Monday 4 April 2011

Tulipa Turkestanica

Tulipa Turkestanica

If you haven’t already, find yourself some in Autumn!

They’re lovely little multi-headed tulips, and add a cheerful splash of colour to any Spring garden.

I ordered a bag of 50 in August last year and I honestly think most, if not all have flowered. My spring pots are looking very bare this year… It seems most have succumbed to the heavy snow so I will have to empty them out and these Tulips in the borders are helping brighten the garden.











Copyright 2011 Liz.
All rights reserved. Content created by Liz for Gwirrel’s Garden.

26 comments:

easygardener said...

They are very pretty and are the only species Tulips that I have had any real success with. They are very reliable and I would love to find some others that do as well as these.

Yoke, said...

Great pictures of such a lovely little Tulip!

Thanks for sharing her with us, Liz. I will keep the name in mind, later on in the year.

how was Rotterdam? Any inspiration from the trip?

ShySongbird said...

They are lovely Liz and your photos show that very well. I must try to remember to get some later in the year...I typed the A word to start with but couldn't bear to look at it this soon in the year ;)

VW said...

Love your photos, as always!

Cheryl said...

Liz, they are gorgeous. Delicately pretty.....

I shall not be buying any though, something has eaten most, althought not all, of my tulip buds.
It gets a bit disheartening.

Liz said...

Hi EG,

I have to agree, most other tulips I've had, have eventually died. But it's to be expected I guess, so I can't really complain. I just hadn't expected most of them to die this year though so it's left my spring pots very empty!
As it is, I have a pot of only Muscari, and two more of only Violas, which should have a whole range of bulbs including Tulips.
Needless to say, they look rather sorry. I was tempted to pop to B&Q today to pick up some cheap bulbs to plant the pots up for a bit of cheer, but have work to do instead.

Liz said...

Hi Yoke,

Rotterdam was lovely, thanks. Very quiet in the evenings but with so few people living in the city centre, that's hardly surprising. I loved the architecture and the modern buildings; it's so refreshing to go somewhere that doesn't fear modern design unlike the UK.
The public realm needs some work though, it really isn't very disability friendly, uneven pavements that even hurt my feet/legs/hips and I'm not disabled/elderly!
But yes, I'd love to go back in a couple of years when some of the amazing developments are complete.

Liz said...

Hi Jan,

Haha, yes it is very early to be thinking about 'later in the year'! I'm sure I'll forget about them come then too, there's so many things I need to get but we'll have to see how I'm doing for money by then.

Liz said...

Hi VW,

Thanks very much, I hope you manage to get some for your own garden next year!

Liz said...

Hi Cheryl,

Sorry to hear about your Tulips, most of my tulips have died too... They have grown nice and large, flower buds are appearing and now they've just decided to die for no apparent reason. Even the Anemone Blanda which usually fills a few pots hasn't shown up. I'm quite confused...
Even Bluebells which have been in a huge pot for years now have disappeared, yet the Bluebells in the border are doing fine. Very disappointed in the bulb show on the decking this year.

Carol said...

Liz, These are so lovely and delicate. I sometimes think regular tulips are a bit gaudy but these jewels offer much grace to a garden. I wonder if they are eaten by voles as much as other tulips?? if you know. Your photographs are as always very beautiful.

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

Such delicate little blooms, I admired them in your last post too. Sadly, tulips seem to be rapidly consumed here, so I tend not to plant them, but I would if I could!

The Sage Butterfly said...

Wow...these are lovely! I have never tried these....maybe next year.

Donna said...

I love these tulips and photographing them...so delicate..unfortunately the deer love them so I have to covet them and keep the deer at bay...

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Those are truly beautiful. If we look like staying here another year I will be severely tempted, but species tulips are very much on the wishlist for the next garden.

Esther Montgomery said...

How very pretty - and if you hadn't said . . . then I would never have known they are tulips.

I am growing tulips for the second year but it isn't a great success. Slugs and greenfly are eating them.

Esther

Lona said...

Liz thank you so much girl for this posting. I had those coming up in my garden from some free bulbs I had gotten with an order and I could not remember their name.LOL! For all of my record keeping these had not been written down.I really like them so much. Thanks!

Liz said...

Hi Carol,

I have to agree with your sentiments about the 'normal' tulips being gaudy; I don't have many of the larger types, generally because I find them a little too much. Although I wouldn't say no to someone planting a border of white and blacks for me! :D

Sorry I cannot help with the Vole problem, although I can say they seem to have survived any rats/mice that live around here - but it does look like some have been attacked by slugs in the rain over the past couple of days.

Liz said...

Hi CV,

Sorry to hear you also have issues with Tulips being eatn :( it's heartbreaking when plants are eaten or mysteriously 'disappear'. Perhaps try only having them in pots near your home, so you get to appreciate them closeby without having to watch them gradually being eaten?

Liz said...

Hi Sage Butterfly.

Thank you very much for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed it! :D
This is the first year I've had Turkestanica, I don't often order Tulips but these really captured my heart and the fact they're multi-flowering is wonderful. I don't know how well they come back though, so they may be a plant that needs to be bought and planted every year... If so, then I don't think I'll have them for much longer.

Liz said...

Hi Donna,

So many people have their Tulips eaten! Eeeek! I love Deer, but I don't think I would be very happy with them eating my plants!

Liz said...

Hi Janet,

It sounds like you're in a similar situation to me; planning to move home soon and therefore are unsure what to do with the garden in the meantime.
It's a tough choice, you want to enjoy the garden whilst you're here, but at the same time it's in the back of your mind that you'll be moving soon. I had originally planned to move this year, have the house on the market now. But then reality hit and I realised that I could potentially be trying to move/sell the house whilst I'm writing a dissertation and then jobless. So it's probably best if I wait another year, see how things are going and then attempt to move.
I would say enjoy the garden whilst you're here, after all it's a part of who you are, rather than having a hint of sadness in the back of your mind as you leave jobs undone.

Liz said...

Hi Esther,

Most of my Tulips are grown in pots (they're the ones that have mostly died this year, boo) and these are the first in the ground other than the odd freebie I've acquired from mixes. They were attacked early on as they first began sprouting, but seem to have been left alone since.

Good luck with your Tulips though, I hope they flower for you!

Liz said...

Hi Lona,

Lucky you to have discovered some in your garden! :D A very nice freebie to have, I hope you get more for next year ;)

Laura Bloomsbury said...

Love the Turkestan varieties. These miniatures looks so delightfully delicate but are quite robust. The ant makes a good size comparison ;)

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I wouldn't have guessed those were tulips. They sure are beauties!