How I want to have beautiful and elegant flower beds! But usually caring for them takes a lot of time and effort: watering, weeding, pruning, fertilizing, treating pests and much more. Is it possible to create a charming flowerbed that will delight you every year, but with minimal intervention?
Are there any unpretentious flowers that are easy to grow for both beginning gardeners and those who simply don’t have enough time and energy to carefully care for their flowerbeds? Yes, there are such flowers, and there are many of them. In this article we will look at the most unpretentious bulbous plants.
Botanical tulips
Botanical tulips, despite their small growth, from 10 to 50 centimeters, attract with a huge variety of colors. It seems that these charming small flowers have absorbed the rainbow and mixed all its colors, trying to get new shades. It is thanks to the wide variety of colors that you can even create drawings in a flowerbed of botanical tulips!
For beginners and very busy gardeners, botanical tulips are convenient not only for their variety of colors and small growth, but also because they are practically the only tulips that do not need to be dug up every year. On the contrary, being constantly in the soil, they grow, and every year the flowerbed becomes more and more interesting.
These tulips are planted, like other bulbous ones, in autumn, choosing a sunny, damp area for them, but without constant accumulations of water! They bloom from March to May, depending on the temperature in the region.
Crocuses
They are also called snowdrops. And for good reason. In the spring, as soon as the first thawed patches appear in the snow, the crocus immediately throws out a bud. It is good to plant these flowers in a flowerbed mixed with other non-bulbous flowers, since the crocus fades in early spring (with the exception of those few varieties that bloom in the fall) and then the flowerbed may be empty, and some flowers will replace others.
Crocuses are usually short, from about 5 to 20 centimeters. Crocus bulbs are planted in the soil in the fall (with the exception of varieties that bloom in autumn, they are planted in the spring) in sunny areas. In the spring. As soon as the snow melts, the crocuses will delight you with their blooms. In one flower bed you can combine crocuses of different colors, making interesting compositions from them. Crocus bulbs also do not need to be dug up every year.
Muscari
It also has other names, including mouse hyacinth or viper onion. Differs in variety of species. Resistant to cold weather. Planted in the soil in August-September, and blooms from April to June. The timing and time of flowering depend on the specific type of this plant. This plant, like crocuses, has a small growth - up to 30 centimeters in height. By the way, it goes well with hyacinths in the flowerbed.
Muscari prefers a sunny place, like most bulbous plants, but does not like drought during the flowering period. But when the muscari is at rest, its bulb should be in dry soil so as not to die. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that this bulbous plant does not tolerate mineral fertilizers. It is better to simply add peat or humus to the hole during planting.
Daffodils
These charming spring flowers are known to any summer resident. Delicate, sunny yellow, with a light aroma, they signify the arrival of spring. Thanks to breeding work, they are distinguished by a variety of varieties and colors.
They love sunny areas, but feel comfortable in partial shade; they prefer soil with average moisture, but they can easily tolerate heavy rains and short-term droughts. Probably the most unpretentious plants up to 50-60 centimeters high.
They are planted in a flowerbed in August-September, and are pleased with their flowering in late April-early June, depending on the region, variety and temperature conditions.
Colchicum
Outwardly, it is very similar to crocuses, but it blooms in late autumn, when the leaves fly off the trees and enlivens a dull garden with bright blooms.
This flower, from 5 to 20 centimeters in height, is planted in July-August, and it pleases with its flowering from August to November, depending on the variety and the temperature regime of the region. It is very convenient because you can plant it and forget about any troubles, since this plant prefers to grow “in the wild” and does not like to be touched.
Tulips are plants covered in fairy tales and legends. If you find yourself in the East, you will certainly be told a magical story about a wonderful flower, in whose bud happiness was hidden. And only the person before whom the tulip opens its petals could get it. Many people came to him in the hope of becoming happy, but the magic bud blossomed only in front of a pure-hearted baby who ran up just to admire the beautiful flower.
