smile, Jason. The dratted rabbit seems to find all my sprouting bulbs just fine for a spring tonic, so everything is nibbled. I have a young patch of winter aconite and gobs of grape hyacinths ready to pop, in addition to the same things you have. I planted a lot of species tulips last fall. I dont’ remember which ones, which is part of the surprise of spring. And my you have a happy one!
I love species tulips. For some reasons the rabbits have nibbled some of they tulip leaves but haven’t done too much damage. I have some Muscari but they usually bloom in May.
The Early Harvest tulips do look funny when they first appear… mine grew to just over a foot and have lasted pretty well, despite the gale. My crocus finally seem to have started spreading this year. 🙂
Very glad to hear they are long-lasting since the color is so wonderful.
Looking good Jason! Great color on your Early Harvest tulips.
Thanks, I think so too!
|Well my friend,
We’ve had some extraordinarily warm weather here in KC with temps 15-20 degrees warmer than usual, so I will have blown through in a week. I’ve enjoyed the weather but frankly disappointed all my team’s hard work gas comes and toned already. But oh, what a display we’ve had with over 800 bulbs yielding over 2,500 plus flowers,
Wow, that sounds magnificent!
Love those deep purple crocus!
Yes, me too!
I think the weather affects the tulips; many of mine start to colour before you can see the stem but usually carry on growing so that by the time they are almost over they are very long.
Actually this morning I noticed they were starting to grow little necks.
The first time I tried Kaufmanniana tulips I was surprised at how ‘squat’ they were.. even though I had read the catalog description. I think your No-Necks will probably stretch up a bit though. 🙂 I once had T. ochroleuca caerulea (or whatever it calls itself nowadays…the little white starry one with the dark blue center) that took a while to extend the stems.
A white starry one with a dark blue center sounds pretty nice. Might have to look that up. They were starting to grow little necks this morning.
It’s like standing at a parade, waiting for the next float to go by.
Well said! We could call it the Long Parade!
Looking good Jason!!! I can’t wait to see all of those pots in bloom!!! Wishing you a lovely week ahead!! Nicole
Thanks, Nicole!
Nice! Your spring bulbs are looking great.
I’m not as excited to see the Virginia bluebells already sprouting. My son stepped on something which looked very similar to what you have and snapped it off. I think it’s the one little seedling which I nurtured all summer in a pot and then planted outside in a spot which I thought would be safe. It was supposed to replace the last one which also died under mysterious circumstances. I bet you’re going to comment next on how they’re slightly weedy for you…..
Ouch, sorry about your VA bluebells. I wouldn’t say weedy … but they do self-sow moderately.
Aah – it’s called Siberian Squill – thanks for this. We have this growing out of the patio wall. It was completely invisible before because it was covered with a thick layer of rampant ivy, which has now totally gone, leaving these Squill to grow and flower. I didn’t know what they were until I read your post here and saw the pictures.
It will spread readily, and will grow in your lawn if you let it.
I rather like those Early Harvest tulips without their necks! I’m glad to see that the second act has started. Hopefully there’s no snow intermissions from now on 🙂
Such an intermission would be most unwelcome, but things look good for now.
I saw the first open crocus of the year today. Our Siberian squill has just poked out of the ground.
Do you grow reticulated iris? They should be coming along soon there, I would think.
I don’t have reticulated iris but there is a lot of it at the Chicago Botanic Garden in the woodland gardens.
This has been an amazing year for wildflowers and bulbs. Of course my dad will be visiting next week and I am so worried it will peak before he gets here. I really like the colour of your no-neck tulip.
I hope the wildflowers (especially the bluebonnets) hold on until your dad arrives! Is he a wildflower or nature enthusiast? I was thinking of visiting Texas this month to see the bluebonnets myself (I’ve never seen them) but it was not to be.
My dad does like things of nature and this will be his first visit to Texas. Hope you can visit next year!
Don’t worry about which tulips are in which pots. Just enjoy them…and let us enjoy as well when they bloom.
Will do, John!
We’re in a similar spot, I guess. (Except that you have a much larger collection of Snowdrops–wow!) I do not have many Tulips because the rabbits have eaten them out of existence over the years. A few remain here and there in prickly spots between thorny shrubs. Spring is happening fast now–yay!
For some reason the rabbits have done only minor damage to my Tulips, while they have devastated my Phlox and Amelanchier.
No neck tulips… made me giggle. They will be pretty though. Looking forward to seeing them in all their no-neck glory.
This morning they seemed to be growing necks!
After a long drab winter, that punch of orange from the no-necks is sure to brighten any day.
It certainly does!
Isn’t that funny, squill always seems to be one of the early bulbs for me, long before the tulips show their faces. although those are some darn funny tulips. I’ve never seen anything like that before. The one looks almost completely open wrapped up in it’s folds of leaves. Pretty colours, hopefully they show their necks as you say so you can get a closer inspection.
These tulips are VERY early, most will come in after the squill.
Lovely that you are enjoying your bulbs at last after such a long winter. A very pretty little tulip.
It gets nicer as it develops.
Just beginning here and very few. Too much water and cold weather for many to bloom yet. You are weeks ahead of me.
We’re lucky spring came a little early this year.