what perennials grow with tulips

Perennials To Plant With Tulips: A List Of Perfect Pairings

• 1. Crocus Crocus bulbs are much smaller than Tulip bulbs and can be planted in the same bed. ...
• 2. Grape Hyacinth Grape Hyacinth, or Muscari, is another early spring bloomer that pairs well with tulips. ...
• 3. Brunnera ...
• 4. Virginia Bluebells ...
• 5. Snowdrop Anenome ...
• 6. Creeping Phlox ...
• 7. Hellebore ...
• 8. Allium ...

Full Answer

What kind of soil is best for tulips?

• Light: Tulips grow best in full sun in the North and partial shade in the South.
• Soil: Plant tulip bulbs, pointed end up, in well-drained soil with a pH between 6 and 7.
• Spacing: Plant bulbs 4-6” apart.
• Planting: The general rule of thumb is to plant bulbs three times as deep as the bulb's length.
• Planting Steps:

What is the very best time for tulips?

• Snowwhites – February – March
• Crocus – February – March
• Daffoldils – March and April
• Hyacints – April and beginning of May
• Tulips – April and beginning of May

Do tulip trees like moisture soil best?

Tulip trees thrive in full sun, but can suffer if exposed to extreme heat. They prefer a moist, temperate climate, and are hardy in regions where average minimum temperatures are above -30 degrees F, like USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 through 9. They prefer moist, slightly acidic, well-draining soil, and are intolerant of drought.

Which perennial garden edibles should I plant?

• raspberries, blueberries and other berry bushes
• asparagus
• rhubarb
• kale (usually grown as an annual)
• garlic (usually grown as an annual)
• radicchio (usually grown as an annual)
• horseradish
• globe artichokes
• lovage
• watercress

See more

Can you plant perennials on top of tulips?

Actually, it's a great idea to combine tulips with perennials! You can mix these two to create charming late spring and early summer borders. You can plant tulip bulbs between your perennials, and they grow happily together if you consider the following things: The watering needs.

Can you plant perennials on top of bulbs?

In fact, flowering bulbs are almost always found in their native habitats growing with native grasses and perennial plants. Thus, bulbs are excellent companion plants that fit happily into existing flower beds of perennials and groundcovers.

What grows well next to tulips?

Crocus and Virginia bluebells If you're looking for companion plants that look beautiful blooming beside your tulips in the spring, then crocuses and Virginia bluebells are two fabulous options. Crocuses are one of the earliest spring blooming flowers, so they tend to bloom just before tulips.

How do you plant perennials with tulips?

When combining tulips with perennials, consider some perennials that, although they may not flower at the same time as the tulips, will hide the dying and yellowing foliage of the tulips when they are finished blooming. Daylilies are a good example. Plant annuals around tulips that are just poking out of the ground.

Can I plant other flowers on top of bulbs?

Flower bulbs will be perfectly happy to be layered up in a pot. The important thing to get right is the order in which you plant them. The ones that flower first should be planted on the top layer, with the ones that flower next on the second layer, and so on.

Can you plant pansies on top of tulip bulbs?

Colour on top Your layered planting can all be topped off with a few winter flowering pansies or violas so that you have immediate and lasting colour. They will bloom until the first bulbs start to bloom in late January and will continue to bloom with the bulbs too.

What greenery goes with tulips?

Fresh Greens. "Let tulips stretch out in your favorite vase (mine is a speckled blue enamel water pitcher) and pair them with field greens like Solidago, or a fresh snip of eucalyptus for both fragrance and fullness." –Callie Bladow, production director at BloomThat.

Can you plant tulips and hostas together?

Spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils are great companion plants for Hostas, especially when planted under deciduous trees. Since Hostas are one of the latest perennials to come up in the spring, they let the bulbs have their time in the sun before the tree leaves come out.

Is there a perennial that blooms all summer?

Daylily – Perhaps the easiest of all summer perennials to grow, daylilies are true to their name. They have yellow, orange or reddish blooms that open in the morning and close tight at night. Daylilies will tolerate a bit of shade, but they really do need at least 6 hours of sun every day to thrive.

Can I plant flowers on top of tulips?

We remove the green, nourishment-providing part of the bulb way too early and. Our bulbs get subjected to too much watering and fertilization if we plant annual flowers over top of them.

What flowers go well with tulips in an arrangement?