Or maybe this is not a fairy tale, and while admiring the tulips, every person is really capable of finding happiness, even if only for a moment? It’s not difficult to check: you just have to plant these beautiful flowers in your own garden.
For flower beds and borders, choose varieties that match well in color. Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
Big family
Modern varieties of tulips are so diverse that a suitable option can be chosen for every taste and for any area.
Tulips from the Early Terry garden group are perfect for a strict regular garden. They are low, with large double flowers and bloom for a very long time. Along the paths, “striped” borders of varieties of different colors will be good. If you are not confident in your abilities as a colorist, you can use a ready-made mixture of several varieties: tulips in “mixes” selected by Dutch experts are always the same height and harmoniously combined in color.
"Night Club" Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
Tulips with lily-shaped flowers are good for a landscape garden. Their thin, flexible flower stalks bend with every breath of wind, and their elongated, pointed petals are delicate and unobtrusive. These graceful plants do not disturb the composition, imitating a corner of wild nature. Green-flowered tulips and varieties with dim white, yellow and pink flowers will fit especially well into the overall picture.
Tall varieties from the garden groups Darwin's hybrids and Simple late tulips with a clean, monochromatic color will not get lost in the depths of the garden under the fruit trees blooming in spring. Planted in small groups against a background of delicate greenery, tulips in warm yellow, red, and orange tones will warm the eye and illuminate the landscape.
Tulips with fringed, double, exotic flower shapes, as well as interesting colors, are best planted closer to the viewer: this way you can appreciate all their charm.
For rocky gardens and hills, varieties of some natural species are good, for example, ‘Unicum’ and ‘Fusilier’ of the superior tulip (Tulipa praestans). These multi-flowered, well-leafed plants look great even when planted alone. You can also plant late tulips (T. tarda) and Urumiensis (T. urumiensis). But more miniature varieties and species, for example, the t. false two-flowered (T. bifloriformis), the t. pretty (T. pulchella), the variety 'Little Princess' ('Little Princess'), it is better to plant in small groups of 3-5 plants .
Tulips planted in containers, pots or decorative vases in the spring will decorate the steps of the house, verandas and patios, the entrance to the site or gazebo. Compact varieties with decorative leaves are best suited for this purpose, for example: ‘Ali Baba’, ‘Corona’, ‘Kiev’. In addition, for container planting you can use medium-sized flowering tulip bulbs from the Triumph group.
New varieties of tulips are always in great demand. Of course, if you have the means, you can treat these plants as annuals and purchase new ones every year without even bothering yourself with digging, drying and sorting the bulbs. But still, the most valuable acquisitions are varieties that are resistant to our weather conditions and diseases typical of tulips, and this can only be judged by observing them on the site over a number of years.
The lilac variety “Picche” “Picture” with flowers of the original form in the GBS collection, unfortunately, did not take root due to instability to viral infection. Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
New products, which are often sold at an inflated price, in attractive packaging, equipped with a bright picture, are not always original and are often very similar to varieties that have long been known to everyone. In addition, producers of planting material can cheat by applying this term to a long-registered variety that has simply not been previously exported to our country.
Supernovelty - exclusive varieties with a strongly indented flower edge, like the Leo variety. Perhaps this will be a new garden group. Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
As a rule, the fewer bulbs in the package, the more expensive each one is. Don't forget that both packaging and pictures are included in the price. When planning a purchase, it is best to find out in advance the wholesale cost of varietal bulbs from the manufacturer, recalculate it at the rate per bulb and thus find out how inflated the price is and whether it is advisable to purchase this variety this particular year. Another cost-effective option is to purchase new items together.
After the appearance of fringed tulips, breeders focused their efforts on making them also terry. For example, the yellow fringed variety “Mon Amur” “Mon Amur” has proven itself in the GBS collection. Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
In Moscow, you can get acquainted and take a closer look at the new products, which are also equipped with labels with the name of the variety, in the “Apothecary Garden” (Botanical Garden of Moscow State University). And at the exhibition area of the Department of Ornamental Plants of the Main Botanical Garden named after. N.V. Tsitsina has the opportunity to observe how varieties behave that bloom successfully from year to year and retain their varietal characteristics without the supply of “fresh blood”.
