It’s not how many tulips you have, but where you put them. It’s not the rarity of the variety, but what you plant with it. It’s not the colors you choose, but what they mean in a landscape. This spring, as you observe all the beautiful Dutch bulbs in bloom, think about their place in your garden. Are they just bold masses that hit you right between the eyes, or are they integrated with other plants to create a magical blend of textures and colors. This blended holistic approach can give you far more beauty and fun rather than dropping them all into a single high profile bed.
The reason bulbs have always been planted in masses is simple: to compound the color visibility. Another reason is bulb care. They are ephemeral, lasting for just a short time in spring. Then the beds are needed for late spring or summer plants. The spent bulbs must be dug out with forks and transplanted elsewhere, which is why so many die. They can be left in place to die back naturally, but that’s not appealing to look at. Moreover, when soil must be improved and cultivated it’s impossible to do so without widespread bulb damage. Oozing wounded bulbs lead to rot, pests and disease. This method is not too bad if you can hire gardeners, but for most folks, massing isn’t realistic.
Let’s drop the massing ideas and look at the interplanted flowers method made popular by contemporary Dutch garden designers. This is more naturalistic appearance for bulbs that don’t depend on intense color blobs nor bed change-outs. It can also be worked in with permanent low growing early spring perennials such as heucheras for foliage and bleeding hearts. These are a study in color, texture and form for a new mix and match scheme every year.
Borders are the new idea for bulbs, to integrate them into the foreground of existing plants. There is an amazing dynamic created when deciduous flowering shrubs are planted with bulbs for spring glory. Forsythia, lilacs, even broom are being considered for these compositions. When the shrubs are coming out with big sprays, tall tulips dance around their bare legs like fireflies. When it’s time to dig the bulbs, they are out front and accessible to replace with summer annuals.
The problem we find with enjoying spring bulbs is the planting-flowering disconnect. This is a two-step process six months apart, so don’t rely on your memory. Use your calendar to mark purchase and planting dates. Bulbs are sold in the fall.
You can buy a single color, a blend of colors or just one bulb for naturalizing such as daffodils. Problem is it’s summer’s end and you’re exhausted. The last thing you want to do is order more plants. It’s just counterintuitive.
Fight that feeling, because you won’t think about tulips again until early next spring, long after the planting season. Now make a note on your calendar in September to buy bulbs.
In the meantime, really study tulips this year and how they are being used in the landscape. Are they massed or holistic and thus more sustainable and affordable? How far apart are the bulbs and what are the accent plants? Are they using fine textures with bulbs? When you find good ones, take pictures with your phone. You can study the compositions and colors later on a big screen. These will become your holy grail for design ideas during August bulb shopping ventures online and off.
Just as America is in transition, how we use bulbs is changing. They are no longer a bold sign of wealth, but a valuable tool for adding zest and diversity to early spring in dry gardens. After all, so many bulbs were originally wildflowers in the Middle East, which explains their natural adaptation for summer/fall dormancy and drought. So there’s no reason why everyone can’t rediscover bulbs unless they forget to mark their calendars.
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Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and landscape designer. Learn more at www.MoPlants.com
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