Opt for a bouquet of complimentary soft blooms, like ranunculus or garden roses, alongside tulips for a design that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser for a romantic affair.

What do you plant after tulips fade?

She plants perennials, such as columbine, dianthus, coneflowers, coreopsis and sedum, around the bulbs so that those plants can cover the dying leaves.

Can you plant wildflower seeds over bulbs?

This companion planting couldn't be any easier. Wildflowers are extremely easy to grow in any sunny spot that gets at least six hours of full sun per day. In late spring, once there is no more chance of frost in your area and your bulbs are starting to fade, sprinkle a mixture of annual wildflowers in your bulb bed.

Can you plant multiple perennials together?

Planting a single variety of plants in multiples can bring focus and drama to your landscape. The eye perceives more color and texture when waves of the same plant provide a continuous bridge from one part of the garden to the next.

What do you plant after tulips and daffodils?

Here are 10+ great options for perennials that return year after year to plant with your tulips:Crocus. Crocus bulbs are much smaller than Tulip bulbs and can be planted in the same bed. ... Grape Hyacinth. ... Brunnera. ... Virginia Bluebells. ... Snowdrop Anenome. ... Creeping Phlox. ... Hellebore. ... Allium.More items...•

Can you plant spring and fall bulbs together?

And this is how I answered: ABSOLUTELY! Making use of the same garden space to plant both summer-/fall-blooming and spring-blooming bulbs is a great use of different plants for year round color!

What to plant in front of taller bulbs?

Plant low-growing bulbs, such as grape hyacinths, in front of taller bulbs such as daffodils, or mingle the bulbs together for a more natural effect. Play with flower colors. The fun part of bulb gardening is dreaming up fabulous bloom schemes. The color palette is endless. Just choose what you like best.

Do tulips look good in drifts?

Although tulips look fabulous when planted in large drifts, they look even better when combined with other flowering bulbs, annuals or perennials. Here are some lovely combination ideas that are easy to replicate in your own garden.

Grape Hyacinth

Grape hyacinth is the perfect plant to pair with tulips in both looks, and lack of nutrient competition.

Daffodil

Bright blooming daffodils pair beautifully with blooming tulips due to their unique tubular shape.

Allium

Allium blooms in late spring with spherical bright purple, pink or white flowers.

Pansy

These bright yellow-purple pansies are great with any flowers in your garden, including tulips.

Snapdragon

Snapdragon grows well in cooler climates producing gorgeous little flowers in large clusters of red, yellow, white, purple, etc.

Shasta Daisy

Daisies bloom later than tulips, which will allow them show off their flowers against the background of green tulip foliage.

Zinnia

Zinnias produce incredibly beautiful rounded, layered, pom-pom-shaped flowers in the brightest colors.

What to Plant with Tulips (and Which Flowers & Shrubs to Avoid)

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. You can learn more about that process here.

How to Help Your Tulips Bloom (Again & Again)

Although you might think of tulips as perennials because they’re bulbs, most types only bloom well the first year or two, then fizzle out. That’s OK! Most gardeners treat them as annuals and plant new bulbs every fall.

What to Plant with Tulips

To hide the fading foliage, plant tulips with companion plants that have similar needs, which is 6 hours or more of direct sun and well-draining soil. Also, these bulbs are loved, loved, loved by deer, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, mice and voles, so don’t be surprised if you find them dug up or chewed to the ground.

RELATED

The 15 Best Blooms for a Cut Flower Garden (So You Can Create Your Own Bouquets at Home)

1. Daffodils

Daffodils are early spring bloomers that readily naturalize, so they keep spreading every year. Rodents don’t like them because they contain lycorine, a naturally occurring toxic chemical. Layer them with tulips, and you may be able to keep hungry visitors away.

2. Hyacinths

Sweetly scented hyacinths come in a rainbow of colors. Critters tend to leave them alone because they contain toxic alkaloids, so they’re another good option to plant near tulips. The flowers last for weeks and return reliably for years.

3. Baptisia

Not as well-known as it deserves to be, this shrubby perennial has pretty, late spring blooms in shades of pink, white or purple. It’s drought tolerant once established, and deer tend to leave it alone.

Brunnera and hostas

After tulip blossoms fade, their leaves are left standing for a while. Over time, the leaves dry out, turn yellow, and die. It’s necessary for the tulips, but it isn’t very pretty. This is one area that these two companion plants can help. Both brunnera and hostas have large, lovely leaves that can help cover the tulip leaves as they die.