Recipes for family happiness
The beauty of tulips leaves few people indifferent. But not every gardener manages to admire luxurious flowers. In order for these amazing plants to really bring you many happy moments, there are a few fairly simple rules that will help avoid disappointment even for a beginner planting tulips on his site for the first time.
Fathers and Sons
We often hear gardeners being perplexed: we plant large tulip bulbs, but for some reason we dig up small ones. Where do they come from? Indeed, what is the reason for this strange phenomenon at first glance?
According to statistics, only half of every 100 large bulbs after digging will be the same size as those planted - the remaining 50% will be smaller.
The fact is that tulip bulbs cannot grow indefinitely. They have a size limit that depends on the variety, growing conditions, weather factors and the age of the bulb itself. Having reached it and grown old, they rejuvenate - they break up into a whole brood (nest) of daughter bulbs of different sizes. The largest of them is replacement. She inherits from the mature mother bulb the ability to lay a flower. True, during the first flowering it may turn out to be still small, and the plant itself may be quite small. But by annually increasing the area of the leaf plates, and therefore the supply of nutrients, this bulb itself will increase in size and lay an ever larger flower.
"Canasta" Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
The remaining daughter bulbs will mature, throwing out only one leaf, which will become larger and larger every year. After a couple of years, quantity will turn into quality, and the nutrients accumulated in the bulb will be enough to plant a flower. For several more years, the young flowering plant will improve in height and beauty until it grows old and begins a new life cycle.
On a note
Of all the daughter bulbs in the nest, the fastest growing and most promising are those that are not yet capable of flowering, but have received a powerful charge of vital energy for growth and development. The replacement flowering bulb “inherits” physiological old age and a tendency to degradation.Therefore, when planning a flower garden of tulips, you should plant not only large bulbs, which will delight you next spring, but also small ones - from 1.5 to 3 cm in diameter, because in a year or two they will take the baton of flowering. While adults, playing leading roles, will bloom, “youth” with their only leaves will play the role of extras.
Growing generation
The next question that concerns tulip lovers concerns their digging. To understand this, let's follow the seasonal development of these plants.
In spring, the growth of the peduncle and replacement bulbs of tulips occurs almost simultaneously. Until the leaves have fully expanded and turned into a “factory” for the production of nutrients, the plant uses the resources stored by the mother bulb. The growth rate of the peduncle is faster than the growth of young bulbs, which means that the flower “pulls the blanket” over itself and takes more nutrients. As a result, after it withers, the growth process of the daughter bulbs is not completed, and the mother bulbs are not yet depleted and remain juicy. Therefore, if tulips bloomed in May, they can only be dug up at the end of June or beginning of July. By this time, the daughter bulbs will have grown enough and will almost completely separate from each other.
Mother or stepmother?
Another question that also haunts gardeners in central Russia: why did the tulips I bought bloom well only in the first year after planting? Let's try to figure it out.
The main creator of the future luxurious flowering of a tulip is the most well-developed above-ground part of the plant: the larger the area of the leaf plates, the better. They are entrusted with the task of synthesizing all the substances necessary for the plant both now and “in the bright future.” This requires a lot of water in the spring - plenty of it.
T. Batalina “Bright Gem” (t. batalinii “Bright Gem”). Photo: AiF / Elena Kozhina
As you know, the tops are directly dependent on the roots: the more developed the root system of the tulip, the more water the plant receives and the faster the leaf and stem grow. Therefore, the soil should be loose - such that, by pulling the peduncle, you can pull out the entire plant along with the bulb and roots.
