The dark maroon petals can appear black and are quite stunning. I bought a pack of twelve but only seven have appeared, it wouldn't have mattered so much had I followed through my idea of planting them alongside a cream tulip, which I thought would bring their colour out even more, but I never got round to buying any other tulips last year.
I have red and yellow tulips in my front garden, they've been flowering for quite some time now, they seem to last for ages. Tulips often only flower for a year or two before giving up but these were in the garden before we moved in, and we've been here now for over twenty two years. They've done well.
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| Please ignore the cleavers, the garden's well overdue a weed. |
I can never resist taking a photo of the insides of tulips, they come out looking like a kaleidoscope.
These are huge, blousy blooms but they seem to hold their own no matter what the weather throws at them. I wish I knew what variety they are.
Not so pretty at the moment is my plum tree. It was covered in blossom and I was hopeful of a large harvest but the leaves are all distorted and I think it's probably a victim of leaf curl which is caused by plum leaf-curling aphids. At least the apple trees are looking good, touch wood!
Those dark ones would look great mixed with some cream or white ones. The insides are fascinating. It seems to have been a good year for tulips.
ReplyDeleteI hope that your plum tree is okay. Flighty xx
I agree, it's a shame I didn't get round to buying any. I've really enjoyed the tulips this year, they seem to have bloomed for a long time. The plum tree definitely needs some attention, it looks unsightly, I'm not sure what implication it will have for the fruit, I shall have to do a bit of reading up on it.
DeleteJo they are gorgeous xx
ReplyDeleteThey're such a gorgeous colour, I just with I'd got round to buying some cream ones to go with them, I think the colour would really pop then.
DeleteI do think the cream in the brickwork behind Queen of the Night brings out its blackness very well though. The inside of the tulips can be so beautiful and mesmerizing can't they. Lovely flowers!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I think some cream tulips grown along side them would work wonders. I love the insides of tulips, I just can't resist photographing them and you seem to get a different outcome each time.
DeleteTulips are my all time favourite spring garden flower (primroses being my favourite wild flower.) Queen of the Night are always very popular and as you say, they look stunning. Try them with a flame coloured tulip - this is how I first saw them at Sissinghurst, planted in large terracotta pots. For really wonderful colour combinations and varieties, I buy mine from Sarah Raven. I love her Venetian Collection and her Silk Collection (I think it was called Silk withoug looking it up.) Oh, and Brandy Snap Collection, too. Wonderful tulips, wonderful colours.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I'm with you on the primroses, I think they're so pretty. Orange tulips were on my wish list last year as I'd seem some beauties at Harlow Carr but apart from these Queen of the Night and some alliums, I didn't get round to buying any bulbs last year. Sarah Raven really does have some wonderful collections.
DeleteYour tulips are beautiful, I can only grow them in pots, our heavy clay soil is not for them.
ReplyDeleteI always grow my new bulbs in pots but once they've flowered, I move them to the garden. Some continue to put on a show there but I'm not so lucky with others. The red and yellow tulips are real stayers though, I never have any problems with those, they've flowered every year since we moved here.
DeleteI only grow tulips in pots, too, Jo and Marlene. I don't forget where I've put them then!
DeleteMargaret P
Ha ha, yes, that's another advantage to growing in pots. They're in the ground for quite some time before you see any sign of them so it's quite easy to forget where you've planted them.
DeleteI have some of those tulips too. I love them! Mine are not quite in flower yet but will be soon........
ReplyDeleteThey're late flowering but certainly give the wow factor at the end of the tulip season.
DeleteI love the colour of your tulips Jo. Not a colour I'd usually go for but I may take a look for next year.
ReplyDeleteI think tulips in this colour are stunning, especially when they're grown with a contrast, it makes the colour stand out even more.
DeleteBeautiful flowers, love the photos of the insides, very arty xcx
ReplyDeleteThe insides always remind me of kaleidoscopes, especially the red ones as they seem to let the light through too.
DeleteMy queen of the night have been eaten by our resident squirrel, enjoying yours instead! Have a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a shame, those squirrels can be real pests sometimes. I hope you enjoy seeing mine.
DeleteDH squirted our fruit tree leaves with soapy water to get rid of the aphids. It seems to have worked.
ReplyDeletexx
I'm glad you found a solution. I think my tree is too far gone for that, I haven't noticed it until it's in quite a state. I'll have to do a bit of research and see what I can do with it.
DeleteBeautiful tulips and fantastic photos. Mine are all dead now!
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting anxiously for my Queen of the Night to open, they're so late, but they do extend the season.
DeleteOur plum trees suffered from leaf curling aphid every year until we started using a winter wash which seems to have done the trick.
ReplyDeleteI shall have to look in to this, the tree is in such a state. I'm not sure how the fruit will be affected.
DeleteYou may find this page on my website to be interesting http://ossettweather.com/glallotments.co.uk/winterwash.html I have't posted a direct link as some Bloggers don't like visitors doing that but I can if you want.
DeleteThe tree will recover but having the feeding leaves more or less removed often means that, even if you manage to kill the aphids now, the tree is too weak to produce the usual amount of fruit. The aim ios to deal with them before they can do any damage.
