Rococo Parrot Tulip: A Little Baroque Extravagance for the Spring Garden

 

There are tulips that possess dignity, tulips that possess grace, and tulips that behave themselves impeccably in a formal border.

Then there is ‘Rococo’.

This extraordinary Parrot tulip seems to have been designed on the principle that moderation is overrated. Its great flowers are twisted, puckered, ruffled and feathered, with rich cardinal-red to crimson petals streaked and splashed with green, purple and touches of yellow. Even the individual flowers vary slightly from one another.

The result is wonderfully theatrical.

And the name could hardly be more appropriate. The Rococo style of the eighteenth century delighted in curves, ornament, asymmetry and exuberant decoration. ‘Rococo’ the tulip seems to have absorbed the same philosophy.

It is a flower that refuses to sit quietly in the corner.

What Type of Tulip Is ‘Rococo’?

‘Rococo’ belongs to the Parrot Group of tulips.

Parrot tulips are among the most extraordinary results of centuries of tulip cultivation. Their flowers have irregularly cut, curled, twisted and feathered petals that suggested the ruffled plumage of exotic parrots—hence the name of the group.

The Royal Horticultural Society describes ‘Rococo’ specifically as a Parrot cultivar with thick, puckered tepals of rich red, feathered with green and touched with yellow.

That description is accurate, but perhaps a little too polite.

The flowers can be positively wild.

As they mature, the petals twist and spread, sometimes opening very broadly in warm sunshine. Their crinkled surfaces catch light and shadow differently from ordinary smooth-petaled tulips, making the reds appear deeper in some places and almost luminous in others.

Where Did ‘Rococo’ Come From?

‘Rococo’ is a Dutch cultivar, but its immediate origin is particularly interesting.

It arose as a sport of the old tulip ‘Couleur Cardinal’. A sport is a spontaneous genetic mutation that produces a visibly different shoot or flower on an otherwise established plant. If that mutation is stable, horticulturists can propagate it vegetatively and preserve the new form as a cultivar.

Research on tulip cultivar lineages confirms ‘Couleur Cardinal’ as the parent cultivar of ‘Rococo’, and historic-tulip records likewise describe ‘Rococo’ as a sport of that famous old red tulip.

That gives ‘Rococo’ a rather distinguished ancestry.

‘Couleur Cardinal’ itself is one of the great surviving historic tulips, dating from the nineteenth century. Somewhere along the line, that comparatively restrained old red tulip produced something considerably more flamboyant.

Children will do that occasionally.

When Was ‘Rococo’ Introduced?

‘Rococo’ dates from 1942.

Historic bulb records identify it as a Dutch introduction from that year, and horticultural references credit the cultivar to H. Slegtkamp & Co.

That means ‘Rococo’ has now been in cultivation for more than eighty years.

That is impressive longevity in the world of commercial tulips. Thousands of cultivars have appeared and disappeared during those decades. A tulip that remains recognizable and desirable after eight decades has usually earned its place.

‘Rococo’ certainly has.

Why Is It Called ‘Rococo’?

I have not found a surviving statement from H. Slegtkamp & Co. explicitly explaining the choice of name, so we shouldn't pretend to possess documentary evidence that isn't there.

But in this case the resemblance is almost impossible to miss.

The historical Rococo style developed in eighteenth-century France and reveled in elaborate decoration, curving forms, asymmetry and natural motifs. The Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt describes Rococo as emphasizing organic forms and curved lines rather than rigid classical geometry.

Now look at the tulip.

Nothing is straight that could be curved.

Nothing is plain that could be ruffled.

Nothing is merely red when it could also contain green, purple and yellow.

If the cultivar was indeed named in reference to the artistic style—and its appearance makes that interpretation highly plausible—the name was inspired.

A Tulip With an Older Family History

Although ‘Rococo’ itself dates only from 1942, Parrot tulips have a much older history.

Their strange feathered forms emerged among cultivated tulips centuries ago, and the group became part of the extraordinary diversity produced during the long development of European tulip culture.

Modern Parrot tulips descend from mutations and selections in which petals became irregular, deeply cut, twisted or feathered. Current horticultural descriptions still emphasize mutation as an important source of these unusual forms.

‘Rococo’ is a splendid example of what happens when a genetic oddity becomes horticultural treasure.

The ordinary flower obeys the rules.

The memorable flower occasionally breaks them.

What Does ‘Rococo’ Look Like?

The dominant color is a deep cardinal to carmine red, but describing ‘Rococo’ simply as a red tulip misses most of the point.

The outside of the petals can carry conspicuous green feathering along with purple or burgundy tones. Yellow may appear in streaks and near the base. The flowers become increasingly flamboyant as they open. The Chicago Botanic Garden describes the cultivar as deep cardinal red with green and purple feathering.

Even the texture is unusual.

The petals can appear thick, folded, crumpled and almost waxy. One section catches the sunlight while another falls into shadow.

A bed of ‘Rococo’ therefore possesses much more depth than a bed of uniformly colored smooth-petaled tulips.

Shorter Than Many Parrot Tulips

‘Rococo’ is also relatively compact.

Historic-tulip specialists commonly describe it as about 14 to 16 inches tall and note that it is both shorter and somewhat earlier than many traditional Parrot tulips.

That can be an advantage.

Parrot flowers are large and heavy. Tall stems carrying enormous flowers can suffer in strong wind or heavy rain, especially after the petals have collected water.

A somewhat shorter plant presents less leverage to the wind.

Even so, ‘Rococo’ deserves a reasonably sheltered location. The RHS recommends protection from strong winds and excessive wet.

Magnificence sometimes requires a little looking after.

How to Use ‘Rococo’ in the Landscape

The first rule is simple: put it somewhere it can be seen.

This is not a tulip to plant at the far end of the property.

Its chief attractions are the extraordinary feathering, twisting and subtle mixtures of color within each flower. Those details disappear at fifty feet.

Plant ‘Rococo’ near a walkway, terrace, entrance or sitting area.

The RHS recommends it for flower beds and borders, cottage and informal gardens, courtyard gardens, containers and cutting gardens.

Its moderate height makes it especially useful toward the front or middle of a border.

Let ‘Rococo’ Be the Star

With a flower this elaborate, companion planting requires a little restraint.

There is a temptation to put flamboyant flowers beside other flamboyant flowers until the border resembles a carnival parade.

Sometimes that works.

Usually, ‘Rococo’ benefits from quieter companions.

Deep green foliage is perhaps the simplest background. It echoes the green streaking in the petals without competing with the flowers themselves.

A planting of ‘Rococo’ emerging from a restrained green border allows every strange twist and fold of the flowers to stand out.

Pair It With Cream and White

White or cream flowers can be magnificent companions.

They provide visual breathing room around the intense crimson and green of ‘Rococo’.

Rather than alternating individual bulbs, plant groups.