"White Liberstar" "White Liberstar". Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina Now let’s evaluate our capabilities. We, of course, can loosen the soil by adding sand, rotted manure, humus or non-acidic peat. But with providing plants with enough water in the spring, the situation is more complicated. Due to the threat of frost, water pipes in garden plots, as a rule, begin to function only after the May holidays. If the winter had little snow, then the supply of melt water will quickly be used up. And irregular spring rains, sudden warming and many bright sunny days only worsen the situation. All these weather factors not only do not promote leaf growth, but, on the contrary, inhibit their growth and stimulate flowering. That is why in our climate, tulips planted in autumn bloom well only in the first year due to the resources of the bulb grown in ideal conditions. However, by following agricultural practices, annually digging up plants, removing diseased ones and ensuring proper storage conditions, as well as forming a flower garden from large and small, young and old bulbs, we can still maintain the flowering of our tulips.
We will have to disappoint tulip admirers: we will never be able to create conditions for them such as in the Netherlands, where the world's leading flower farms grow their planting material. Loose, nutritious soils and a mild coastal climate are the secret of the “second homeland” of tulips. A large number of cloudy spring days contributes much better to their slow growth than the unpredictable spring in the sharply continental climate of Central Russia. In addition, in Holland, in areas occupied by tulips, in the spring the groundwater level is artificially raised so that there is sufficient moisture at the depth of the root system. But by mid-summer it is lowered again, the soil is dried out and thereby the ripening of the bulbs is accelerated.
"Adoptives"
And finally, another burning question that gardeners regularly ask: is it possible to save tulips that grew in city flower beds and turned out to be useless to anyone after digging them up?
Photo: AiF / Nina Danilina
In ceremonial flower beds planted with only tulips, city services usually replace plants that have bloomed but have not completed their growing season with blooming annuals. At this stage of the tulip’s life, as mentioned above, the daughter bulbs have not yet completed their development, and the mother bulbs have not been depleted. But the physiology of bulbous plants is very economical: not a gram of nutrients is wasted. Therefore, it is enough to free the bulbs from the soil (without separating the roots and stem with leaves), place them loosely, as if standing, in mesh boxes in warm, dry shade, and the plants themselves will prepare for dormancy.
When the stem and leaves completely dry out and wither, and the integumentary scales of the mother bulb turn into “crispy crusts,” you will see that the daughter bulbs, oddly enough, have grown up and put on their own integument. Now they can be safely cleaned of plant debris and stored until autumn planting.
T. superior to "Fuselier" (t. praestans "Fusilier"). Photo: AiF / Elena Kozhina
If they do not fall out of the nest and the bottom continues to hold them, you need to water them generously from a watering can and repeat the cleaning procedure after about an hour. But, before removing the bulbs that have “taken a shower,” you need to give them time to dry - not in the sun, but in the shade. Their young integumentary scales are still very tender and can suffer from sunburn.
When cleaning the bulbs, no injuries or scratches should be allowed, especially in the bottom area: this is an open gate for pathogenic microorganisms.Sometimes, when urban flower beds are being liquidated, the stems of tulips are also cut off. In this case, the plant, of course, will experience stress and be in danger of contracting a viral or other infection through the cutting tool, but it will still not die. Placed in a single layer in mesh boxes in a dry, ventilated room at a temperature of no more than +25 °C, the young daughter bulbs will be able to “pump out” all the nutrients from the mother’s scales and prepare for independent life. Of course, they will be smaller than those who were lucky enough to grow for another month. Depending on their size, they will take a year or more to recover. Only flat, fish-scale-like bulbs measuring less than 1 cm in diameter (weight-bearing babies) are practically unviable. They usually die in the first winter.
When the tulips are in full bloom, stop near the city flowerbed and take a closer look at them. If they captivate you with their beauty, do not be afraid to take on the task of saving their “living souls.” After all, not only many years of people’s labor, but also a great love for tulips were invested in the creation of varieties. Remember this and give the doomed bulbs a chance to survive. And they will definitely make you happy.
