My First Tulip.

I was glad to have planted several dozens of Tulips last fall. Here is a 1st bloom on this group.

Nice color.

Thanks, they're coming along nicely.

Love the pink with the blue green leaves. So very pretty.
I told my daughter last fall--it's a pain to plant the bulbs in the fall--sometimes planting in cold and windy conditions, but the reward in the spring is worth the hassle in the fall.
What is the name of the pink tulips?

Thank Valsflowers and birder17. I've lost the tag on the tulips. I wished I have written down somewhere. More are showing at present.

The red ones;

Hurray for spring tulips. Those are very pretty. I really love tulips.

Yes, Rita. What's spring without Tulips? Just like birder17 has mentioned. The hard work we put in planting them is worth it.

Your tulips are so pretty! :D
Oh, now I wish I would have planted a few. I wonder how they would do in the Fl panhandle area? I always thought of tulips as a more northern bulb. But yours look great in Alabama!

Pam, in our Southern Climate Tulips are treated as annuals--at least I do here. I repeat the ritual every Fall. We don't have enough chilling hours required for the following year crop. Matter of fact, I refrigerate my bulbs in Sept. and plant them out round Thanksgiving week to harvest the bounty the following year. You're so right when you said they are

You know Kim, I think I'm in an 'in between' zone. I have to dig my caladiums around November to keep them from dying during our below 50s we get occaisionally here. And tulips need more cold and less warmth.
Oh what we go through for 'zone envy'! :D

Pam, yes, yes I know. Our Northern friends will in turn feel the same thing about the longer growing season us Southerners get. But then ... there are plus and minus everywhere. Last year DH and I planned a grand scheme of a Tulips garden. Things didn't work out as planned, wo we just have this small area to be contented with. I planted a row of Pink, Orange, Yellow and Red. As it turned out the pink popped first, then red, then orange, and finally the yellow would finish up the "spring rush".

Here they're this morning, fully open with the sunshine.

On the opposite side view;

They look great from either view.

Thanks Rita. See those pots within the bed, Pam? Those were planted with Tulips last year....actually year before last. The bulbs survived, but didn't have the right condition to bloom again this spring.

Kim: Thanks again for taking pictures and sharing your tulips with us. They are such a welcome sight!

When I buy plants, I try to keep the tags. I throw them all in a plastic box. I am in the process of going through each tag and recording them in my computer. Otherwise, I forget what the cultivar is of a Genus. I have noticed/learned DG's know the names of their plants which I think is a very good thing (as Martha Stewart says!). So, I am trying to keep my tags etc. and trying to record all of this stuff. It was supposed to be done over winter. However, I spent my winter drooling over catalogs and making decisions on ordering plants.

I have spent a couple of days getting my seeds categorized and placed in the right box with their buddies. I intend to make a list of what is in each baggie (I put each package of seed in baggies with the same Genus) and made a list of what is in each box. Next, was suppose to be getting the tags organized. Maybe, I will do that in the heat of the summer. There is a period of time in the summer I don't get outside much because of the heat and humidity.

Even though I am in zone 6b, I dig my tulips up to re-plant the following fall. They don't do well here if you leave them in the ground through the summer. I should say my husb. digs them up!

We had been gone to AZ for a week. When we came home, there were bunches of early daffodils blooming. A very pleasant surprise. I also had forced hyacinths and paper whites. We had just brought the hyacinths in the house from the garage the week before we left. When we arrived home, the hyacinths and paper whites were in bloom. They are so fragrant. They permeate through the house. I have more forced bulbs still in the garage. They will be coming into the house very soon.

birder17, you're quite welcome. A pleasure shared; multiple pleasures gained? Especially in gardening. I'm glad you and others have enjoyed my early Tulips. I tried to tag those that I'll have in the garden for a long while. Others? They become an overwhelming task. I too enjoy those catalogs, but I rely on local nurseries and the big box Stores for most of my spring plantings for I can actually 'touch' those that I'll bring home. lol

Oh, when you and husb. dig them up. How soon after they finished blooming will you do so? I was told down here we need to allow the leaves to turn yellow before we do if we wanted to try to keep the bulbs....space is a premium in our small garden. Leaving them in the ground for an extended time is proven impractical.

I've yet visited Az. How is gardening there differ to your planting back home in Mo.?