A broad group of ‘Rococo’ beside a quieter group of creamy-white tulips will usually look more natural than a strict red-white-red-white pattern.

The pale flowers act almost like light falling between the darker ones.

Deep Purple Makes It Richer

Deep purple, plum and burgundy can also work beautifully.

These colors draw attention to the darker purple tones already present in ‘Rococo’ and produce an exceptionally rich planting.

Use them sparingly.

‘Rococo’ already has plenty to say.

A few dark companions provide punctuation. Too many may start an argument.

Try It With Spring Green

Green-flowered tulips can make particularly interesting companions because they repeat the conspicuous green markings in ‘Rococo’.

A white-and-green Viridiflora, for example, would create a fascinating contrast: one tulip restrained and elegant, the other flamboyant and restless, but both connected by green.

The combination has enough contrast to be interesting and enough repetition to look intentional.

Wonderful in a Cottage Garden

Despite the grandeur suggested by its name, ‘Rococo’ fits beautifully into a cottage garden.

Its irregular flowers actually work particularly well among emerging perennials, where the surrounding foliage softens the planting.

Imagine groups of those great crimson-and-green flowers appearing between clumps of fresh spring foliage along an old brick path.

The effect is sumptuous without becoming formal.

In fact, ‘Rococo’ looks remarkably good in a garden that is just slightly overgrown.

Not neglected.

There is an important distinction.

Spectacular in Containers

This may be one of the best ways to grow ‘Rococo’.

A large container brings the flowers closer to eye level, allowing all those strange folds, feathers and streaks to be appreciated properly.

Use a substantial terracotta pot or traditional urn and plant the bulbs generously.

I would be inclined to let ‘Rococo’ stand alone rather than complicating the container with too many other large flowers. If you want something beneath it, use a restrained low-growing plant in cream, white or deep purple.

A pot full of ‘Rococo’ beside a doorway requires very little assistance.

Plant Enough to Create Drama

One ‘Rococo’ flower is a curiosity.

Five make a handsome group.

Twenty-five make a spectacle.

This cultivar is especially effective when repeated through a border in irregular colonies. Because the individual flowers vary slightly in their feathering and coloring, even a large planting does not become monotonous.

Quite the opposite.

The more flowers you have, the more variations you notice.

It is almost as though every bulb has been given the same set of colors but different instructions for using them.

An Excellent Cut Flower

‘Rococo’ also makes a superb cut tulip.

Its strange flower form becomes even more apparent indoors, where the blossoms can be examined closely. The Chicago Botanic Garden and RHS both recognize its usefulness as a cut flower.

A vase containing only a handful can be spectacular.

You don't need an elaborate mixed arrangement. The green and purple feathering already gives the flowers much of the complexity that foliage and companion flowers would normally provide.

Put them in a simple vase and let them misbehave.

Growing ‘Rococo’

Plant the bulbs in autumn in fertile, well-drained soil.

Full sun is best, although a location with some protection from severe wind is particularly valuable for Parrot tulips. The RHS recommends planting ‘Rococo’ approximately 4 to 6 inches deep and specifically cautions against excessive wet.

Good drainage is essential.

After flowering, remove the spent flowers if you intend to retain the bulbs, but leave the foliage until it yellows naturally.

The leaves are replenishing the bulb.

It isn't the prettiest stage of tulip cultivation, but gardens, like people, occasionally have to do useful things while not looking their best.

Will ‘Rococo’ Return?

It can.

Parrot tulips, however, are not generally the first tulips one would choose for dependable naturalizing. Historic-tulip specialists acknowledge the group's reputation for being relatively short-lived, although individual tulips can persist for many years when conditions suit them.

If you want the best chance of repeat flowering, provide excellent drainage, plenty of sunlight and a relatively dry summer dormancy.

Allow the foliage to mature completely.

And don't be terribly surprised if the display gradually diminishes. Many gardeners simply supplement their Parrot tulips with fresh bulbs periodically to maintain the desired effect.

Some extravagances are worth renewing.

More Than Eighty Years of Flamboyance

‘Rococo’ has survived in cultivation since 1942 for a very good reason.

It is unforgettable.

Born as a sport of the venerable ‘Couleur Cardinal’ and introduced from Holland by H. Slegtkamp & Co., it transformed an old red tulip into something altogether more extravagant: a mass of crimson, cardinal red, green, purple and yellow wrapped in twisted and feathered petals.

More than eighty years later, it still looks daring.

Plant it beside an old brick walk. Fill a terracotta pot with it. Let it emerge among perennials in a cottage border. Or plant a generous drift where afternoon sunlight can catch every fold and wrinkle of those extraordinary flowers.

There are tulips that bring order to a garden.

There are tulips that bring serenity.

‘Rococo’ brings theater.

And every good garden can use a little of that.

Return to GoGardenNow.com. 

Mixed Double Late Tulips: A Grand Finale for the Spring Garden

 

There comes a moment in spring when the garden seems determined to spend everything it has.

The tentative flowers of early spring are behind us. Trees have begun to leaf out, the days are warmer, and borders that only weeks before seemed almost empty are filling rapidly with green. Then, just when the traditional tulip season might appear to be drawing toward its close, the Double Late tulips arrive.

And they do not arrive quietly.

With enormous, many-petaled flowers in shades of rose, pink, red, purple, yellow, cream, white and combinations of several colors, Mixed Double Late Tulips can transform an ordinary spring border into something extravagant. Their flowers are so full that they are frequently called peony-flowered tulips, and when planted in a generous mixture, they create the impression of an old garden overflowing with flowers accumulated through generations.

There is something wonderfully romantic about them.

Perhaps that is because no two corners of a mixed planting look quite the same. Perhaps it is because their great flowers seem almost too elaborate for tulips. Or perhaps it is simply because they bloom at that fleeting moment when spring has reached its fullness and summer is waiting just beyond the garden gate.

What Are Double Late Tulips?

Double Late tulips are a distinct class of garden tulips characterized by their large, densely petaled flowers and comparatively late flowering season.

An ordinary single tulip has six tepals arranged in the familiar cup. Double tulips possess many more.

The result can be extraordinary.

A fully opened Double Late tulip may scarcely resemble the simple wild tulips from which centuries of cultivated varieties ultimately descended. Instead, its layers of petals form a broad, rounded flower reminiscent of a peony or old-fashioned garden rose.

This resemblance has given the group its familiar alternative name: peony-flowered tulips.

Plants generally grow about 16 to 24 inches tall, depending upon the varieties included in the mixture. Their flowers are substantial and are carried above broad, blue-green to fresh-green foliage.

And substantial is not an exaggeration.

When fully open, some Double Late flowers can reach roughly four inches across or more. A mature planting in full bloom has a richness that few other tulip classes can equal.

The Last Great Tulip Show of Spring

The word "Late" in Double Late is important.

These tulips generally flower toward the end of the tulip season, often from late April into May, depending upon climate and weather.

That makes them tremendously useful.

