I have begun an experiment with tulips this year, following an article I read by Fergus Garrett from Great Dixter regarding which tulips they found to be perennial.
The most reliable ones being the Darwin Hybrids, I planted three varieties in November, two in pots and one in the borders.
The real test will be next year if they flower as well. One indication mentioned in the article was whether the bulbs had divided into several small ones or remained as one big bulb, these being the ones worth saving.
I planted Tulip ‘Apeldoorn’ in pots placed in several areas around the garden. Please Click on gallery pictures to enlarge.
These remind me of the traditional cottage garden tulips similar to the ones I brought home from my Great Aunt’s garden.
Tulip Hakuun aka ‘White Cloud’ in large white pots in the White and Green garden.
Tulip ‘Daydream’ was planted in bulb saucers in the borders along with
Forget- Me-Nots and Wall Flowers.
Tulip ‘Abu Hassan’ has already proved to be perennial here, these tulip bulbs were purchased three years ago.
Tulip ‘Ballede’ was planted in the borders ten years ago and while its numbers have reduced over time, I think for such a beautiful tulip, it will be worth topping up next autumn.
Providing some spring cheer in the welcome rain is Clematis ‘ Pamela Jackman ‘ with pots of Azaleas at her feet.
Along with Apples ‘Rosett’ and ‘Blenheim Orange’…..
….is the Crab Apple ‘Golden Hornet’.
Have you found any tulip varieties to be perennial in your garden?
brimfields.com 
Beautiful tulips Brian – I have only just planted tulip bulbs for the first time this year and I am hooked. I shall be looking for more varieties to plant in autumn. I love the look of the Ballade in your photograph.
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Thank you, there are so many beautiful ones to chose from.
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It is funny you should mention perennial tulips as I have just read this mentioned in another blog and I thought that all tulips were perennial. I suppose, because they don’t attract the bees, that I pay less attention to them. I do feel that they add special life and colour to the garden after all the daffs and narcissi go. Amelia
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I guess in some ways they are perennial it is just how long you have to wait for them to flower again. This is what the tulip growers do for us, developing the bulbs to flowering size.
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I’ve planted some species tulips this year for the first time, and as you say, time will tell. I do find the Darwins attractive, but if you have to dig them up to check and maybe remove the bulbs that have divided, that is quite a lot of work. However we do have to divide perennial herbaceous plants to keep them healthy, so I guess a little work with Tulips is in order.
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They are all in pots and bulb saucers for this year Noelle so I should have more idea later in the year.
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No, I have not found any to be reliably perennial, but I have not tired either. When I do, I will try the species sort, and even those are marginal in the mild climate here. We do not get much chill. I grew common hardware store sorts years ago, but of course, they were like expensive annuals. It sort of makes me wonder how they are produced. Incidentally, if I could, I would grow ‘Apeldoorn’. It might be my second favorite. ‘Maureen’ is likely my favorite, although ‘White Cloud’ or ‘Hakuun’ is tempting.
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A lovely mix of colours Brian. I have had mixed experience with tulips, with some returning reliably (if not eaten by mice!) and others just sending up leaves in their second year. This year the newly planted ones are all very small or haven’t shown up at all! The species ones always come back though. 😃
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I guess the species ones are also less prone to tulip virus.
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I think that I may have across the same article or similar Brian. I don’t grow many tulips as they rarely seem to do well for me and also I dislike the foliage. I’ve just got three big pots this year and for once they are looking brilliant at the moment. Possibly because himself planted them for me under my supervision 😂 One of them is planted with ‘Ballerina’ which I think is a ‘lily’ tulip and ‘Ballerina’ are supposedly in this perennial group. I think that I will take them out though later and plant them out in the garden later just in case. I love your black and bamboo construction with the port hole. Hope that you are enjoying spring in your beautiful part of the country.
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Thank you Anna. I am sorry that I don’t comment on your blog, with the end of google+ I have found it difficult to comment on blogspot .
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I have heard similar things about Darwin tulips too, Brian, which is why I planted several varieties in the shrub border – but they didn’t return until a few reappeared this year – a few years later! As Jude has said in a recent post we need to work out what works best for us. Lovely to see what is happening in your garden this spring
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That is right Cathy, different types of soil must
Influence things.
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