My garden is just about done for the year. I am bringing in some pots of mums, soon, but other than my Limelight Hydrangea, not much is happening in my garden.
I've been watching Gardener's World which is a British show. I watch on Acorn TV through Amazon. The main host Monty Don shared that he treats tulips like annuals, and grows them in pots in the garden. He says that they really only bloom well the first year!
So this got my wheels turning and thought that I could try that here at my cottage. I had beautiful bulbs (I was given a bag of about 100 bulbs from a friend who used to work at Longwood Gardens) but over a few years they died out. I have one or two that still come up every year. I was so disappointed by this, but when Monty Don mentioned treating them like annuals, I knew I could again bring spring beauty into my garden!
Tulips have come a long way in the last few years, just check out these beauties -
source
Aren't they amazing? Barbara from Small Moments talked on her most recent post about getting her pots ready for tulips, and having Monty Don's words in my head I left a comment to her and she emailed me with a few thoughts and a website recommendation. If you click on any of the source links it will take you to sarahraven.com
Now, to find an American source, if not a local source for such stunning bulbs, and to find a few large pots!
Do you do spring bulbs? Have you ever planted them in pots?
Well now, THAT is a revelation. I can stop wondering what happened to the tulips, probably daffs, too. Pretty labor intensive and expensive this way so I doubt that I’ll give it much thought. Happy planting!
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of treating tulips as annuals. I don't plant them because where I live it says we need to keep the bulbs in the refrigerator for a month, and to me, that means they won't bloom a second year, unless I dig them up and put them in the refrigerator a month before I want them to bloom. My favorite bulbs are the oriental or Asiatic lilies which I grow in pots for gopher protection.
ReplyDelete"The main host Monty Don shared that he treats tulips like annuals, and grows them in pots in the garden. He says that they really only bloom well the first year!"
ReplyDeleteI would never have thought this was possible!
My s-i-l brought me tulip bulbs from the Netherland. A few of them made it two years, well, two bloomings. But that was outside in the yard.
I'm sure your pots will look lovely. It's so exciting when the first leaves show and growth starts.
ReplyDeleteTulips are my favorite flower! Thanks for sharing this idea! I am seeing a pretty pot of tulips (or two or three) in my future . . .
ReplyDeleteI love tulips and have grown them in pots, with success. I always put in new bulbs each year, but others come up and those are bonuses. There are some that have been here since before we purchased the house, and that's 17 years ago and they come up and bloom as faithful as can be. Nature is a mysterious wonder!
ReplyDeleteTulips are my favorite. I've never planted them in pots, but I may now. Thanks for the tip!!
ReplyDelete