A garden planted only with one class of tulips may produce a magnificent display for a short period and then suddenly be finished. But by combining early, midseason and late tulips, the performance can continue for weeks.

Double Late tulips provide the finale.

And what a finale it is.

By the time they flower, the garden around them is considerably greener than it was when the earliest tulips appeared. Emerging perennials and shrubs provide a lush background for the great double blossoms.

They do not seem to announce that spring has begun.

They proclaim that spring has reached its height.

Double Tulips Have Been With Us for Centuries

The idea of a double-flowered tulip is by no means modern.

Tulips with multiplied petals were already known in European cultivation during the seventeenth century, the great age of Dutch enthusiasm for the flower. Double-flowered forms appear in early tulip classifications and period illustrations, evidence that gardeners prized their extraordinary fullness almost from the beginning of Europe's long love affair with tulips.

The modern Double Late class developed from later generations of breeding and selection, particularly from the old late-flowering double tulips sometimes historically associated with the Peony-flowered group.

So while the particular cultivars available today may be comparatively recent introductions, the gardener who plants double tulips is participating in a horticultural tradition several centuries old.

That seems appropriate.

There is something decidedly old-world about a great double tulip.

A modern landscape can certainly accommodate them, but they look equally convincing beside an old brick walk, spilling through a cottage border or flowering near a weathered garden gate.

They carry a little of the old Dutch garden with them.

Why Plant a Mixture?

There are times when planting a single tulip cultivar in a great disciplined sweep is exactly right.

Mixed Double Late Tulips offer something entirely different.

Instead of a uniform block of color, a mixture creates a changing tapestry.

One flower may be deep burgundy.

Beside it stands another in shell pink.

Beyond that is cream, yellow, scarlet, white or lavender-purple. Some may be solid colors while others can be streaked, edged, flushed or feathered with contrasting shades.

The eye moves constantly through the planting.

That makes a mixture especially effective in gardens intended to look abundant rather than regimented.

The Delight of Not Knowing Exactly What Will Appear

There is also a small pleasure in planting a mixture that disappears completely underground for winter.

You know tulips will emerge.

You know they will be double.

But you don't know precisely where each color will appear.

Autumn conceals the arrangement.

Winter keeps the secret.

Then spring reveals it.

A pink flower appears here. A dark one opens there. A yellow bud begins showing color somewhere you had forgotten planting anything at all.

It is one of the few occasions in gardening when uncertainty is part of the attraction.

A gardener spends enough time trying to control things.

Sometimes it is pleasant to plant the bulbs and allow spring to arrange the bouquet.

A More Natural Garden Effect

Mixed colors also help a tulip planting feel less like a bedding display and more like part of the garden itself.

Uniform plantings have their place, particularly in formal landscapes. But in cottage gardens, mixed borders and informal settings, an assortment of colors can blend more naturally with the plants already present.

The trick is to plant enough bulbs.

Scattering ten Double Late tulips over a large border may simply make them look lost.

Planting thirty, fifty or a hundred in generous groups produces something quite different.

The colors begin to repeat.

One pink flower answers another several feet away. White appears here and then again farther down the border. Dark purple provides occasional depth. Yellow catches the sunlight.

The mixture gains unity without becoming uniform.

Plant in Drifts, Not Rows

For an informal garden, resist the temptation to line the bulbs up like soldiers.

Instead, plant them in broad, irregular drifts.

One useful method is simply to mix the bulbs before planting and distribute them naturally through the chosen area. Avoid trying to arrange the colors individually. Part of the beauty of a mixture is allowing chance to create combinations you might never have planned.

Plant some groups more densely and allow others to thin toward the edges.

The finished planting should appear to flow through the border rather than occupy a rectangle within it.

Nature is rather fond of irregularity.

Gardens usually benefit from borrowing some.

Perfect for the Cottage Garden

Mixed Double Late Tulips seem almost made for a cottage garden.

Plant them among emerging perennials where their great flowers can rise through fresh spring foliage.

Peonies make particularly appropriate neighbors. The tulips flower as the peony plants are developing, and the visual relationship between a double tulip and the great flowers that will follow is delightful.

Hardy geraniums, catmint and other perennials can also surround the bulbs. As these plants expand later in spring, they help conceal the tulip foliage as it begins to yellow.

The tulips have their moment.

Then the perennial garden takes the stage.

Magnificent Along a Garden Walk

Double Late tulips deserve to be seen closely.

Their flowers contain far more detail than can be appreciated from across a lawn. Layers of petals fold over one another, colors deepen toward the centers, and some varieties change subtly as their blossoms mature.

Planting them beside a walkway allows you to enjoy those details.

It also lets the flowers spill visually toward the path, creating that wonderfully abundant impression of an old garden slightly too full of beautiful things.

There are worse faults for a garden to have.

A Romantic Planting Beneath Roses

Mixed Double Late Tulips can also be planted among roses.

When the tulips are flowering, the roses are generally developing rapidly but have not yet reached their summer glory.

The tulips provide the color first.

As their flowers fade, the roses begin taking over.

Meanwhile, expanding rose foliage helps distract attention from the declining tulip leaves.

This succession is one of the oldest and best principles of ornamental gardening: don't ask one plant to provide everything.

Allow one season to hand the garden to the next.

Wonderful With Old Houses

There is something particularly attractive about mixed double tulips near traditional architecture.

Plant them along an old brick walk.

Place them beside stone steps.

Let them fill a bed beneath a white picket fence.

Use them around a porch or near an old garden bench.

Their great peony-like blossoms possess enough formality to complement architecture, while the mixture of colors keeps the planting from becoming stiff.

Against weathered brick, aged wood or old stone, they can look as though they have been flowering there for generations.

That illusion is worth cultivating.

Plant Them in Containers

Mixed Double Late Tulips can make spectacular container displays.

A large pot filled with a mixture becomes a ready-made spring bouquet.

Because the flowers are large, choose a container substantial enough to balance them visually. Broad terracotta pots, urns and traditional planters work especially well.

Plant generously.

Tulip containers are not the place for excessive economy. Closely planted bulbs produce the lush display we are after.

When several colors begin opening together, the pot can resemble an enormous floral arrangement that happens to be growing from the soil.

Place it near an entrance or terrace where the flowers can be enjoyed every day.

The Perfect Cutting-Garden Tulip

If you enjoy bringing flowers indoors, Mixed Double Late Tulips are difficult to resist.

Their long stems and peony-like blossoms make them magnificent cut flowers.

And a mixture gives you an assortment of colors without requiring a separate row of every cultivar.

Cut a few pinks.

Add a white.

Perhaps a deep purple and a pale yellow.

Suddenly you have a spring bouquet that looks as though it came from a florist who had been given very generous instructions.

Or use one color alone.

A vase containing five great double white tulips can be just as beautiful as an elaborate mixed arrangement.

