Lasting Love – Tulips take centre stage

These are Lasting Love, dark rich-red tulips planted up into two huge terracotta planters. There were crocus first, with violas, and deep-blue Hyacinths which sparred with these emerging tulips and Muscari armenaicum spotting blue throughout the show now.

Red tulips were the favourite for this lady’s husband, and with such a beautiful name, the choice for this display was quite fitting. I’ve used bright jelly bean colours in previous seasons – Ronaldo, Barcelona, Negrita, Ballerina, Orange Princess – but decided on a single tulip for this Springtime show (though other smaller containers hold a smorgasbord of tulip colour and forms).

I’ve fallen for this particular tulip though, with a satin sheen, elegant form and they open out generously to greet the sunshine too (sadly not today but I’ll see them again before they go over and hopefully then …)

Remnants from earlier displays pepper the garden still – Ballerina is a firm favourite, with elegant lily-fluted shape and bright shadings of orange colouring –

While Ronaldo is an alternative to the ubiquitous Queen of the Night –

… and just in case you need to brighten up proceedings and create a perfect clash with that orange Ballerina, there’s Barcelona in Flamingo pink –

While in my garden, there is a delightful mix of tulipifery coming through – spares, last-minute sale purchases and leftovers that I’ve found a home for ….