Crocus and Virginia bluebells

If you’re looking for companion plants that look beautiful blooming beside your tulips in the spring, then crocuses and Virginia bluebells are two fabulous options. Crocuses are one of the earliest spring blooming flowers, so they tend to bloom just before tulips. If you want a lovely lead-in for your tulips, then crocuses are a great choice.

Columbine and speedwell

If you’d like to keep your garden vibrant throughout the summer, but want something a little flashier than foliage, then columbine and speedwell might be the right choice for you. Both of these gorgeous flowers bloom just after tulips, keeping your garden colorful even after your tulips fade.

Catnip, sage, and rosemary

Catnip, sage, and rosemary make up the last category of companion plants on our list. All three are herbaceous perennials, and they offer benefits to your garden year-round. They enjoy the same conditions as tulips, but they grow quite a bit larger. For this reason, they make great backdrops for your tulip garden.

What flowers grow with tulips?

Bluebells. With its familiar blue flowers growing en masse through April and May, our native bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, makes the perfect companion for tulips. Here, it grows in the foreground with tulips, including ‘Irene’, ‘West Point’ and ‘Ronaldo’, pop up behind from low-growing foliage.

What to plant with tulips in the spring?

Team them with a mass of spring flowers and foliage plants. Try a mix of wallflower ‘Sunset Primrose’ or ‘Sunset Apricot’ with fresh green fer ns to fill in the gaps.

What is the color of forget me not tulips?

As spring advances, forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica, becomes a carpet of bright green leaves topped with clouds of small, rich blue flowers. It makes a wonderful soft backdrop for tulips of all colours and the long-lasting forget-me-nots will provide interest once the tulips have faded. Here they grow with tulip ‘China Pink’.

Why do tulips have contrasting flowers?

Contrasting colours and shapes of other plants can accentuate the bold form and colours of tulips. Before the buds open, fresh new growth from lower growing plants will create a textured backdrop. While in flower, similar or contrasting palettes will bring out the colour of the blooms. And, once the tulips are past their best, mixed planting will help disguise fading blooms and untidy foliage.

What is the best way to plant pink tulips?

Pink tulips planted in a container with pale-pink bluebells and tiarella. Choose plants that thrive in sun and free draining soil – the same growing conditions as tulips. Also consider their flowering times – ideally plan for succession of colour or foliage interest. A swathe of pink-purple tulip blooms.

What flowers go well with honesty?

Honesty, Lunaria annua, works beautifully with the elegant dark purple tulip ‘Queen of the Night’ . A pretty biennial, honesty has white or purple flowers. When allowed to naturalise in a border, it contrasts well with the bold, formal tulips. Honesty is also grown for its distinctive translucent seed heads, which are used in dried flower arrangements.

How many varieties of tulips are there?

This list has over twenty varieties of tulips that have a strong perennial habit. Of course, the proper growing conditions help to increase their lifespan. For more information on growing tulips read The Beginners Guide to Gardening with Tulips.

What is a Fosteriana tulip?

Fosteriana Tulips. Large and showy blooms are the key features of Fosteriana Tu lips. Although their stems aren’t nearly as tall as Darwin Hybrid Tulips or Single Late Tulips these early to mid-spring blooming tulips create a splash of color.

Why are Kaufmanniana tulips called waterlily tulips?

Kaufmanniana Tulips are sometimes called waterlily tulips because of how their petals form, they look similar to a water lily. Varieties of Kaufmanniana Tulips are suited best for the front of your planting areas, as well as rock gardens. Growing on average 10″ these tulips are a delight to have in your garden.

What is a greigii tulip?

Greigii Tulips have mottled foliage that is often purple striped and spotted. Although they may be lower in height the blooms are still substantial. Greigii Tulips grow 12″ on average. Plant them where they can be seen such as the front of the border or a rock garden. Greigii Tulips can be harder to find in cultivation, however, listed below are 3 popular varieties for fall planting.

How tall do Fosteriana tulips grow?

Fosteriana Tulips are best suited for the front or middle of the garden as they tend to grow 12-18″ tall. Four popular varieties of Fosteriana Tulips are listed below, although all Fosteriana Tulips regardless of variety are known to be strong perennial tulips. Albert Heijn Fosteriana Tulip.