A Word About Those Enormous Flowers

The very characteristic that makes Double Late tulips spectacular can occasionally make them vulnerable.

Those flowers are heavy.

After a hard spring rain, the petals can hold considerable water. Strong wind combined with wet flowers may bend or break stems.

For that reason, plant them where they have some protection from the worst winds if possible.

A sheltered border, courtyard garden or area near a hedge can be ideal.

This is not a defect peculiar to tulips. Large flowers throughout the garden pay a price for magnificence.

A peony after a thunderstorm understands the situation perfectly.

Growing Mixed Double Late Tulips

Plant the bulbs in autumn after the soil has begun to cool.

Choose a location receiving plenty of sun and having fertile, well-drained soil. Tulips need moisture while actively growing, but they strongly dislike waterlogged ground.

Planting bulbs approximately 6 inches deep is suitable in many garden soils, with somewhat deeper planting sometimes useful in lighter soils or colder climates.

For landscape groups, bulbs can generally be spaced about 4 to 6 inches apart, although closer planting creates a more concentrated first-year display.

Then wait.

Autumn planting is an act of faith peculiar to gardeners. We bury something brown and apparently lifeless just as the garden is dying back, cover it with cold earth, and trust that spring will remember where we put it.

Usually, it does.

Let the Foliage Finish Its Work

After flowering, Double Late tulips leave behind the same problem as every other tulip: foliage that becomes progressively less attractive.

Leave it alone.

The leaves need sunlight to manufacture and store energy in the bulb. Cutting green foliage immediately after flowering weakens the bulb and reduces its chance of flowering well again.

Instead, remove the spent flower heads and allow the foliage to yellow naturally.

This is another reason to grow the bulbs among perennials. As neighboring plants expand, they gradually conceal the fading tulip leaves.

Good planting design can hide a multitude of horticultural necessities.

Will They Return?

Double Late tulips may return in subsequent years when conditions suit them, but they should not be expected to naturalize with the enthusiasm of daffodils or some species tulips.

Excellent drainage, abundant sunlight and allowing the foliage to mature fully will improve their chances.

Even when some bulbs gradually decline, the first great spring display can make the planting worthwhile.

And when a clump does return and flower again, it feels less like something purchased and more like something that has become part of the garden.

Why Mixed Colors Work So Well

Perhaps the strongest argument for a mixture is that spring itself is mixed.

Look at an old garden in April and May.

There isn't one shade of green but dozens. Azaleas bloom beside dogwoods. Roses are beginning while narcissus are finishing. Violets appear beneath shrubs. New leaves are bronze, chartreuse, emerald and gray-green.

Mixed Double Late Tulips belong naturally to that abundance.

Their colors don't need to match perfectly.

They need to converse.

Pink beside purple.

Yellow beside white.

Red emerging through green leaves.

A pale flower catching the last light of evening while a dark one disappears into shadow.

That variety gives the planting life.

The Grand Finale

Mixed Double Late Tulips are flowers for gardeners who believe spring ought to finish generously.

Their ancestry reaches back through centuries of fascination with double-flowered tulips, to a time when European gardeners were already marveling at tulips transformed by extra petals into flowers resembling roses and peonies.

Today they offer the same pleasure.

Plant them in broad drifts through a perennial border. Let them wander beneath roses. Fill great pots beside the front steps. Grow enough to cut armfuls for the house.

And don't worry too much about which color will appear beside which.

There is a certain romance in surrendering that decision to chance.

All winter the bulbs lie unseen beneath the earth. Then, late in spring, they rise together—pink, crimson, purple, yellow, white, cream and all the shades between—until the garden looks less like something carefully decorated and more like something celebrating.

And perhaps that is the real appeal of Mixed Double Late Tulips.

By the time they flower, spring has nothing left to prove.

It can simply be beautiful.

Return to GoGardenNow.com.

White Marvel Single Early Tulip: Pure White at the Beginning of Spring

 

Some tulips impress us with complicated colors—flames, stripes, feathering, or petals that seem to change from one shade to another. ‘White Marvel’ has no need for such tricks.

Its strength is simplicity.

The flowers begin as creamy ivory buds and mature into a remarkably clear, brilliant white. Held on relatively short, sturdy stems, they arrive early in the tulip season, when that clean white is particularly striking against the fresh green of the emerging spring garden.

‘White Marvel’ is a Single Early tulip, and it is an especially useful one: compact enough for the front of borders and containers, sturdy enough for exposed spring beds, and neutral enough to accompany almost any other spring color.

When Was ‘White Marvel’ Introduced?

Here the historical record is surprisingly elusive.

Unlike some older tulips whose breeders and introduction dates are repeated in authoritative cultivar records, I have not found a sufficiently reliable primary or specialist source that gives both a definite introduction year and an original breeder for ‘White Marvel’.

That is worth saying plainly rather than attaching a questionable date to it and allowing horticultural folklore to become horticultural “fact.”

What we can establish is that ‘White Marvel’ has been in cultivation for decades and is firmly established in the international bulb trade. Contemporary Dutch growers continue to list it as a Single Early cultivar, and it appears in modern professional bulb catalogues on both sides of the Atlantic.

If a dependable Royal General Bulbgrowers’ Association registration record or original Dutch introduction catalogue turns up, the breeder and date can be added. For the moment, I would leave those two details as undocumented rather than guess.

Why Is It Called ‘White Marvel’?

This name requires considerably less detective work.

The flower is white, and a very good white at that.

It has been described as opening ivory-white and maturing to brilliant white, with unusually substantial petals that help the flowers remain attractive for a long period.

That progression is one of the cultivar’s charms.

The unopened buds aren't always paper-white. They may have a distinctly creamy or ivory cast. As the flowers expand and mature, the color becomes cleaner and brighter until a group in full flower can appear almost luminous.

The “Marvel” portion of the name is presumably promotional rather than botanical, but in this case the old bulb salesman wasn't stretching things very far.

A bed of immaculate white tulips in early spring can indeed be rather marvelous.

What Type of Tulip Is ‘White Marvel’?

‘White Marvel’ belongs to the Single Early Group.

Professional Dutch growers Jan de Wit en Zonen and Rotex Flowerbulbs both classify it as Single Early, as do current American professional bulb catalogues.

Single Early tulips are among the oldest and most useful classes of garden tulips. As their name indicates, they produce a single, classic tulip flower and bloom comparatively early in the season.

They are generally shorter than the great Darwin Hybrids and many late tulips. ‘White Marvel’ normally grows about 12 to 14 inches tall.

That modest height is an advantage.

A twenty-four-inch tulip can look magnificent until an April thunderstorm comes through. A short Single Early tulip presents considerably less sail to the wind.

A Classic Tulip Shape

‘White Marvel’ has the form many of us picture when someone simply says “tulip.”

There are no fringes.

No twisted Parrot petals.

No great peony-like mass of petals.

