Tulips on Parade!
We are now right in the middle of tulip season. So many varieties to show you! Where to begin?
Perhaps with the shy but charming Tulipa clusiana, also called Lady Tulip. I have two varieties of Lady Tulip, ‘Tubergen’s Gem’ and ‘Chrysantha’, and damned if I can tell them apart. They’re both really nice, though!
One thing about these varieties of T. clusiana is that their outer petals are a soft red, but inside they are bright yellow. They close up in colder weather or as the sun sets, and open wide in the warm sunshine.
Generally I plant hybrid tulips in containers and species tulips in beds and borders. However, years ago I planted some Darwin Hybrid tulips into mixed borders. Darwins are relatively long-lived, and they still show off big blooms around the end of April. For instance, here are some ‘Golden Parade’ blooming with Celandine Poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum).
And here are some ‘Holland’s Glory’ (red-orange) and ‘Banja Luka’ Darwins looming over the Tulipa dasystemon in a raised parkway bed.
This one, I think, is ‘Red Impression’.
‘Balerina’ is an orange lily-flowering tulip. Planted in containers last fall, it’s not supposed to bloom until May, but it decided to have an early start.
You don’t see people mixing purple and orange very much but ‘Princess Irene’ carries it off.
Irene also has startling purple anthers.
This year we kind of went in for orange tulips in a big way. This is ‘Annie Schilder’.
‘Couleur Cardinal’ is one of my absolute favorites, we have to plant some every year.
On the other hand, I don’t think I would order ‘Elegant Lady’ again.
We are by no means done with the Tulip parade!
Some of the Tulips will keep marching for a couple of weeks yet, others have yet to begin. It is an exciting and joyous spectacle while it lasts.
gardeninacity 
That’s a lovely welcome home with them all standing waiting for you! I really like Princess Irene and mine have lasted really well. Those golden yellow T. clusiana are great – lovely strong colour. And the little T. dasystemon are pretty too. Enjoy the rest of the season!
I’m very glad to hear that Princess Irene is persistent.
What a great entrance! I am loving the orange tone tulips this year, but I am definitely adding your Couleur Cardinal to my list for next year. That bruised purple outside transforms the red. I have T. clusiana in small pots around my door. They are fantastic, because they last so long and look so delicate.
Very apt description of the purple on the Couleur Cardinal – bruised. Very apt.
‘Couleur Cardinal’ is a fabulous colour, I’ve added it to my list which is already rather long! What a great welcome home the pots are leading to your front door.
It really is a fantastic color.
I grow Ballerina too Jason and love the colour, Couleur Cardinal is very striking and quite beautiful, I’d like to grow her. Elegant lady is a wonderful colour but her stems do not seem to be very behaved, is that why you are not growing her again?
The lady may be elegant, but she is also rather droopy.
All of these are spectacular, and what a gorgeous assortment of pots lining the path. I’ve just planted a few tulips myself in the better drained areas of the garden – hopefully I will get a great display like yours! The orange shades are really punchy and make a great statement …I really like the way you have mixed them all together đŸ™‚
Thanks! Last time I ordered tulips I just felt like orange!
‘Couleur Cardinal’ has got to be one of my favourites too. I loved seeing your little lady tulip at the beginning of the post. I would like to try and add it for next year. What an amazing entrance you have when the tulips are flowering. Looking forward to the next instalment Jason!
Thanks! Lady Tulips are pretty easy to grow, I recommend giving it a try.
Stunning tulip parade, Jason. Can I detect a little addiction? đŸ˜‰ Prinses Irene featured in my pots too this year and T. clusiana is an alltime favourite. Love the Couleur Cardinal as well, beautiful!
Addiction? I can stop any time I want.
đŸ˜‰
I like Princess Irene very much, and I think I still have one!! left. Must buy some more this autumn. It is a joy to watch the tulips beginning their show. I think orange and purple look stunning together.
I agree with you about the orange and purple.
After the endless winter, it is great to see the burst of color the tulips provide!
Very true!
My tulips are just starting to bloom which always excites me. As soon as I got to Maine I went to the nursery to load up on plants for porch pots. It is so much fun to grow things here.
Enjoy!
I agree with you, Elegant Lady looks out of place with the flamboyant hussies and where tulips are concerned, bold is best. Love Ballerina, she is a “just right” mix of restraint and pizazz.
I love me some flamboyant hussies!
What a gorgeous array of tulips! I love ‘Coleur Cardinal’–this one is going on my wish list! ‘Princess Irene’ is one I also have, and I love it also for its sentimental value, since that is my mother’s name. I’m so impressed by all your tulips in containers–once again, my attempt at planting them in a container was a dismal failure.
‘Couleur Cardinal’ is worth trying!
Can you provide us advice for growing them successfully in containers? Do they overwinter in the garage? I do love the early season burst of color!
I bury them for the winter. If your garage is cold enough you can keep them there as well. They need to be cold but not somewhat insulated.
Everyone loves a parade đŸ™‚
I know I do!
Forgive the teenage words, but your tulip collection is awesome!
Thanks, I seem to have forgotten all my teenage words.
Wow! You do plant a lot of tulips. Princess Irene is my favorite hybrid, but I really love the species tulips. I need more of them.
Me too!
Tulips are marching here too. I love Princess Irene, especially potted up. I had that variety once, but it is gone now.
I’m going to make it a regular in my tulip containers.
Great collection of tulips. Orange is appealing to me lately too. I like the soft orange of Annie Schilder.
Yes, I am very enthused about all the orange varieties I tried this year.
They do make a beautiful display and what a greeting for front door visitors!
And for the homeowners when they open the door!
What a beautiful collection of tulips you have. I find T. clusiana particularly charming.
‘Chrysantha’ and ‘Tubergen’s Gem’ go together really well.
Oh, I must borrow your idea for potting the Tulips! That would make it much more difficult for rabbits to get to them! It worked with my Hyacinths (in pots) this year, but I brought them inside before I left for Florida, so the hubby got to witness the magic in my absence. I was happy to see that they all survived in the garage, however, so I’ll try that again (along with some Tulips) next fall. Your pots along the walkway look glorious!
Thanks! I also plant one pot of Hyacinths, as I love the fragrance.
WOW! That is a parade:-) I just put in Princes Irene last fall + she is a stunner-hope mine fills in like yours. I want more tulips in 2016 for now my garden beds will stay:-) The past few years, I lost some due to my moving beds or squirrels may have taken them. Your tulip parade is a stunner:-)
Thanks! Squirrels are one reason I grow my hybrid tulips mostly in pots.
one more comment, I really love the alyssum with tulips in containers-Great combo-the path up to your house is inspiring!
Thanks! I agree that underplanting with alyssum makes a big difference to the look of the pots.
Love x 3 the warm orange colours against the white house. Beautiful.
This is my Year of Orange.
I love them all. It is dangerous reading other people’ s tulip blog, it makes my list ever longer. I grew Ballerina for the first time this year and they turned out more red than orange. Still lovely though. Many of your favourits s are mine too.
So many tulip varieties, so little time.
Beautiful!
Jason this is an incredible display. I have a few ideas about how and where I can try some tulips again…I actually had a few show up that were a surprise.
That’s a good kind of surprise.
Spectacular display. I love the pots. đŸ™‚
Thanks!
Yay! It’s the return of the tulips! I look forward to seeing pictures of your tulips each year. This year’s display looks fabulous, I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to be greeted by these pots of tulips upon leaving and coming home each day!
They do lift our spirits ever time we leave and return to our home.