On a note
To complete the growth process of daughter bulbs, both the remnants of the “mother’s” reserves and the work of all the leaves of the plant are used. If pollination does not occur and the ovary does not form, then all the nutrients go to the “babies”. That is why manufacturers of planting material are trying to get rid of growing green seed pods, as competitors for food. For those who do not dig up tulips every year, the ovaries do not need to be removed. They prolong the life of the plant itself and the decorative appearance of the entire flower garden. The simultaneous need for nutrition from the ovary and bulbs dictates that the leaves remain in good shape and continue working. Tulip seeds, as a rule, are of no value to an amateur. Obtained from free pollination of hybrid parents, even if they germinate, they will bloom no earlier than after 5–7 years, and not necessarily beautifully. But lignified dried boxes are very good for dry bouquets. They are usually easily separated from the bulb if you pull the peduncle.In the spring, missing warmth and flowers, we greet bulbous primroses with special tenderness and joy. The largest of them are tulips (Tulipa L.). This wonderful noble flower needs no introduction; it is familiar and loved by everyone. For a long time, wild tulips grew in forests, then, with the light hand of Peter I, their most beautiful hybrids gradually began to enter our lives. Now there are a huge number of varieties of tulips and new ones are constantly appearing. It’s easy to get confused in such diversity. Scientists have created a classification that can help amateur gardeners choose the right varieties of these flowers for their plot.
From 1913 to 1929, botanists and plant growers in Holland and England worked to create a classification of the species and varieties of tulips existing at that time. Since then, it has been periodically updated - new varieties are added and outdated ones are excluded.
The modern international classification divides tulips into 4 large groups, which, in turn, are divided into classes (there are 15 of them). The division of this plant into groups was based on the timing of their flowering. The exception is the last (fourth group), which includes wild species and all varieties of tulips derived from them.
We propose together to consider in more detail all the positions of this classification. And the presented photos and names of varieties will make our review more informative.
Early blooming tulips. Group-I
The first group consists of early flowering tulips. It is divided into two classes - simple and terry.
Class-1. Simple early flowering
Simple early blooming tulips(Tulipa single early) have been known for quite a long time, since the times of Peter the Great. They are strong and hardy, and are not afraid of spring weather, which is why they are very popular. They reach a height of 40 cm. The flowers have the shape of a glass or bowl and tend to open fully. The color is dominated by bright and warm yellow-red tones. Flowering begins around mid-April. Tulips of this class will adequately decorate a spring flower bed. Looks good in containers and pots. They are often used for winter forcing. But due to the insufficient length of the peduncles, they are not suitable for cutting.
Christmas Dream 
Diana 
Mickey Mouse 
Couleur Cardinal
For example, the red-pink Christmas Marvel, bred in 1954, became the basis for the creation of many wonderful sports (“sport” is a plant with characteristics different from those characteristic of a given variety, for example, a different color of the petals, the absence of a border, etc.). One of them is Christmas Dream - a soft pink glass, located on a strong 45 cm peduncle.
Large and wide Pink Trophy glasses attract attention with their lilac-pink hue. A variegated red and yellow Mickey Mouse will add a sea of bright sunny colors to the garden.
The very popular and unpretentious plum-red tulip of the Couleur Cardinal variety is ancient, its history begins in 1845. But thanks to its highly decorative properties and simple care requirements, it is still actively grown. The low (up to 30 cm) peduncle makes it convenient for creating flower beds, borders, and ridges.
A short, robust plant (15-20 cm) with elongated glasses of deep red color, Brilliant Star looks amazing in a group container planting. Matching it is the snow-white variety Diana (bred in 1909), which is equally small but with a large flower glass.
The delicate and romantic Olga variety has a cup-shaped deep pink flower with a white edge. The light orange General de Wet, despite its considerable age (brought out in 1904), will adequately decorate any flower garden.
Of course, we have named only a few representatives of this class, although it is considered small.