Instead, it produces an elegant, single cup composed of six tepals. Rotex specifically notes the classic six-petaled character of the Single Early class and the strong stems that help these tulips withstand spring rain and wind.

That simplicity is part of the cultivar’s appeal.

White flowers already have a formal quality. Combine that color with the clean geometry of a traditional tulip flower and ‘White Marvel’ can look remarkably refined.

An Early Tulip for Extending the Season

One of the best reasons to grow ‘White Marvel’ is timing.

Single Early tulips begin the show before many of the taller garden tulips have reached their peak. Current commercial references place ‘White Marvel’ in the early to mid-spring period, often flowering in March or April depending upon climate.

This makes it useful in a succession of tulips.

Begin with Single Early cultivars such as ‘White Marvel’.

Follow them with Triumph tulips.

Then bring in Darwin Hybrids, Viridifloras and Single Late cultivars.

Instead of treating tulips as a single two-week event, you can stretch the display across a substantial portion of spring.

How to Use ‘White Marvel’ in the Landscape

White is one of the most useful colors a gardener possesses.

It doesn't merely occupy space. It separates other colors, brightens dark corners, provides contrast and gives the eye somewhere to rest.

Because ‘White Marvel’ is relatively short, place it toward the front of beds and borders, beside walkways, around entrances or in containers.

Rotex specifically recommends Single Early tulips for beds, borders and rock gardens, while Brent and Becky’s lists a wide assortment of suitable spring companions, including daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, crocuses, scillas and early irises.

Its compact size also allows it to be tucked into spaces where taller tulips would look awkward.

White and Blue: Almost Impossible to Spoil

One of the finest combinations is ‘White Marvel’ with blue spring bulbs.

Plant it above a carpet of grape hyacinths, or Muscari.

Try it with blue Chionodoxa or Scilla.

Brent and Becky’s specifically lists these small bulbs among suitable companions for ‘White Marvel’.

The result is cool, crisp and unmistakably springlike.

Because ‘White Marvel’ rises only about a foot above the ground, the scale works particularly well. The blue bulbs form a low carpet while the white tulips float just above them.

It is difficult to improve upon blue and white in a spring garden.

White and Pink

For a softer planting, combine ‘White Marvel’ with pale pink.

Blush, rose and salmon-colored tulips become more delicate when broken up by groups of white.

Rather than alternating individual bulbs—pink, white, pink, white—plant small colonies of each color and allow their edges to intermingle.

The result looks much more natural.

Gardens should seldom resemble spreadsheets.

White and Red

For something bolder, use red.

A bed of brilliant red tulips punctuated with groups of ‘White Marvel’ has tremendous visual power.

The combination works especially well in a formal garden, along a straight walk or in symmetrical beds near an entrance.

Add blue grape hyacinths underneath and you will have red, white and blue.

Whether that is patriotism or merely color theory is entirely up to the gardener.

White and Nearly Black

Perhaps the most dramatic companion is one of the dark purple or nearly black tulips.

Against ‘White Marvel’, a dark tulip appears darker still.

Against the dark flower, ‘White Marvel’ seems almost to glow.

Flowering times must be considered carefully because many famous black tulips flower later than Single Early cultivars. But where suitable early dark cultivars overlap, the combination can be extraordinary.

The same principle can be applied with dark violas or pansies beneath the tulips.

Use It Beneath Flowering Trees and Shrubs

White tulips can be especially effective beneath spring-flowering shrubs and deciduous trees.

Imagine ‘White Marvel’ beneath pink flowering cherries, crabapples or early azaleas.

The tulips occupy the lower level while the woody plants provide color above.

Brent and Becky’s specifically lists dogwoods and azaleas among compatible garden companions.

Because ‘White Marvel’ is compact, it doesn't compete visually with the shrub.

It provides a foundation.

Excellent for Formal Plantings

Few tulip colors are better suited to formal design than white.

Plant ‘White Marvel’ in disciplined blocks along a straight brick walkway, around a geometric bed or beside clipped evergreen shrubs.

The clean white flowers and uniform height provide order without looking stiff.

White also works exceptionally well with brick, stone and weathered wood.

A mass of white tulips against old red brick is a combination that does not require modernization.

It was handsome a century ago.

It will still be handsome a century from now.

Plant It in Containers

‘White Marvel’ is particularly well suited to pots.

Its compact 12- to 14-inch stature keeps it proportionate to ordinary containers, while the stout stems are less likely to flop dramatically after spring rain.

For a very simple display, fill a large terracotta pot with ‘White Marvel’ alone.

For something more elaborate, surround it with blue violas, forget-me-nots or grape hyacinths.

A dark container can be especially effective because the white flowers stand out sharply against it.

Place the pots near a doorway, along steps or on a terrace where the flowers can be appreciated at close range.

Plant Plenty of Them

White tulips improve with numbers.

Five ‘White Marvel’ bulbs are attractive.

Twenty-five make a planting.

Fifty begin to create a genuine landscape effect.

A hundred can form a river of white through a large border.

Because white is visually restful, generous plantings don't usually become overwhelming. Instead, the repetition emphasizes the shape of the flowers and gives the entire planting unity.

In an informal border, use broad irregular drifts.

In a formal garden, plant blocks or ribbons.

‘White Marvel’ can handle either style.

A Useful Tulip for Cutting and Forcing

Single Early tulips have long been valued not only for outdoor planting but also for forcing.

Brent and Becky’s notes that the class is excellent for forcing, and current professional bulb catalogues specifically identify ‘White Marvel’ as suitable for forcing for cut flowers and pots.

That is another consequence of its compact habit and early flowering.

It is also a fine cut flower for the house.

White tulips need almost nothing else in a vase. A dozen stems with their natural green foliage make a remarkably elegant arrangement.

If other flowers are added, ‘White Marvel’ can accompany nearly any color without fighting with it.

Growing ‘White Marvel’

Plant the bulbs in autumn after the soil has cooled.

Choose a site with full sun to light partial shade and, above all, good drainage. Rotex recommends planting the bulbs about 6 inches deep and roughly 4 inches apart, while noting that tulips require a substantial period of cool temperatures for proper development.

If planting for a natural landscape effect, don't become too obsessed with exact spacing. Uniform spacing is useful in formal beds, but irregular groups look better in informal borders.

After flowering, remove the spent flower if you intend to retain the bulb, but leave the foliage.

Let it turn yellow naturally.

Those leaves are not lingering around simply to annoy tidy gardeners. They are rebuilding the bulb for the future.

Should You Expect It to Return Every Year?

It may return under favorable conditions, but ‘White Marvel’ is still a highly cultivated garden tulip rather than a naturalizing species tulip.

For the best chance of repeat flowering, give the bulbs full sun, good fertility and excellent drainage, and allow the foliage to mature completely after flowering.

Even then, the display may diminish with time.

Gardeners who want a perfectly uniform mass planting every spring often treat tulips such as these as annual bedding bulbs and replant in autumn.

