Tulips in My Flower Garden
So much is growing and blooming around my Bedford, New York farm.
One of the gardens I’ve been giving special attention to this season is my perennial flower cutting garden, located between my main greenhouse and my Equipment Barn. A couple of weeks ago, we completed a big footpath project in this garden - lining the main pathways with black granite bricks and gravel, giving it a more formal, more manicured appearance. Every year, I add a number of flowering plants - each specimen carefully placed depending on its mature size and growth habit.
Right now, there are gorgeous tulips blooming so wonderfully - enjoy these photos.
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- My perennial flower cutting garden is large, 150-feet by 90-feet, and it grows more profuse every year. I wanted the plants to be mixed, so every bed is planted with a variety of specimens. Here is one path after we recovered it with gravel.
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- The bricks were placed in a sawtooth pattern, each one buried halfway at an angle, one on top of the other. If you follow this blog regularly, you probably saw my post showing each stage of the process – it was a tedious job, but I love how it looks now.
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- Along both sides of the main path is the growing Lady’s Mantle. Lady’s Mantle is a long-lived perennial flower that is fairly low-maintenance and blends well with other spring bloomers. The foliage looks good all season and can make a nice ground cover under small trees.
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- Already blooming are these beautiful Johnny Jump Ups, Viola. The cheery purple flowers are easy to care for and ideal for novice gardeners who want to add some color to their landscaping.
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- And the peonies are growing fast. I hope you all have your stakes placed by your precious peonies – they’ll be opening before you know it.
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- Also in this garden – gorgeous green ferns. The beds are all looking so full.
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- Right now, the main beauties in the flower garden are the tulips – beautiful, colorful tulips. Tulips are perennial, spring-blooming plants. They are grown for their graceful leaves and bright and cheery flowers.
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- Tulips come in an array of shapes and forms. Some are traditional and cup-shaped, some have fringed petals, others have pointed ones, and some are full of fanciful ruffles. Some varieties even carry a soft, subtle scent.
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- Tulips have a fascinating history. Although closely associated with Holland, tulips were first cultivated in Turkey. The name tulip is believed to be derived from the Turkish word for turbans, “tulbend,” because of their resemblance. They gained popularity in Europe in the 17th century, peaking in 1636 to 1637. This bold pink tulip comes with creamy white serrated edges.
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- Here is the flower from the top – it’s so pretty as it opens on its straight 12 to 14-inch stem.
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- The broad, strappy leaves of tulips have a waxy coating that gives them a blue-green color. There are usually two to six leaves per plant.
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- Plant tulip bulbs in full sun to partial shade. Too much shade will diminish blooming.
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- Most tulip plants range between six to 24 inches tall and at least 12 inches wide.
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- There are about 15 divisions of tulips based on their shape, form, origin, and bloom time.
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- Tulips have been hybridized in just about every color except blue. Most tulips have one flower per stem, but there are some multi-flowered varieties.
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- This flower has multi-toned petals of peach, orange, and creamy yellow making it a versatile favorite for floral designers. It opens to a ruffled bloom that resembles a garden rose or peony.
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- This tangerine-hued tulip has large flower heads loaded with ruffles and fringed petals.
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- Multiple petals fill its center. Tulips need well-drained soil. Sandy soil amended with some organic matter is perfect. They also prefer a slightly acidic soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. I am so fortunate to have such great soil here at the farm – so filled with rich nutrients.
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- Unique in coloring, the petals of this tulip are deep bold pink-red at the base, fading from rosy to ivory white at the tips. A showy choice for cut flower arranging. It has a long vase life and tall, strong stems.
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- Here it is from above. To prolong their bloom time, plant early-, mid-, and late-spring varieties.
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- So many blooms are opening every day. I will be sure to share many, many photos. What flowers are opening up in your garden? Share them with me in the comments below.
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