T is for Tulips

Tulips are the pentultimate sign that spring has finally arrived. The crocuses and the hyacinths hint toward it, but nothing is the same as those tulips.

I have dozens of varieties in my yard. They bloom from the early spring until early summer. I have every color imaginable. I don't believe in planting them in clumps of one color or color-coordinating. I like to see giant splashes of colors. This past fall, I added a couple hundred new tulip bulbs.

I fear that having been gone for two weeks, I will have missed some of them. But I also know that the season is just beginning and there will be plenty more to come.

Quick tip I learned from a fellow gardener: To keep your tulips popping up, one after the other, lay out your late bloomers first. Plant them in their holes, but don't cover them up. Place your mid-spring bloomers on top of those in the hole. Finally, add your early bloomers. Make sure each tip has space to grow straight up without being directly blocked by another bulb. Cover them all with dirt and enjoy your constant display in the spring!