Gardeners willing to accept a little less regimentation can leave the bulbs and see what returns.

Both approaches have their merits.

A White Tulip That Earns Its Name

There is nothing complicated about the appeal of ‘White Marvel’.

It is a compact Single Early tulip producing ivory buds that mature into brilliant white flowers on sturdy stems only about 12 to 14 inches tall. It blooms early enough to begin the main tulip season and combines readily with virtually every other spring color.

Plant it with blue Muscari for freshness.

Use pink for softness.

Pair it with red for drama.

Put it beneath flowering shrubs, line a brick walk with it, or fill great terracotta pots beside the front door.

And if you cannot decide what color should accompany it, plant more ‘White Marvel’.

A great sweep of pure white tulips against the new green of spring needs very little explanation.

Sometimes the simplest garden combinations are the ones we never tire of seeing.

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Green Love Viridiflora Tulip: Ruby, Cerise and the Green of Spring

 

 There is something slightly contrary about a green tulip.

Spring gardens already contain green in abundance. We normally plant tulips to provide the colors that foliage cannot—red, yellow, pink, purple and white. Yet the Viridiflora tulips turn that convention on its head by carrying conspicuous streaks and flames of green right through their petals.

‘Green Love’ takes the idea a step further.

Its flowers combine rich purplish ruby and deep pink with bold green bands, while the edges of the petals can deepen toward cerise-purple. The result is neither pastel nor timid. ‘Green Love’ is a strongly colored, late-flowering tulip whose green markings actually intensify the surrounding reds and pinks.

It is an unusual tulip, certainly—but one that is remarkably easy to use in a garden.

When Was ‘Green Love’ Introduced?

‘Green Love’ is a comparatively recent Dutch introduction.

It was hybridized by Van Woesik Veredeling of Breezand in the Netherlands and named in 2018. Specialist American bulb suppliers John Scheepers and Van Engelen both give this origin and date.

That makes ‘Green Love’ quite a newcomer compared with venerable Viridiflora cultivars such as ‘Spring Green’.

It has nevertheless entered international commerce quickly. It now appears in European and North American bulb catalogues and is included in the Royal Horticultural Society's current trial of Single Late, Viridiflora and Darwin Hybrid tulips.

Why Is It Called ‘Green Love’?

I have not found a published statement from Van Woesik explaining exactly why the name ‘Green Love’ was chosen.

The “green” part, however, hardly requires explanation.

The center of each petal carries a conspicuous green band or flame, one of the defining characteristics of Viridiflora tulips. Against the surrounding ruby-pink and cerise coloring, that green becomes particularly noticeable.

As for “Love,” we should resist manufacturing a romantic breeder's tale when none is documented.

Perhaps the name was simply intended to be memorable. Perhaps it refers to a love of green flowers or gardens. Unless the breeder's own explanation turns up, we don't know.

Still, it is a good name.

Gardeners are rather inclined toward green things in the first place.

What Type of Tulip Is ‘Green Love’?

‘Green Love’ is a Viridiflora tulip, traditionally placed in Division 8 of the cultivated tulips.

The word Viridiflora essentially means green-flowered—from Latin viridis, meaning green, and flos or floris, meaning flower.

Members of this class are distinguished by conspicuous green coloring running through their tepals. That green remains visible as the flowers mature rather than disappearing when the buds open.

Viridiflora tulips are generally late flowering and long lasting, making them especially valuable for extending the tulip season. John Scheepers describes the group as late-flowering tulips whose green-feathered petals are useful both in beds and as cut flowers.

What Does ‘Green Love’ Look Like?

This isn't a green-and-white tulip like ‘Spring Green’.

‘Green Love’ is much richer.

The large, pointed petals are purplish ruby to dark reddish-pink, with broad green bands rising through their centers. The edges may deepen toward cerise-purple.

The flowers are relatively narrow and elegantly pointed, giving them a slightly lily-like appearance when partly open.

As they mature and spread wider, the green markings remain prominent.

The combination is particularly effective because red and green are complementary colors. Each makes the other appear stronger.

Nature apparently took a color-theory course.

How Tall Does It Grow?

Expect ‘Green Love’ to reach approximately 16 to 20 inches tall, depending upon climate and growing conditions.

John Scheepers lists it at about 16 inches, while Netherland Bulb Company gives a mature height of approximately 18 to 20 inches.

That puts it at a useful middle height—not so short that it disappears behind neighboring plants, but not so tall that every spring wind becomes a matter of concern.

Its flowers are carried on sturdy stems above the characteristic broad, sword-like tulip foliage.

A Tulip for the End of Tulip Season

One of the best reasons to grow Viridiflora tulips is their late flowering period.

‘Green Love’ generally flowers in May, toward the end of the traditional tulip season. Depending upon climate, flowering may extend later; European references describe it blooming in May and sometimes into June.

That makes it valuable in a carefully planned bulb display.

Plant Single Early and Double Early tulips for the beginning of the season.

Follow with Triumphs and Darwin Hybrids.

Then let Viridiflora cultivars such as ‘Green Love’ carry the display toward its conclusion.

Instead of one great week of tulips, you can have a succession lasting considerably longer.

How to Use ‘Green Love’ in the Landscape

‘Green Love’ works best where its unusual coloration can actually be seen.

It is excellent in mixed borders, dedicated bulb beds, cottage gardens and large containers. Commercial growers also particularly recommend it for mass planting and cutting.

At roughly 16 to 20 inches tall, place it toward the front or middle of a border.

Don't bury it behind shrubs.

The green markings are what distinguish this tulip, and they deserve to be viewed from reasonably close range.

A planting beside a garden path would be ideal.

Plant It in Groups

This is not a tulip I would scatter one bulb at a time throughout the garden.

Plant groups and drifts.

Ten bulbs provide an interesting accent.

Twenty-five begin to produce a substantial display.

Fifty or more allow the ruby-pink, cerise and green coloring to become a genuine landscape feature.

European growers specifically note the impressive mass effect produced when ‘Green Love’ is planted in numbers.

And because the petals contain several shades rather than one flat color, a large planting remains visually interesting.

Pair It With White

One of the easiest companions for ‘Green Love’ is white.

White tulips provide a clean background against which the ruby and green flowers become more conspicuous.

The famous white-and-green Viridiflora ‘Spring Green’ would be particularly interesting as a companion. Both possess the characteristic green streaking of their class, but their principal colors are dramatically different.

White narcissus can accomplish much the same thing if flowering periods overlap in your climate.

The combination is fresh without being pale.

Pink Works Beautifully

Because ‘Green Love’ already contains substantial pink and ruby coloring, pink tulips can create a more harmonious scheme.

Use pale pink for contrast.

Use deep rose for richness.

A planting progressing from pale blush through rose to ‘Green Love's’ deeper ruby tones could be exceptionally effective in an informal border.

The green streaks prevent the entire arrangement from becoming one enormous pink cloud.