Class-2. Terry early flowering
Terry early blooming tulips(Tulipa Double Early) begin their history around 1613. “Double tulips” received their European name due to the special structure of the flower, which has two rows of petals (as if one six-petaled flower is in the middle of the other). Especially lush varieties have three additional petals. Double tulips are quite short (up to 30 cm), which makes them unsuitable for cutting, despite the beautiful large flowers (their diameter when opened is about 12 cm). They are often used as a potted plant and for forcing, and in the garden they adequately decorate the front rows of various flower beds. This class is characterized by long flowering (more than 10 days).
Abba 
Melrose 
Mondial 
Verona 
Monte Carlo 
Monte Orange
Like simple tulips, early double tulips have a strong peduncle, are resistant to spring weather and bloom at the same time. Although sometimes even a strong stem cannot hold a heavy, luxurious flower.
The baby (about 10 cm) Abba is very popular; its rich red flowers immediately attract attention. The varieties Monte Carlo and Mr. will greet spring with large yellow flowers. van der Hoef. Crimson petals edged with soft pink make up the flowers of the Melrose variety. Fans of orange flowers will love the stunningly bright melon-salmon Monte Orange.
The most delicate colors will be given to you by the light lemon variety Verona, the snow-white beauty Mondial, and white with small yellow stripes by Evita.
This class is also considered not numerous, but the choice is huge.
Although this group is called early-blooming, it should be noted that some varieties of Kaufman, Greig and other botanical tulips bloom even earlier.
Medium blooming tulips. Group-II
The second group consists of tulips of medium flowering period, which are divided into two classes - Triumph and Darwin.
Class-3. Tulips Triumph
Tulips Triumph(Triumph) were developed after 1910, and in 1923 they were put up for sale for the first time and already had the original name. In the process of their selection, simple early tulips, Darwin hybrids, as well as some ancient varieties were used. A distinctive feature of this class are high (about 70 cm), fairly strong peduncles, large goblet-shaped flowers that hold their shape well. The color of the petals can be absolutely any, of various shades and their combinations. Flowering is long-lasting, beginning in late April-early May.
Amazone 
Barcelona 
White Dream
All the characteristics of Triumph tulips make them suitable for cutting. They are also widely used in the decoration of flower beds. Can be used for mid and late forcing. They reproduce well vegetatively.
Now Triumph tulips form the most numerous class.
To present them to you clearly, it is very difficult to choose a few varieties from such diversity and splendor.
It is impossible to miss the Arabian Beauty tulip. Its large (up to 12 cm) light purple glass, thanks to its yellow rim, glows from within like a magic lamp. The Roman Empire variety has an interesting color; the red petal on top is decorated with a wide white border.
The snow-white elongated White Dream flower looks very aristocratic. Red, with a velvety tint, Ben van Zanten will flash brightly in the flowerbed. The sunny yellow Strong Gold will add golden colors to your area; its glass never opens and lasts for a long time after cutting. The peachy-orange Amazone will provide a positive mood. Fans of black tulips will be interested in the Ronaldo variety with very dark velvety purple petals.
Ben van Zanten 
Strong Gold 
Ronaldo
The unusual shape of the glass with sharp, slightly curved white petals and the pleasant aroma make the Agrass White variety attractive. The pink-lilac variety Barcelona also has a wonderful sweetish aroma.
Caring for and growing Triumph tulips is very simple. They are undemanding to soil composition and can grow in the shade and even in windy places.
Class-4. Darwinian hybrids
Darwinian hybrids(Darwin Hybrids) - the most common class of tulips, which was formed in 1960. They represent a selection of Darwin and Foster tulips. These hybrids have a high stem (up to 80 cm) and a large cup-shaped flower (about 10 cm). A characteristic feature of the flower is its rectangular bottom, most often black. The petals of this class of tulips are predominantly red, although other colors are found, including bicolors. Darwin's hybrids do not only have flowers of violet-lilac shades.
