Paradise Sustained

The Colorblends garden proves that tulips can be a long, lingering springtime romance.

If you thought that tulips were here today and gone tomorrow, think again. This year is proof that tulips have mileage—they just keep getting better. Last week was breathtaking in the garden, we’ve all agreed. But this week is even more ravishing, if that’s possible. The tulips have swollen into huge goblets of color. More accent tulips have unfolded to join the chorus. The color parade is phenomenal and it shows no signs of pausing in its palpitating production. Take a look at the fireworks—no place on earth could be prouder than this wonderful reborn white elephant of a house in Bridgeport surrounded in a rainbow of colorful skirts. This is nature’s therapy delivered straight to your heart.

Suspended Animation

Remember Cretaceous with its fulsome flowers about the size of cabbage heads featured last week? Still flowering strong! We’re talking petal-packed blossoms in sunray yellow etched with orange. Overheard in the garden, “This is my favorite—it looks like a Dutch painting.” And Cretaceous is proof that tulips need not be poker straight—the stems in this group have graceful expression. It’s like the dance of the tutus. And as I mentioned last week—this tulip blend greets visitors as they turn the corner into the garden as a radiant ambassador for color.

But Cretaceous is just one example of the prolonged pulsation because the Wellspring blend has added dimension and nuances of color and so has Vitamin See and Sorbetto (still a crowd pleaser). Tulip colors transform as they evolve over time, swell, and mature. They even change with the time of day and weather. And that’s why you’ve got to grow these yourself. Next year, host the festivities in your yard. Make it happen where you can monitor every moment. Honestly, all you need is a few feet of space – and that space can easily transition into annuals or even perennials when the tulips fade. We’re talking minimal real estate investment for a whole lot of wow. Check below and we’ll reveal exactly how to do it.

Roll Call for Thrill Seekers

There’s a lot of thrill convening in this little garden on an otherwise quiet corner in Bridgeport. Where to start? Let’s go straight for the scene stealer—which is the combo we call Vitamin See. If you like your colors vivid and saturated with loads of sunshine infused, you are going to love this combo of sunburst yellow, unabashed orange, and pointed-petal deep purple popping above like jester’s hats. Nothing could be more cheerful. What can we say? It just looks healthy. We need that vigor this year.

 

Right alongside, we totally switch gears. Prefer something more sophisticated? Try the Calm Cool Collective. This medley of royal purple, flashy burgundy, and snow white is the epitome of swank. There’s a white-hemmed burgundy in the brew to give it some levity and balance. Guaranteed—this will be memorable. Equally sumptuous but suave, Trident is a confection of pink, purple, and white that is just simply classic.

The One, Two, Three Punch

We mentioned that these combos last. Well, Trifecta is a good example of sustained style by Colorblends. This group of three tulips starts with red before being joined by the yellow component chased by purple. It’s a staggered display. Yes, they’re all on stage together right now, but they’re feathered into and out of action for a truly long performance.

 

Love Red?

Of course, we don’t leave out the folks who love and equate red with tulips. For your benefit (and to gain converts to the color) we installed a solid red carpet with verve. On long, majestic stems and standing strong – our red lily offering is a scene stealer. Put on your sunglasses America! This fire engine shade is going to rock your spring. And yes, we’re talking sustained glory of the bright kind.

 

Big Cheer

Also in the onesie department, we planted Beauty of Spring. Each flower has so much going on, no need to mix in anything. The flowers are key lime yellow with creamy accents and tangerine feathered along the edges of each petal. But the size of each goblet is immense. And as a wonderful little accent—a few white daffodils managed to mingle into our bed. When art is happening, everyone wants to get into the picture.

New Arrivals

 

Guess what is just revving up? Double tulips are now beginning their show in Bridgeport and the Colorblends combo Diamond Touch proves that the end game can be sumptuous and worth the wait. We’re talking plum and white buds packed with petals that are unfolding into chubby blossoms in a truly luscious blend of shades. Again, this is subtle, swank, and sumptuous in one package.

Do this at Home!

Making these tulip combos happen at your home is a cinch. Really, all you need is a few feet of space. We plant our combos by digging up a 5 foot section of garden 5-6 inches deep and spacing the bulbs roughly 3-4 inches apart to achieve our densely packed look. Ideally, put the pointed end of each tulip up – but don’t worry if they topple over, bulbs are smart and they grow upwards no matter which way they are placed. Then cover them over with soil and firm that soil into place. We figure it takes a mere 30 minutes to put 100 tulips into the ground for next spring’s sensation. What do you say? Definitely worth it, right?

Meanwhile, Further Happenings

Our sidewalk seduction is continuing into its next phase to thrill passersby with an ocean of the pheasant’s eye daffodil – Narcissus poeticus recurvus – opening like a flotilla of sailboats bobbing by the street. You can’t miss it. As you enter the driveway, the double blossoms of double daffodil ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ read like pompoms clustered together. And further into the garden, little Narcissus ‘Pipit’ is just happening now—to disprove the myth that the smaller daffs are only early risers. Meanwhile, the species tulips are still going strong mingling with yellow daffodils on the wall. And you can’t miss the mass of leucojums that looks like snowflakes have sprouted inside the garden.

All these wonders are electric for your color-starved eyes. This sight is “Sensation Central” by anybody’s standards. But even with your face masks on, the scents will also send you into orbit. The mingled perfume of all those daffodils and tulips coinciding is heaven. And this year, we’ve earned it! Bring the brilliance home next year. Make your own spring heartthrob happen.