Try Purple and Burgundy

For something more dramatic, combine ‘Green Love’ with deep purple, burgundy or nearly black tulips.

The dark flowers pick up the purple undertones in ‘Green Love’ while allowing its green markings to stand out.

This would be an especially handsome combination in a formal border or large container.

Against dark flowers, those green flames can appear almost luminous.

Use Green as Part of the Design

There is another way to use this cultivar that doesn't depend upon other flowers at all.

Repeat its green coloration elsewhere in the planting.

Place ‘Green Love’ among emerging perennials with strong fresh-green foliage. The green markings in the flowers visually connect the tulips with the surrounding leaves.

That is one of the great advantages of Viridiflora tulips.

Ordinary flowers sometimes seem to float above their foliage as separate objects. Green-streaked flowers can visually tie themselves back into the garden around them.

This makes ‘Green Love’ especially useful in naturalistic perennial borders.

Excellent in Containers

‘Green Love’ also makes a fine container tulip.

Its moderate height is manageable in pots, and growing it near eye level allows the unusual petal markings to be appreciated properly. Commercial suppliers specifically recommend it for container growing.

A broad terracotta pot planted densely with ‘Green Love’ would be striking on its own.

For contrast, add low white violas around the edge.

For something richer, use dark burgundy or purple violas.

Or simply plant nothing else.

Some flowers don't require supporting actors.

An Excellent Cut Flower

Viridiflora tulips have another virtue: they make excellent cut flowers.

‘Green Love’ is specifically marketed for cutting, and the unusual combination of ruby, cerise and green makes it valuable in floral arrangements.

The green streaks allow it to bridge the visual gap between flowers and foliage in a bouquet.

Combine it with white flowers for a crisp arrangement, pale pink for something romantic, or deep burgundy for drama.

A vase filled entirely with ‘Green Love’ would also make quite a statement.

Can ‘Green Love’ Return in Future Years?

Viridiflora tulips have a somewhat better reputation for garden persistence than many highly bred bedding tulips, and ‘Green Love’ is specifically described by European growers as establishing and perennializing reasonably well under suitable conditions.

Still, expectations should remain sensible.

Tulips are not daffodils.

For the best chance of repeat flowering, plant the bulbs in full sun or light partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Netherland Bulb Company recommends precisely those conditions.

After flowering, remove the spent seed heads but leave the foliage alone until it yellows naturally. The leaves need time to rebuild the bulb.

And above all, avoid waterlogged soil.

Tulips can endure a remarkable amount of cold.

What they dislike is sitting around wet.

A Modern Addition to an Old Tulip Tradition

‘Green Love’ may be young by tulip standards—it was named only in 2018—but it belongs to a much older horticultural fascination with flowers that don't behave quite as expected.

A tulip petal ought to be red, pink, yellow, purple or white.

‘Green Love’ disagrees.

Van Woesik Veredeling created a flower in which ruby-purple and cerise-pink are divided by great strokes of living green, all carried on sturdy stems late in the tulip season.

Plant it with white for contrast. Pair it with burgundy for drama. Put it among emerging green perennials for a more natural effect. Or plant a great drift and let the unusual coloring speak for itself.

The name may be modern.

But a love of green things is about as old as gardening itself.

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Foxtrot Paris Double Early Tulip: A Peony-Flowered Beauty for the Spring Garden

There are tulips that announce spring with brilliant primary colors, and then there are those that seem to have been painted with a softer brush.

‘Foxtrot’, sometimes marketed as ‘Foxtrot Paris’, belongs decidedly to the latter group.

Its large, densely petaled flowers open in shades of ivory, blush pink and soft rose, sometimes showing touches of green when young. As the blossoms mature, their colors deepen, so that a planting can contain several shades at once. Add a sweet fragrance and compact, sturdy growth, and ‘Foxtrot’ becomes much more than another pretty pink tulip.

It is one of those flowers best appreciated close enough to notice the details.

Is It ‘Foxtrot’ or ‘Foxtrot Paris’?

This deserves clarification at the outset.

The accepted cultivar name is Tulipa ‘Foxtrot’. The Royal Horticultural Society lists ‘Foxtrot’ as the accepted name and classifies it in the Double Early Group. Major professional bulb suppliers likewise list the cultivar simply as ‘Foxtrot’.

The name ‘Foxtrot Paris’ is used commercially by some bulb retailers for what appears to be this same pink Double Early tulip.

So, if you purchase bulbs labeled “Foxtrot Paris,” you are essentially dealing with the tulip horticulturally known as ‘Foxtrot’.

And that matters when trying to trace its history.

When Was ‘Foxtrot’ Introduced—and By Whom?

Here the historical trail becomes frustratingly thin.

Information suggesting an introduction around 1981 by G. de Boer & Zn. should not be repeated as established fact. On checking better horticultural sources, I cannot substantiate that attribution sufficiently to recommend publishing it.

The Royal Horticultural Society recognizes ‘Foxtrot’ as an accepted cultivar but does not provide an introduction year or breeder on its plant record. Current Dutch and American professional bulb sources likewise describe the cultivar extensively without supplying a reliable breeder and introduction date.

Therefore, until an authoritative Dutch cultivar-registration record or contemporary breeder's catalogue turns up, the most responsible thing to say is:

The exact breeder and original introduction date of ‘Foxtrot’ are not well documented in readily accessible horticultural references.

There is no virtue in giving a precise date merely because somebody on the Internet gave one first.

Why Is It Called ‘Foxtrot’?

The original breeder's explanation for the name is similarly elusive.

It is tempting to associate the flower with the foxtrot, the smooth ballroom dance that became enormously popular during the early twentieth century. The name certainly gives the cultivar an air of movement and elegance appropriate to its soft, changing colors.

But there is no reliable evidence I have found showing that the breeder deliberately named the tulip for the dance.

One bulb retailer rather playfully associates the name with a fox, describing its pink-and-white flowers as playful.

Neither explanation should be presented as documented history.

What we can say is that Foxtrot is a wonderfully memorable name for an elegant flower, and the association with the dance is irresistible.

A breeze moving through a bed of pink ‘Foxtrot’ tulips might even justify the name after the fact.

What Type of Tulip Is ‘Foxtrot’?

‘Foxtrot’ is a Double Early tulip.

The RHS describes Double Early tulips as producing double, bowl-shaped flowers in mid-spring. ‘Foxtrot’ itself bears densely layered blossoms on relatively compact stems.

The flowers are so full that they are often described as peony-flowered tulips.

That doesn't mean they are related to peonies, of course. It simply describes their appearance. An ordinary tulip has six tepals, while a double tulip carries many additional petals, producing a much fuller blossom.

‘Foxtrot’ generally reaches only about 12 to 16 inches tall, depending upon growing conditions.

That compact stature is one of its great virtues.

A Flower That Changes Color

Perhaps the most interesting feature of ‘Foxtrot’ is that its flowers don't remain quite the same color from beginning to end.