That's really helpful, thank you. It's definitely leaf curl so it looks as though I'll have to start a winter wash too. I have my apple trees by the side of the plum tree so I might as well be on the safe side and treat those too. It's too late for this year now but I'll hopefully manage to avoid it happening again.
DeleteWe play safe and do all our fruit trees too. The wash is based on vegetable oil so not too nasty.
DeleteI think playing it safe is the best way to go. It's a shame it's happened this year as there was loads of blossom, I was hopeful of a good harvest.
DeleteI also planted Queen of the Night and teamed them up with a vibrant pink they look stunning, I also have a few black tulips, not sure what variety they are, maybe they are Q.O.T.N but appear black because of different soil.
ReplyDeleteI've seen these dark tulips planted alongside pinks and oranges at Harlow Carr and they do indeed look stunning. I really like the really dark ones, they're something a little different from the norm.
DeleteLovely tulips and I do like the dark ones. Hope your fruit trees do well. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI think these dark tulips have become rather popular over the last few years. I had high hopes for my plum tree this year, it was covered in blossom so I was hoping for a good harvest. I'm not sure how this leaf curl will affect the fruit.
DeleteThose first ones are my absolute favourite, the depth of colour is magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI never knew tulip bulbs had such a short life span.
Lisa x
The colour's fabulous, isn't it? Most of the tulips I plant never go on much longer than a couple of years yet the ones which were here before us seem to go on and on no matter what happens. I do like them though so I'm pleased they come back every year.
DeleteI love tulips. These photos are gorgeous!
ReplyDeletexxx
They're lovely flowers. I'd like to make more of an effort to get some new varieties in the garden next year.
DeleteI love Queen of the night too. I planted a hundred and on their second year [this year] only half came up. Those yellow ones are amazing! Fancy them coming up year after year!!!xxx
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that most tulips don't last very long, isn't it? I'm amazed at my red and yellow one's, I wish I knew what variety they were so that I could buy some more.
DeleteThose tulips are a lovely colour. I enjoy seeing the tulips in bloom and this year even more so I think because we've grown new ones given to us as well as those we lifted and stored from last year. Also I think the ones in pots are in a sheltered place and we've had less wind and rain to spoil them. They're opening at different times which adds to the enjoyment. If I could I would buy more and have masses of them even though the season is short. Your on to a winner with the variety that does well year after year in all weather conditions. Sorry to hear about the plum tree. That's disappointing and something I'd not thought about as I've only come across leaf curl in peach trees.
ReplyDeleteI think the tulips have done really well this year, I've noticed them about more than I have in previous years, not sure why. I didn't realise that plum trees could get leaf curl either. I've taken precautions with my peach tree, keeping it in the greenhouse to avoid leaf curl, but never thought about protecting the other fruit trees.
DeleteThe Queen of the Night look stunning don't they ... will you perhaps plant some cream ones this year?
ReplyDeleteTulips come in so many colours and varieties. Out shopping recently I saw a wonderful display of tulips in a wide array of colours - all bunches for sale. I could have bought the lot! But I don't know why I am always drawn to pink!
Hope your weekend is passing well, it's certainly been a little cooler again.
All the best Jan
The Queen of the Night are really beautiful, they tend to look a bit darker in dull weather but look lovely opened out in the sunshine. I'd like to plant more of these with a cream variety for a contrast. They do come in such beautiful colours, they're like jewels and I'm always spoilt for choice when I buy cut tulips for the house.
DeleteWhat a lovely selection you have in your garden. I do like those dark ones ... making note here of the name so I can pass it on to my gardener (that'll be DH!) Unfortunately a naughty squirrel likes to play 'steal the bulbs' and we always loose lots each year.
ReplyDeleteSquirrels are real pests where bulbs are concerned. We're lucky in that we don't have many squirrels about, though I still have bulbs which are no shows. It was a bit disappointing seeing only seven Queen of the Night flowers when I'd bought a pack of twelve but at least some came up.
DeleteThey are all beautiful, I love the inside, it is like loking in and getting a beautiful surprise.
ReplyDeleteMeredith
It is. I'm always fascinated by how the photos of the insides come out.
DeleteThey are gorgeous, Jo, I love them too. We have some like your red and yellow ones that keep coming up year after year. No idea what variety they are though!
ReplyDeleteIt's great when you find some that keep coming back, I just wish I knew the variety so that I could buy some more.
DeleteBeautiful tulips & isn't it a coincidence that I have the exact same colours in my front walkway. The red and yellows are blooming now, but there are some black tulips that will (hopefully!) open up very soon as well.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your tulips. Ours are coming to an end now but they've been fabulous this year. I'm hoping to get some different varieties this year.
DeleteYour tulips are beautiful, Jo. Mine are spent now, have been for a couple of weeks, but it's really the highlight of spring for me to have tulips in bloom. I'm sorry to hear about plum trees. My plum harvest looks like it will be poor this year too. My apples look good though, hopefully I'll have plenty of those instead. I hope you're having a good week so far.
ReplyDeleteThe tulips here are on their last legs now too but it's been a good year for them. I've found that fruit can be very hit and miss, it doesn't help that there's so many pests about wanting to get to things before we do.
DeleteSo vivid and so pleasing to the eyes.
ReplyDeleteThey are. I'd like to get some more for next year.
Delete