WORTH THE WAIT

There are lots of plants whose flowers are ephemeral. I'm thinking of the flowers on my cactus which bloom for just one day. I wouldn't give up that moment for anything. And then there are flowers that give us a few more days to enjoy their beauty. Among these are the Spring flowering daffodils, grape hyacinths and tulips. Even those few days of flowering are worth the year-long wait.
Living in the south we enjoy a good selection of spring bulbs that come back year after year but when it comes to longevity only the species tulips do well in the southern garden.

Tulipa clusiana Lady Jane, returns year after year if given the right conditions. Fast draining, poor soil. If it finds a happy place it will spread over the years producing nice clump of flowers to brighten the early spring garden. When the flowers close at night they show off their pink underbelly.

One of the reasons I like the clusiana tulips is because they have elegant seed heads which I look attractive even after they have dried. I scatter the seeds in different places. The leaves die back at about the same time as the seed heads.

Another member of the clusiana family is Tulipa clusiana 'Tinka" Lemony yellow when fully opened with pink underbelly when closed.

Planted in 2016 the package was labeled  Tulips humilis 'Persian Pearl' but I learn that one has a yellow center. It is more likely to be Tulipa humilis 'Little beauty' which has a bluish center. Either way the plant is a beauty and perfect for rock gardens as the flowers only stand about 4" tall.

On this rainy the petals are closed up. I am thrilled to see more blooms this year. One year there were no blooms, the plants lying dormant under the gravel until they got just the right conditions.

Originating in the hills of Turkey, these tulips were brought to Europe in the mid 1500s. There they were bred to be the tulips we find today. For us in the south those tulips must be planted every year. These tulips can be left in the ground. They love the baking heat because that is the conditions under which they grew in the wild. So much easy to care for, forget and then enjoy every spring.
Look for these bulbs in the fall when they arrive at the nurseries or order them on line. And remember to plant in fast draining soils to prevent rot.