Young flowers can open ivory or creamy white with soft pink and touches of green. As they mature, pink gradually becomes more prominent, eventually deepening toward richer rose shades.

Consequently, a bed of ‘Foxtrot’ doesn't necessarily appear as a uniform block of pink.

Some blossoms may be pale.

Others may be blush.

Still others may have matured to a deeper rose.

The effect is almost like a watercolor painting in which the colors have been allowed to flow into one another.

And It Is Fragrant

Here is another reason to grow it near a path or patio: ‘Foxtrot’ is fragrant.

Both the RHS-associated plant listing and Johnny's Selected Seeds describe the flowers as sweetly or lightly fragrant.

Tulips aren't generally the first bulbs we think of for fragrance. Hyacinths and narcissus usually take that honor.

So fragrance in a handsome double tulip is a welcome bonus.

How to Use ‘Foxtrot’ in the Landscape

Because it is relatively short, ‘Foxtrot’ belongs primarily toward the front of flower beds and borders.

A 12-inch tulip planted behind two-foot perennials is a tulip nobody is going to see.

Instead, bring it forward.

The RHS recommends ‘Foxtrot’ for flower beds and borders, cottage and informal gardens, containers, underplanting roses and shrubs, and cut-flower gardens.

Its compact stature also makes it especially useful where spring winds can batter taller tulips.

The flowers themselves are quite heavy, however. Double tulips carry a considerable load of petals, particularly after rain, so some protection from violent spring weather is advantageous.

Plant It in Generous Groups

‘Foxtrot’ is far more effective planted in groups or drifts than scattered singly around the garden.

Ten bulbs will make a pleasant clump.

Twenty-five will create a proper display.

Fifty planted in a broad drift can create a remarkable pool of shifting ivory, blush and rose.

Because the flowers themselves vary slightly in color as they mature, mass planting doesn't produce the monotonous effect that sometimes occurs with a large block of a single-color tulip.

The individual flowers provide the variation.

Pink and Blue

One of the finest combinations is ‘Foxtrot’ with blue grape hyacinths (Muscari).

Specialist bulb sellers specifically recommend the pairing, and it isn't difficult to see why.

The grape hyacinths form a low blue carpet beneath the larger pink tulips.

Other small blue spring flowers can perform the same service. Siberian squill, forget-me-nots and blue violas all provide cool contrast against Foxtrot's warm pink.

The combination has an old-fashioned spring-garden quality that is difficult to improve upon.

Try It With White

White brings out the softer side of ‘Foxtrot’.

Plant it among white tulips or white narcissus, and the ivory portions of the young Foxtrot flowers connect the two colors.

As the blossoms mature and become pinker, the contrast gradually strengthens.

That changing relationship makes the planting more interesting from week to week.

Cream flowers work particularly well if you want something gentler than pure white.

Pair It With Deep Purple

For greater drama, add deep purple, plum or nearly black tulips.

Now the soft pink becomes luminous.

The trick is not to use too much of the dark color. Let ‘Foxtrot’ dominate, with smaller groups of dark tulips providing punctuation.

A little darkness makes pastel colors more interesting.

Too much and spring begins looking suspiciously like November.

Excellent Beneath Roses

The RHS specifically suggests ‘Foxtrot’ for underplanting roses and shrubs.

That is a particularly sensible use.

When ‘Foxtrot’ is flowering, deciduous roses are usually producing foliage but haven't yet reached their great summer display. The tulips occupy the stage while the roses are preparing backstage.

As the tulips finish and their foliage begins to decline, the roses take over.

This is one of the secrets of good garden design: use the same ground for different performances at different times of year.

Made for Containers

If there were a tulip designed for pots, ‘Foxtrot’ would make a strong candidate.

Its compact growth, sturdy stems and large flowers make it particularly well suited to containers, and both the RHS and professional growers recommend it for this purpose.

Plant the bulbs fairly densely in a broad terracotta pot.

They need very little else.

For a more elaborate display, tuck low blue violas, forget-me-nots or grape hyacinths around the tulips.

Place the container near an entrance, patio or sitting area where the flowers can be seen—and smelled—at close range.

A Fine Cut Flower

‘Foxtrot’ is also an excellent cut tulip.

Its stems are unusually sturdy for such a compact plant, and professional growers value it for cut-flower production. Johnny's notes that stems can be harvested longer by pulling the entire plant rather than merely cutting above ground level, while Rotteveel Bulb Company describes ‘Foxtrot’ as having an exceptionally long vase life and being widely used in arrangements.

A vase filled entirely with these peony-like pink flowers needs very little embellishment.

The fragrance doesn't hurt, either.

Growing ‘Foxtrot’

Plant the bulbs in autumn in fertile, well-drained soil.

The RHS recommends a sunny position, protection from strong winds and excessive winter wet, and a planting depth of approximately 4 to 6 inches.

American bulb growers sometimes recommend planting tulips somewhat deeper, around 6 to 8 inches.

Good drainage is more important than quibbling over an inch.

Tulips tolerate winter remarkably well when dormant underground. What they don't appreciate is sitting in stagnant water.

After flowering, remove the spent blossoms if you intend to keep the bulbs, but allow the foliage to yellow naturally.

Don't Expect It to Behave Like a Daffodil

Double Early tulips are not among the most dependable perennial tulips.

Johnny's specifically notes that ‘Foxtrot’ does not naturalize or perennialize readily, while White Flower Farm likewise cautions that Double Early tulips are generally less reliable for repeat performance than groups such as Darwin Hybrids and species tulips.

That doesn't mean the bulbs cannot return.

In good conditions they may.

But if you want a lavish display every spring, it is safer to regard ‘Foxtrot’ primarily as a high-impact bedding and container tulip, supplementing the planting with fresh bulbs when necessary.

An Award-Winning Tulip

‘Foxtrot’ has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, an indication that its appeal isn't based on appearance alone.

It combines several unusually desirable qualities: double peony-like flowers, changing coloration, fragrance, compact growth and sturdy stems.

Those attributes make it equally at home in a cottage border, a formal spring bed, a large terracotta pot or a vase on the dining-room table.

A Tulip That Knows a Few Steps

The historical origin of the name ‘Foxtrot’ remains uncertain, and “Foxtrot Paris” appears to be a commercial variation of the accepted cultivar name rather than a separate old Dutch cultivar. But the association with the dance is too fitting to ignore.

The foxtrot is supposed to be smooth, graceful and flowing.

So is this tulip.

Its flowers begin in ivory and blush, gradually deepen through pink and rose, and sit on short sturdy stems above fresh spring foliage.

Plant it beside blue grape hyacinths. Put it beneath roses. Fill a terracotta pot with it. Or plant fifty bulbs in a sweeping drift and allow those shifting shades of pink to do the work.

‘Foxtrot’ may not actually have been named for the dance—but in the spring garden, it certainly knows the steps.

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