Well here we are in September and isn’t it just suddenly starting to feel like Autumn is knocking on our door??
Last week on Instagram I asked you all whether your mind had cast itself over to Autumn yet or whether you were still in Summer mode…and it seems like lots of you are already thinking about spring bulbs! And I know for a fact that I already am too! Although I haven’t ordered any of my bulbs yet, I have started to think about it and for me, that journey starts with looking back at the bulbs from earlier in this year. That way I can jog my memory about what worked and what didn’t and then add in anything new.
So, on this week’s blog post I’m casting my mind back to spring this year and I’m sharing some of my favourite tulips from the season. Also, the podcast is BACK and with a huge first guest, but more on that later…
Now, I don’t know if you knew this but I am completely obsessed with tulips!
I can’t quite express the sheer joy that a full spring display brings me, sure Dahlias and a summer garden are exciting but spring is a totally other level of excitement for me. There is something about that huge wave of colour after a dark and long winter that cant be beaten and each year our displays get bigger and hopefully better, with new varieties sitting alongside old favourites. I’ve got a few for you here that I really hope you’ll also like!
Before this year I’d not been a huge fan of double tulips but Double Shake has changed my mind entirely.
Its an easy comparison to make but this variety remind me of a delicious raspberry ripple ice-cream and the flowers themselves are rather large! Do yourself a favour when buying your bulbs this year, try some doubles and hopefully you’ll try this one. Doubles give you a whole different set of textures and forms and they bring something quite special to your garden. I used 10 bulbs in one 30cm pot and it meant they were in there fairly tight, but the impact that it gave when they came out, was really worthwhile.
My next suggestion shifts quite far away from the softer pinks of Double Shake, into a world of deeper tones with the stunning Slawa.
Its a bold claim, but I think Slawa is possibly my favourite ever Tulip, ok – I’ve said it, there’s no going back now!
If you’re looking for a tulip that will bring something slightly more exotic to your garden, one with long stems, perfect for cutting and good in a vase, then Slawa is my top recommendation.
Another step change and something entirely different now with the rather unique Florosa.
I’ll admit that I bought these on a bit of a whim last year but I’m exceptionally glad that I did. If Slawa is exotic, then this is another step up that ladder!
The only way I can describe this one, is if you were to imagine a solid pink tulip, but each petal has a shock of lime green straight up the middle. Its definitely not to everyone’s taste but it’ll likely be coming back to our garden again in spring.
And finally, I’m back with a whopping fifth season of the podcast this week and the first guest is the sensational Arthur Parkinson!
In this extra special, longer episode, we discuss Arthur’s introduction to gardening, his unique approach and how his style is completely changing as everything around us also changes. And, we discuss Arthur’s upcoming new book! Click here to listen to the episode now!
I’m determined to make next spring the best yet…but lets not stop enjoying the dahlias just yet. There is tonnes more life in our summer gardens for a good while to come.
Have a great week and I’ll see you next week for more garden goodness
View From The Potting Bench 