The main disadvantage of most varieties in this class is their ability to open fully on a sunny day, although some people even like it. But Darwin's hybrids are resistant to diseases and spring weather, and remain decorative for a long time when cut. They are widely used in spring flower beds, as well as for March forcing. The varieties of this class are very similar to each other.
A beautiful salmon shade distinguishes the Daydream and Chambery varieties. American Dream has a very elegant glass with an unusual color; the red rim looks very impressive on the sandy yellow petals. The Come Back tulip has a royal crimson-red color. Smooth transitions from almost red to pale pink distinguish the color of the petals of the Big Chief variety. The magnificent elongated yellow Conqueror glass exudes aristocracy.
Armani 
Hatsuzakura 
Daydream 
Gavota 
Ivory Floradale 
American Dream
The most delicate colors are represented by varieties: Hatsuzakura - creamy white with a lilac-pink wide border; Ivory Floradale; snow-white Lanka.
Lovers of dark shades should definitely pay attention to the Gavota variety and its dark burgundy flowers with a yellow border; Armani tulips are dark red with a thin white border.
As you can see, although the flower shape of Darwin hybrids is the same, the variety of colors makes them different from each other.
Late blooming tulips. Group-III
This group is the largest and most diverse. It included 7 classes - simple, lily, fringed, green, Rembrandt, parrot, terry.
Class-5. Simple late bloomers
Simple late bloomers(Single Late) combined in its class Darwin tulips, as well as the old species Breeders and Cottage. The newly formed class is characterized by a fairly high stem (up to 75 cm), large egg-shaped flowers with an almost square bottom and rounded petals. The color range is not limited; there are also variegated bicolor varieties. They begin to bloom in mid-May. Thanks to the strong, tall stem and long-lasting decorative effect of the flower, they have proven themselves well in cutting and are very popular for decorating areas. But not all varieties are suitable for forcing, since they have a long growing season. This class of tulips is quite hardy in terms of unfavorable conditions.
Renown 
Menton 
Cafe Noir 
Blushing Lady 
Hemisphere 
Weiss Berliner
With their unusual two-tone color, the yellow with pink-lilac veins of Blushing Lady, the white Hemisphere flower, as if shaded with a crimson pencil, and the pretty white-pink with a bronze-yellow border of Aleida attract attention.
Dark colors can be represented by varieties such as Cafe Noir with its burgundy coffee glasses, black and purple Queen of Night, purple Bacchus.
Light pink Angels Kiss, silky carmine-pink bud Renown, white with a light creamy tint Weisse Berliner, apricot-pink Menton captivate with their tenderness. Of an unusual shape with bent petals and lilac-pink, like a porcelain glass in the Picture variety. The snow-white Weisse Berliner will surprise you with its many flowers.
Rich red Wisley with a yellow bottom, bright red Gordon Cooper, red-pink with a wide orange border Favorite Beauty, salmon-orange My Lady, rich yellow with red touches Hocus Pocus will make your garden bright and sunny.
We tried to analyze what types of tulips there are. Their variety is enormous. We hope that our information and video will help you make a good choice and you will be able to enjoy amazing and beautiful flowers all spring.
History of tulip breeding
Although everyone is accustomed to considering tulips a symbol of Holland, they were originally brought from Persia to Turkey in the 16th century. And the first mentions of this flower are found precisely in connection with Persia. And the name “tulip” comes from the Persian word toliban, which means “turban,” apparently because the flower bud resembles the shape of this oriental headdress. Now there are a huge number of varieties of tulips with different flower shapes.
Back in the 16th century, tulip breeding began for the first time in Turkey. And by the end of the century, almost 300 varieties were bred.
Tulips were first brought to Europe, namely Germany, in 1559. The tulip bulbs were sent to Senator Herwarth in Augsburg by the German ambassador to the Turkish court.
But the issue of developing new varieties was taken most seriously in Holland, and as a result, tulips became a symbol of this country. It was in Holland that the most popular and collectible varieties of tulips were bred.
