Tulip display at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
Credit: Keith Mayhew/Alamy
As any experienced gardener will tell you, tulips are indispensable because they bridge the gap between spring and summer flowers. They bloom when the garden’s bathed in soft light, just as the first foliage of the year begins to expand, and you don’t need to spend a fortune. A well-placed container or two will lift a garden, like a rainbow of hope illuminating a Pre-Raphaelite painting by Sir John Everett Millais.
When to order
Many beginner gardeners can’t understand why, when gardens are full of tulips in spring, they can’t buy them in the garden centre. OK, you may find a few in pots that you can quickly tuck into a container or even the ground for instant colour but, as with all spring bulbs, the work starts a year ahead. So, here s how to plan for a beautiful spring.