The Tulips.
In our mild West Coast climate, I have to pull out a few tricks to make the tulip bulbs think they have spent a long, cold winter in the soil.
Because I grow the tulips as cut flowers and want you to enjoy their long stems, glorious foliage and the magical experience of watching them unfurl in the vase, I treat them quite differently to your Granny’s perennial garden bulbs.
Late May: after six weeks in the fridge to mimic a cold winter, they are ready for planting outside.
They are laid out close, like eggs in a carton and buried deeply under lots of compost in a 'no dig' system.
July: spying the first little shoots.
The beautiful twirls of tulip leaves, stretching up in the July sunshine.
The first buds emerging signals the last weeks of winter.
August: the flowers developing their colour.
The tulips are harvested, bulbs attached for the best stem length and the ability to hold them in the fridge for a few days.
We rinse them off well.
And wrap tightly in paper like a burrito.
Crown Dynasty after a week in the vase. My current favourite and a total overachiever in perfect colour, form and stem length.
My earliest flowering, classic single form 'Laptop' .
'Kickstart', the smokiest yummy lilac with alllll of the ruffles.
Retro, punchy babe 'Flashpoint', moonlighting as a peony.
Wrapped simply, a package of glorious potential.
Arranged alongside early Spring friends.
