The Fickle but Timeless Tulip
Tulips are a bit of a diva in the New England garden.
However, they are breathtaking!
But they also demand the right conditions and in New England, they rarely behave like the perennials people hope they will.
Quick aside:
Growing up in L.A. tulips were a rarity because they need 12-14 weeks of cold below 48 degrees F. Yet the were a big part of my childhood garde memories when my mom could get them to grow!
Here I am enjoying as a teeny tiny tot
So, moving to New England I knew I wanted to grow tulips! I started growing tulips in 2017 and it was easier in my last yard which was sandy and well drained. I had some tulips that came back for years. I have not had such luck yet in my swampy new yard.
The key in my last yard to tulips that came back was picking the right tulip.
Here you can see the giant apricot and giant yellow tulips. They came back EVERY year for 5 years. The reason is that they are Darwin Hybrid Tulips and those perennialize better.
The second tulip that came back well were these orange/yellow tulips that are more historic from the greigii group of tulips.
On the other hand, may of the single varieties, french tulips and parrots I had to add every year.
A Flower That Started an Economic Craze
Tulips are famous not just for their beauty but for their history.
In the 1600s, tulips sparked one of the first recorded economic bubbles in the Netherlands, known as Tulip Mania. Certain rare varieties sold for astonishing amounts that I don't think we can fathom today.
The craze eventually collapsed, but the Dutch tulip industry never disappeared. Today, the Netherlands remains the global center of tulip breeding and bulb production.
Most of the bulbs gardeners plant today trace their lineage back to this long tradition of breeding and selection.
I loved how Mahoney's in Winchester plants thousands of tulips every year. I imagine it is a small slice of what going to the Netherlands in tulip season would be like. I would always drive over to see the beauty. But, they did plant them EVERY YEAR.
Where Tulips Actually Come From
Tulips didn’t originate in the Netherlands.
Their native range stretches from Central Asia through Turkey and parts of the Middle East. In those regions, tulips evolved in climates with:
- Very cold winters
- Dry summers
- Excellent drainage
This is very different from New England, where we tend to have:
- Cold winters (good)
- Wet springs (problematic)
- Regular rain during summers (major issue)
That summer moisture is the main issue. Tulip bulbs often rot or weaken after blooming, which is why they rarely return reliably year after year here.
Because of this, I think of tulips the same way I think about zinnias or cosmos:
Beautiful annual flowers.
Plant them, enjoy them, and plan to refresh them each fall.
A Bit of a Pest Magnet
Tulips are also irresistible to wildlife.
Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and voles all seem to view tulips as a gourmet snack.
I curse the chipmunk who decided to decapitate dozens of tulips right before bloom!
Over time I’ve figured out a few strategies that help:
• Planting them inside fenced garden areas
• Growing them near my greenhouse, where there is more activity
• Surrounding beds with daffodils, which rodents avoid
• Using boxwood hedges to create a little extra barrier
Because pests are still a problem, I often grow tulips in crates or trays in addition to the ground.
Here are giant darwin tulips near my greenhouse. They bloomed beautifully that year. They have not come back, but I enjoyed them while they lasted.
Last year I switched to growing them in my new fenced garden. It worked well but different groups bloomed at different times.
Here were the early bloomers:
Here were the late bloomers:
Growing Tulips in Trays or Pots
Tulips actually grow beautifully in containers.
I pack them in tight - almost like eggs in a carton. Unlike many perennials that need lots of space, tulips are perfectly happy growing close together.
You can plant them:
• In bulb crates
• In nursery trays
• In decorative pots
• In raised beds
The key is good drainage and dense planting for that lush spring display.
Ordering Tulips (Earlier Than You Think)
Tulips are planted in fall, but the best varieties often sell out long before that.
Most gardeners order bulbs in spring or early summer for fall delivery.
My favorite sources include:
• Colorblends
• John Scheepers
• Van Engelen (great for bulk)
• Old House Gardens for historic varieties
Ordering early gives you access to the most interesting colors and forms.
Planting Timing: Later Is Better
Tulips need a long cold period to bloom well.
They require 12–14 weeks of cold to properly form their flowers. Because of that, I plant them as late in the season as possible.
Often I’m planting right up until the ground freezes.
Planting late helps avoid early rot and keeps bulbs dormant until winter truly sets in.
Harvesting Tulips for the Vase
Tulips are incredible cut flowers.
One trick that professional growers use is harvesting the entire plant with the bulb attached.
This allows the stem to continue drawing energy from the bulb and dramatically increases vase life.
To harvest:
- Pull the entire plant with the bulb attached
- Rinse off the soil
- Store stems upright in water
Tulips will continue growing in the vase, sometimes stretching several inches after cutting.
Beyond the Grocery Store Tulip
Most people are familiar with the standard single tulips you see in grocery store bouquets.
But tulip breeding has produced an incredible range of forms, including:
• Fringed tulips
• Parrot tulips
• Double peony-style tulips
• Lily-flowered tulips
Once you start exploring the varieties available from specialty bulb suppliers, it’s easy to fall down the tulip rabbit hole.
Having a variety can really pop in a garden:
A Short but Magical Season
Tulips are fleeting. Their season passes quickly.
But that short burst of color after a long winter is exactly what makes them so special.
If you want weeks of spring flowers, I pair tulips with another bulb that returns reliably every year:
Daffodils.
They’re rodent proof, perennial, and bloom in waves across April and May.
Want a Spring Full of Flowers?
I offer a Tulip & Daffodil CSA from Scout Hill Farm.
Subscribers receive fresh spring bouquets filled with the same varieties growing throughout the gardens.
It’s one of my favorite ways to celebrate the beginning of the flower season.
🌷 Learn more about the Tulip & Daffodil CSA here