How many bulbs per square foot of tulip?

Exciting orange blooms have yellow in the base of them on this sturdy perennial tulip. Plant 5 bulbs per square foot.

What are the oldest tulips?

Botanical Tulips. Often called species tulips or botanical tulips, these little tulips are some of the oldest tulip varieties. They don’t look like a traditional tulip you would see in a bouquet with tall stems and large showy flowers. However, their short stature makes them delightful garden gems.

1. Choose Perennials that Enjoy the Sun and Don't Need Intensive Maintenance

The majority of the tulips will thrive in a flowerbed that gets a lot of sunshine and is pretty dry during the summer months.

2. Late Spring and Early Summer Blooming Perennials Combine Nicely with Tulips

Tulips are beautiful companions for perennials that are late spring or early summer bloomers. You can create many gorgeous combinations out of them.

3. Consider Low-maintenance Perennials with No Need for Division

I would also suggest choosing plants to grow happily at the same place for years without a need for division. I mean species like peonies ( Paeonia ), daylilies ( Hemerocallis ), and ornamental grasses. They all are a good match for tulips.

Can you leave tulip bulbs in the ground all year?

Gardeners in the north can leave their bulbs in the ground year round. If the winter temperatures don’t provide the chill many bulbs require, southern gardeners may need to purchase pre-cooled bulbs. If your bulbs have been dormant for a long time, they may not be ready for transplanting.

How can you tell if your tulips are annuals or perennials?

A bulb that comes back every year, often with more blooms than before, is called a perennial. Daffodils and crocuses are some of the great examples. Annuals mean that you have to plant new bulbs every year to get the same amount of flowers, because Bulbs that only grown for one season are called annuals.

Are potted tulips perennials?

Tulips are perennials that will come back next year, especially when potted indoors, although many outdoor gardeners will have to wait until spring to plant them. Tulips can be grown in containers, but they are best grown outdoors in full sun.

How many years do tulips last?

Tulips bloom for three to five years in most modern ones. After the first frost, tulip bulbs decline in strength. Tulip flowers are very fragrant, and are often used in perfumery. They are also used as a decorative element in the home.

How long do tulips live?

Depending on the species and variety, tulips can live from one to ten years. The longer tulips will live, the closer they are to the wild varieties from Turkey. Tulips that are grown in the U.S. and Canada are usually between five and seven years old.

Why did my tulips not come back?

The overwhelmingly most common reason why tulips leaf out but don’t bloom is simply that the environment needed for tulips to bloom every year is very specific. It is also important to note that not all areas of the world are the same. For example, some areas are much drier than others, and some are very humid.

Do tulips multiply?

Species tulips not only return year after year, but they multiply and form clumps that grow bigger each year, making them even more difficult to find. Tulips are not native to the U.S., but have been introduced to many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Australia.

When does tulip bloom?

Tulipa praestans 'Fusilier'. 'Fusilier' tulip is a bouquet tulip that bears clusters of reddish orange flowers with yellow centers. It blooms in early spring on stems 10 inches tall. It's a favorite in the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden®.

What is a Triumph Tulip?

'Negrita' is a Triumph tulip that blooms in shades of purple and blue. It's one of the most reliable varieties in this group of hybrid tulips. Its cheery flowers are borne on 18-inch-tall stems in midspring.

What is a red hunter tulip?

Your search for a perfect perennial tulip may be over once you find Tulipa batalinii 'Red Hunter'. This 10-inch-tall species tulip explodes with brilliant red blooms nestled in blue-green leaves.

How tall does a honky tonk tulip grow?

Yellow petals blushed with peach overtones distinguish this species tulip that grows only 8 inches tall.

How tall does a Viridiflora tulip get?

A band of green runs through the center of each petal, transitioning to creamy white edges. This late-season bloomer grows about 16 inches tall.

What is the long lasting lily?

Long-Lasting Lily. White Triumphator tulip. Late-season 'White Triumphator' is a graceful lily-flowered tulip that comes back year after year. It has large, long-lasting ivory white blooms with pointed petals that arch outward and stems that grow 2 feet tall. Learn more!

How tall is Golden Parade Tulipa?

Stately 'Golden Parade' is a Darwin tulip featuring large, yellow blooms that look great in the midseason garden, whether they are lined up in parade formation or at ease in informal beds. Stems may reach 22 inches tall.