Tulip Bulbs for Sale

The array of tulips available is mind-boggling. They come in every size and colour (except true black of course). The dwarf "rockery" tulips are tough and often flower with frost on the ground. The later, larger tulips are also hardy but prefer higher light levels and planting locations where they are sheltered from the wind. Planted in a border, they spread and put on a show before your perennials and sweet peas are ready to strut their stuff. You can see the rest of our range of spring flowering bulbs here.

Uses: Plant tulips in containers, borders, rockeries and where they can naturalise
Good Points: Wonderful range of colour, shape and flowering time
Position: All tulips like the sun, good soil and the larger varieties need a bit of shelter from the wind.

Tulip FAQ's

There is more detailed information on tulip bulbs in the advice section of this site, but here are some fairly concise answers to the questions most usually asked:

Will tulips grow in my garden?

Almost certainly, they are not fussy plants but are happiest with the following:

Position - All tulips flower better in a sunny spot. Some will do OK in dappled shade
Soil - These are quite greedy bulbs. Try to plant them in good soil containing plenty of organic matter with decent drainage.
Wind - No bulbs really like the wind, and the longer their stems, the less happy they are.

The best Tulips to choose

Breeders produce new varieties every year. About 170 hold an Award of Garden Merit from the RHS which is an astonishing number. So any list of recommendations will omit world-class flowers, but here are just a few of our favourites:

Red: Abba, Aladdin
Pink: Sweet Flag, Foxtrot, Pink Impression
White: Claudia, White Triumphator
Green(ish): Spring Green
Orange: Orange Brilliant
Purple: Negrita,
Blue (ish): Blue Parrot
Yellow: Caractere, Golden Apeldoorn
Dwarf: Red Riding Hood

When to plant Tulips

Late October - early December. This is because the lower soil temperatures in late Autumn help kill the diseases in the soil which can infect tulips.

How to Plant Tulips?

Before any detail, there is a simple division to make depending on your soil. If it is wet and acidic, tulips will flower perfectly well, but they won't establish and you will need new bulbs every year. Full stop (don't waste your time with what follows, just treat them as annuals). If your soil is neutral to alkaline then if you take a bit more trouble most tulips will establish and multiply if well planted. Dig a hole 6-8" (20cm) deep, spread a couple of inches of compost in the bottom and put the bulbs on it 3" apart. Cover with soil. If you plant as deep as this they will flower more reliably in subsequent years.

Tulip Aftercare

Keep weed-free. Dead-head as soon as the petals have fallen. Feed with a high potassium fertiliser like ‘Tomorite’ weekly for four weeks after flowering. When the foliage has completely died down, you can lift (see below) or cut the leaves off and leave the bulbs in the ground.

Keeping Tulips

If you choose not to leave the bulbs in the ground, lift them clean off any soil and throw away any that are diseased, damaged or undersized. Spread them out to dry completely before hanging them in net bags in a dry, warm, dark, place where they can stay until replanting time.

Tulips as Cut Flowers

On the plant, in cool weather tulips can last for as long as six weeks. Indoors they can still look good as cut flowers for up to 10 days. Cut when they are still in bud and just showing some colour. Put the stems directly into a vase of lukewarm water containing a teaspoon of sugar and a very little bleach out of direct sun. Keep water level about 1/3rd up the stems and change every 3-4 days. Rotate the vase daily.

Blackjack Tulips in April