Plant ident 10/05/2013 - An epoch of tulips

This tulip epic does not represent all the tulips that are used at Dixter (especially the pots), but it starts with the last tulip that's flowering in the garden at the moment. Just when the majority are passing over, Tulipa spengeri springs up as an surprise to carry the delight of these flowers well into June.

Tulip spengeri with Meconopsis cambrica, underneath a peony. These
species tulips has much poise & elegance and are have almost bi-colour petals on the outside. They are extinct in the wild and have the ability to self-sow but it takes them four years to develop into a flowering bulb.  

Tulip plant ident:

(Left to right)

1. Tulipa 'Ballerina'
A stunning tulip that lasts for ages. This was a planting that I did last year in the walled garden - to see how it was before click here.

2. 'Spring green' - these were planted in the walled garden - the purple & white versions of these are an accident from the suppliers, they sent out the wrong bulb but labelled the same.

3. The yellow version is simply called 'Yellow Spring Green'

4. Tulipa 'Bleeding Heart', I think this is possibly one of my personal favourite found in the High Garden (a Dicentra spectabilis aka bleeding heart is also planted in the same bed - possibly done so tongue in cheek).

5. The purple & white is also one that I like very much called 'Rem's Favourite'

6. 'Bleu aimable' - purple but as if trying to be blue. One that lasts for ages too.

Tulipa 'Bleu Aimable' in the border in the Barn Garden. 

Inside the depths of 'Bleu Aimable'

7. The first one in the jar is 'Gavota'. There is also 'Abu Hassan' that is not too dissimilar:

The latter three:

8. 'Hermitage'

9. 'Princess Irene'

10. 'Orange Prince'

are known as 'triumph tulips' - meaning that they are the result of single early tulips being crossed with later flowering varieties (i.e. extended flowering time). They are usually bred to have sturdy stems.

Other tulips in the garden:

Unfortunately with the high winds these tall tulips 'Daydream' blew away too soon. They started off quite yellow then deepened into this warm apricoty, orangey pink colour. We seem to be having bad luck with tulips in the Solar Garden border, last year many bulbs were pinched by mice.

Tulipa 'Westpoint' with Erysium cheiri 'Fire King' are effective just so, when they are sparsely planted against such a contrasting colour:

These substantial ones outside our mess room hovel are called Tulipa 'Menton'

These are species Tulipa linifolia (Batalinii group) Bright Gem, that I planted with Kate last year. We were worried that the mice might have gotten to these too, but looks like there were still plenty left for display.

These were from my plant prejudice of Polyanthus and Fergus got me to plant them with Tulipa 'Couleur Cardinal'

Species Tulipa turkestanica 

Species Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder'

Interesting succession with big species yellow Tulipa sylvestris. 

Papaver dubium subsp. lecoquii 'Albiflorum' which we just simply call 'Beth's Poppy' as we got seeds from Beth Chatto, gives just that extra height to these layers of flowers. The Barn Garden is probably the fastest changing area, Aquilegia chrysantha 'Yellow Queen' with a particularly pronounced tail has now followed in their footsteps. 

These multi-headed lovelies are 'Red Georgette'.

These twisty ones called 'Red Shine' are also another stunner.

'China Pink' in the Long Border

'National Velvet' in the Long Border

'Perestroyka' another big flouncy one that didn't last the high winds so well.