Not too late for tulips

It's not too late to order and plant tulips.  November is a good time since the risk of tulip blight is less when the weather gets colder.  A firm favourite of mine is ‘Recreado’ which is deep purple with purplish stems and is quite perennial compared to many tulips (many are not reliably perennial, diminishing in number from year to year – planting more deeply is supposed to help).  It’s also tall and late, flowering in April to May.  Try it planted around Euphorbia polychroma - the purple tulips and acid green of the Euphorbia are a zingy combination. Last year I also used ‘Couleur Cardinal’ which has sumptuous deep red petals like the best and plushest velvet – it looks stunning with the orange leaves of Heuchera ‘Marmalade.’

Other good tulips are ‘Ballerina’ since it is a beautiful orange, tall and elegantly lily-flowered with a sweet scent.  Although it looks delicate it puts up with a lot of buffeting by wind and rain.  Try ‘Prinses Irene’ in containers.  She is short and orange but with a purplish tinge to the lower part of the petals and exquisitely scented.  ‘Spring Green’ is always on my list – it has classic ivory petals with green flares and performs well in shade, unlike many tulips.  It is also one of the most perennial tulips you can buy.

Watch out for squirrels - although they reject daffodil bulbs they are partial to tulips.  If planting in containers, use some chicken wire to put across a group of pots and anchor it down.  In the garden you could try lengths of holly laid across the soil which may deter them.

Try the following bulb suppliers:-

www.riversidebulbs.co.uk 
www.sarahraven.com 
www.peternyssen.com