Give your garden something to look forward to by planting tulips this autumn. Whether you prefer bold, colourful pots or a more natural look, there’s a tulip to suit every garden, says Tracy Reid from the National Garden Scheme, Derbyshire
November arrives and our gardens are winding down for their winter rest. However, no rest for the gardeners as now is the time to plant your tulips for your spring display!
Don’t worry if you haven’t bought any yet, you can still plant in November and even December. For the price of a bunch of flowers you can create a pot display that will last for weeks in April and May.
But what tulips to choose?
There are hundreds to choose from. If you are looking for a high impact pot display then just choose the colours and styles that you love. Many retailers will offer suggestions of tulips that pair well together, but if you want to pick your own colour scheme just bear in mind the height of the tulip and flowering time.
Unfortunately, squirrels are attracted to tulip bulbs so if they are a problem for you then you can cover pots with chicken wire, or I have found that over planting with forget me nots or wall flowers seems to help.
If you’re looking for a more permanent feature, then there are varieties of tulips which are more reliably perennial than others. Species tulips such as Tulipa Tarda and Clusiana will even naturalise and bulk up over time.
If you do decide to try and keep some to flower again next year, then allow them to die back naturally and either leave them in position or lift and store somewhere cool and dry ready for replanting next Autumn.
I hope I’ve inspired you to create a pot or two to bring some colour to your spring garden. And don’t forget – the National Garden Scheme will have plenty of beautiful spring gardens for you to visit from February onwards.