Here is a pic. Tulips folded their petals in the evening due to lack of sunlight. I love to watch them at different time of day.

The Tulips border today;

The Yellop tulips are coming out as if to catch up with others. ^_^

Sadly the Pink ones are already spent. The ones at their peak are Red and Orange Tulip mid-season, as the late blooming ones (yellow) are trying to push trough.

I love those red ones and the orange ones.

My pink and purple tulips bloomed a month ago, very early.,This is a picture of my next set. The orange ones should be any day now.

Hi Kim,

Just getting back on here. (By the way, my daughter's name is Kimberly Dawn.)
I see the potted tulips aren't blooming. Will they bloom later? Or is it that if they haven't bloomed by now, they won't.
Your oranges are just gorgeous. The yellows are like a nice little treat for when the oranges start to fade. I think there is an advantage also to having them stagger blooms. I know all at once is spectacular, but sadly, short lived. I want the blooms to last and last.
I have 2 huge boxes of caladiums to plant as soon as we are out of the occaisional 50s at night. We are suppose to hit 42 tonight. Then a little warmer nights afterwards. I may wait until next month to plant my bulbs. What are your summer bulbs? Or do you plant other flowers there next?

Hi Pam. It's nice that you're back. Kimberly Dawn that's such pretty a name! Staggering the blossoms was one of my plans. Every Sept. Oct. I'd set out to look for big healthy bulbs, the next step was to find, early, middle, and late blooming variety. The potted ones, they just survived, but didn't have enough "chilling hours" to properly form flowers for this season. If I wanted, perhaps, I can give it another year of growing and replenishing for next year flowers. But I may just use the containers for something else this year, and toss those into the compost bin.

Valsflowers, those pink ones are eye-candies. Like Pam has mentioned, my pink ones were short lived, and only the mid...to late blooming varieties are now making the show.

I just love those hot colored ones you have there.

Thanks NY Rita. The hot color tulips are quite cheerful, compensating for the dreaded northerly wind this time of year where we're.

The ones you call red look almost like a reddish orange. A very vibrant color! As you quite correctly say Rita, HOT COLORS. I can see them being a welcome sight on a chilly day.

It is still much greener in your picture than it is around here.

Rita, spring springs into place a bit earlier down here. Though, the air is still bit chilly outdoor.

As usual, just gorgeous pictures Lily_love. The Parrot tulips are blooming here, and others are starting to bloom this week. I think the cool temps over the next few days may slow them down. In the 70's last week, freezing again tonight.

Thanks Annette, yes it was cold today. I had the log burning fireplace going all day long. Heard it would be warm tomorrow though. What a roller coaster we're riding with the fluctuation of the temp. this winter in our region. Birds are seen busy building their nests in various place in the garden too.

You're killing me with the pictures,so artsy. Nice shot of the woodpecker with the water in the background. It needs to be in a contest ;~)

Lily-Love, I love the little road behind your yard. It must be relaxing to take a walk in the woods..

Thanks DJ, it's nice out in the country--being a 'trees hugger' myself. ^_^ The Tulips are just shouting Spring is here! lol More of the yellow blooms are making it to the show today.

Those red and yellow tulips are glowing! Spring is definitely here!

Kim, nice pics. I surely understand why you didn't save the "tag" for the pink tulips. It makes perfect sense. We dig our tulips up when the leaves are yellow. This is I a problem; as I never know what to plant in the area after the tulips are gone. What are you going to plant in the tulip space you have? I need some ideas.
I have been out of state: Az. Nice weather there right now.
You have a good idea to plant early, mid-season and late tulips.

birder17, thanks. For many years...hubby and I reserved the small area in the front yard to plant Spring bulbs in the Fall, enjoy them in the spring then when the blooms fade we switch gear to an annual bed for the remainder of the season--thus every year it takes on a different look. Comes every autumn, we restart the process all over again. That takes a lot of time and work. I'm rethinking ... not sure what I will be doing this year, for the location dictates a whole lot to what I can, and can't do....what traditionally a sunny border. Over the years mature trees in the area has changed it into a "woodland" shade garden. I'm doing a lot containers to compensate for this lack of sun shine in the garden. I've a subtantial collection of sub-tropical/tropical perennials which requires extensive work year round.

The Tulips border today;

....

Last year? We only had bulbs in container. Here they were last April 1st;

Wow, I love that picture of the tulip bed. Fabulous!