It’s all About Tulips

Published on by Catherine

What a difference a week makes in the garden. Last week I was almost despairing about the general lack of colour in the garden and now more tulips have made their entrance, and I’m loving the splash of colour.

Buds on the crab apple and the Amelanchier are starting to open – though I’m now wondering if I’ll be able to reach up to the branches to capture photographs – the trees are growing…I’m not! Maybe that’ll be next week’s Six on Saturday. I think I might have to get the ladder out of the garage.

We’ve had a week of fabulous sunshine but with strong, easterly winds. I can sit for lengthy periods of time with the camera waiting for a lull in the wind, but this week it would have been a wasted effort while it ripped through the garden. However, on Wednesday it dropped slightly, I grabbed the camera and managed to get some shots.

In the photo below Tulip ‘Princess Irene’ isn’t fully open yet and is a tad short in stature, which is a pity because she was supposed to be the leading lady in this particular combination.

Tulips currently in bloom

Tulip ‘Princess Irene’. Late yesterday she had shot upwards and I managed to capture another few images. So let’s have a look at ‘Princess Irene’ and the other tulips that have bloomed, just in time for Six on Saturday.

T. ‘Princess Irene’ surrounded by Forget-me-nots and companion tulips.

Tulip ‘West Point’. A fabulous tulip, but just too anxious to dominate the setting. I’d use it in moderation next time round. On her own, she is tall, elegant and beautiful. I hadn’t expected flashes of green on the outer petals – marketing images show a pure yellow. I’m not complaining, I like the green, it adds definition to the flower.

Tulip ‘West Point’
The green flashes are lessening as the flower matures.

Tulip ‘Negrita Parrot’. I’m not particularly partial to parrot tulips but thought I’d give this one a try. I think I might have liked it better if the wind had let me spend a little more time with it, and perhaps get a close-up, isolated from its companions.

T. ‘Negrita Parrot’

T. ‘Saigon’. This one was featured last week. Now it’s wide awake and more vibrant. So far it’s holding up well against the elements.

T. ‘Saigon’

T. ‘Palmyra’. I’ve saved my favourite until last. Palmyra is (sigh) drop-dead-gorgeous! It’s so rich in colour; dark and brooding in heavily overcast light, perfect in lightly overcast conditions and glowing in the sunlight. I rarely photograph in full sunshine as it creates too much contrast – my choice of lighting is lightly overcast, but unfortunately, we can’t magic up natural light. However, this is T. ‘Palmyra’ photographed just as some light cloud slipped across the path of the sun on that very windy afternoon.

I just have one question about this tulip. The height is stated to be 30cm, short and perfect for pots. Mine is 50cm. Why? I’m confused.

Double tulip ‘Palmyra’
Just look at those luscious petals.
Adorable – this one’s a keeper!

I’ll leave today’s post with one more image of the group.

Mixed tulips

Jim at Garden Ruminations is currently hosting Six on Saturday, and if you pop over to his blog you will see what others have been sharing – there will be beautiful plants and flowers from all over the world. You’ll find many more on Twitter using the hashtag SixOnSaturday. Perhaps you would like to join in.

Have a lovely day, whatever you’re doing and wherever you are. 😊

19 thoughts on “It’s all About Tulips”

  1. Wow – a great selection of tulips. The yellow and green petals of ‘West Point’ are lovely – I much prefer them to the ‘Green Dance’ I have. It has been rather chilly outdoors, even when the sun has shone. Ladders always worry me (a health and safety video course at work hasn’t helped matters) – make sure you have someone to hold the ladder if your venture up into Amelanchier!

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    1. Thanks Graeme.
      Ladders worry me too, but never fear there will be a strong pair of hands holding on! I have ‘Green Wave’ still to flower, I wonder what that’s going to be like.

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  2. I do love a tulip and you’ve got some gorgeous ones there. I do like Negrita Parrot, particularly the bottom flower where it has a little slatey purple.
    Your photographic patience has paid off, and makes me realise perhaps if I spent a little more time waiting for the wind to drop it might be good. I’ve also honed in on your tip to look for a little cloud cover too.

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    1. Perhaps I should take another look at Negrita Parrot, you never know, I might even find qualities I missed. 🤔

      I thought I might get a few photos taken this afternoon, Catharine, since the wind has dropped, but by the time I found a million and one other things that needed attention, none were taken – and my fingers were much too cold anyway.

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  5. Snap! Yes we do seem to have similar tastes in colours of our tulips. My ‘West Point’ are definitely yellow, no green streaks on them, but I am often surprised at what emerges from my tulip bulbs. I agree that ‘Palmyra’ is a stunner, I shall buy that one again. ‘Ridgdale’ is another worth having, I grew that last year but none have come back. And I am not at all keen on the parrots and they do not like my windy exposed garden at all. ‘Saigon’ looks similar to ‘Purple ladies’ which I had last year and a few returned. A lovely shade. So many beautiful colours, it is very hard to choose!

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    1. Probably the best thing to do is to ignore what the supplier says and just accept whatever comes out of the ground. ‘Palmyra’ and ‘Princess Irene’ are supposed to be the same size and I thought they would look good together. I guess ‘Palmyra’ was having none of that!

      I’ll have to take a look for T. ‘Ridgdale’ it’s not one I’ve come across.

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      1. I wasn’t impressed with the yellow ones last year, but SR did actually refund me for the entire collection so I can’t complain. And in fact they were the first and last to flower.

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  7. Spring definitely arrives at a slower pace the further north you go. We noticed that in Cumbria last weekend. Enjoy your blossoms Catherine. My amelanchier has come and gone already all too fleetingly. I have come across several mentions of tulip ‘Palmyra’ recently and must order some this autumn. I love your combination of ‘Saigon’ placed behind ‘Palmyra’ – such vivid rich colours.

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    1. Thank you Anna for your lovely comments. I notice this morning that my Amelanchier is fully out and looking fairly good, so I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to take some pics today. It will be like yours – here and gone too quickly. I hope you have a lovely week. 😊

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    1. Thank you, Beth – and it’s nice to meet you. What a pity your area has a large population of rabbits. I’ve seen the damage they can do, stripping flowers back to a single stem in no time! Have a good week!

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