And already at the end of the 19th century, they began to grow tulips in Russia. First, tulip selection centers appeared in the south of the country: in Rostov-on-Don and Sukhumi, and then, with the development of agricultural technologies, new varieties were developed in other Russian cities.
Classes and groups of tulips
In the specialized literature, all tulips are divided into 15 classes and combined into 4 groups. Moreover, the classification from grades 1 to 11 includes garden tulips, and from grades 11 to 15 - botanical tulips and cultural hybrids.
Simple early and late tulips and double early and late tulips are the most common classes known. These hybrids were bred at the beginning of the twentieth century, but despite this, not all of their varieties are common in our country.
There are a lot of popular varieties in categories such as Darwin hybrids, Lily tulips and Triumph tulips. Now many new varieties are appearing among Fringed, Parrot and Green-flowered tulips. This is due to the growing demand for flowers of original colors and shapes. Varieties in the categories Rembrandt tulips, Foster tulips, Kaufman tulips, Greig tulips are considered unpretentious in care. They are attractive with large flowers and early flowering.
Other species, varieties and hybrids, bred on the basis of tulips of the already mentioned categories, form a separate class in which each variety is not yet very widely represented, but brightly.
Tulips are also classified according to flowering time: early-blooming, mid-blooming, late-blooming and hybrids of these groups.
Blooming flower bed of tulips
Since there are so many varieties of tulips, it is impossible to list them all, nor to highlight the most beautiful ones. All tulips are beautiful in their own way. The only reason why you should still be guided by varieties is that when growing you need to know how a particular variety is adapted to certain natural conditions. And if you form a flower garden from different varieties of tulips, you can ensure that your flower bed will be in bloom for 1.5 months, you just need to plant the tulips correctly according to the flowering time, so planting the tulips itself is very important.
If you want to see tulips bloom as early as possible, pay attention to the hybrids of Foster, Kaufmann, and Greig. They bloom in mid-April and bloom for quite a long time. Among the varieties in this group: Princess Sharman, Lenin's Memorial, Johann Strauss, Rosanna, Lovely Ceprise.
Almost simultaneously with these tulips or immediately after them, early tulips, simple and double, bloom. These are such hybrids as Mister Van Der Hoof, Peach Blossom, Electra, Willemsord, Apricot Beauty, Ruby Red and others. They are distinguished by large flowers and stems up to 50 cm tall.
In our latitudes, medium-blooming tulips are especially popular. These are hybrids of Darwin tulips and Triumph tulips. Their flowering occurs at a time when the weather has already settled, and the flowers do not suffer from frost or winds. These tulips are distinguished by their large flowers and bright colors. Medium-flowering varieties include Parade Record, General Eisenhower, Gordon Cooper, Tender Beauty and others.
But the most common in our country are Triumph tulips, which bloom in mid-May. Many flower growers grow varieties such as Lustige Witve, Don Quixote, Kis Nelis, White Dream.
If you like flowers of unusual shapes and colors, then you should choose late-flowering tulips from Lily, Fringed or Parrot: Miranda, Up Star, Angelica, Alegretto, Ankle Tom. Parrot tulips are widely represented by such varieties as White Parrot, Red Parrot, Orange Favorite, Blue Parrot, Black Parrot.
Fringed ones are attractive due to the unusual shape of their petals. Varieties Red Wing, New Look, Maya, Blue Heron are incredibly popular among both professionals and amateurs.
And lily-flowered tulips also have a very beautiful flower structure, similar in shape to a lily. Among them are such hybrids as White Triumphant, West Point, Mrs. Mook, Red Shine, Jacqueline and many others.
More than 2.5 thousand varieties of tulips have been bred. Not all of them are equally widespread. There are those that can be found in any flower bed, and there are varieties that in our area can only be grown in greenhouses or conservatories, since caring for tulips is different. The choice of tulips is so huge that everyone will find a dozen or two varieties to their taste.
