Last week I called the Daffodil a Workhorse so now it is time to put the dressage horse in the spotlight. Of course, this is about the Tulip, blazonry of the flower bulb family.

Darwisnow, a Tulip that might come back for several years when the circumstances are in her favor

The Tulip is the eyecatcher in the garden, it will be hard to find a flower which equals her grace. It is a pity that the Tulip only blooms for one year, the conditions in the western European gardens are not optimal for the Tulip to have her thrive well.

But it is possible to have a Tulip blooming for several years. Through this link to the blog on our website you can read what to do with the bulbs and how to treat them to have them blooming next spring again.

Tulip Kunyun, a new Darwin hybrid Tulip of which we think she we bloom for several years without the need to dig them and store the bulbs warm during the summer

It is what it is, the Tulip does not grow as well as the Crocus or the Daffodil. Also, the Hyacinth is a flower bulb that blooms for several years in succession.

But when I have to be honest, I should tell you that these bulbs also sometimes have trouble coming back. In my write ups and plant I always sound very optimistic and promise you the best behavior of all the bulbs and they easily will bloom for many years to come, and they will do so, but only if the environment is reasonable in their favor.

They will not be like the Tulip of which we are almost certain that she doesn’t bloom for a second year, but still these other bulbs disappear after the first or second year of blooming. For flower bulbs goes, like for all plants, that the environment in which they grow has to suit them.

And even when you follow the planting instructions, plant then at a proper depth, on a spot with half a day of direct sunlight in good garden soil they still do not perform. It might invisible things that could be wrong, the acidity of the soil, or planted to close to the conifers, a lack of a spore element like copper, magnesium or phosphor, to competitive plants in the neighborhood…

There just is no guarantee that all the bulbs will do well in every spot in the garden that. But please never give up when a certain bulb lets you down, try it in another location in the garden or try another variety or an other kind of bulb.

Tulipa Hilde, miniature Tulips are closely related to the species Tulips and tent to come back more easily

Best regards,

Carlos van der Veek