Tulips are one of the bulbs that we automatically associate with spring. The recognisable flower shape and often intense colouring provide a vibrant display. They are a loud, proud reminder that winter is over.

Mid spring flowering

* Tulip ‘Prinses Irene’: the single flowers are reddish orange and lighter at the tips of the rounded petals, with directional dark red markings. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which is for plants of outstanding excellence.

* T.‘Yokohama’: a spring-bright, sunshine-yellow tulip, with single blooms and slightly pointed petals.

* T.‘Oranje Nassau’: an open flower with a soft, wavy edge

* T.‘Purissima’: this white, smooth-cupped flower is one of the Fosteriana group of tulips. This easy-to-grow variety has been given the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Late spring

* T.‘ White Dream’: a pure white, cup-shaped, single flowering variety. * T.‘Don Quichotte’: single, cyclamen-pink flowers with grey-green leaves. Very long-lasting flowers both as bedding and when cut. * T.‘Maytime’: this rich crimson, lily-flowered tulip has elegant, tapered petals, which open out slightly. This is a particularly sturdy variety, despite its delicate appearance, and can be planted out for permanent, formal displays or in containers. * T.‘Dreamland’: this rose-red, single-flowering variety has paler, greenish-white colouring at the base of the petals.

Early summer

* T.‘Queen of Night’: with its dark maroon colouring bringing out the satiny sheen of the petals, this is one of the darkest tulip varieties and makes a dramatic display in May.

Colourful foliage

* T.‘Red Riding Hood’: the leaves are broad and streaked with maroon marbled markings. The flowers are large, cup-shaped blooms, brilliant pillar-box red in colour and appear in early April. This is a Gregii-type tulip, renowned for being particularly robust. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious AGM.

* T.‘Unicum’: the cream-edged foliage offsets the brilliant splash of the vivid red blooms which appear in early April. This variety is a dwarf tulip, suitable for rock gardens.

* T.‘Dream Boat’: the orangey blooms are tinted with red and the leaves are blue-grey and delicately marked with reddish flecks. A dwarf variety growing to 20cm (8in), this will suit borders or containers. Double-flowered varieties

* T.‘Angélique’: with bowl-shaped open, double flowers in late spring, the pale pink, frothy flowers resemble peonies, streaked with paler yellow and green markings.

* T.‘Peach Blossom’: the flowers are silvery pink flushed with a deeper pink and appear in mid-April. This is a popular choice for spring bedding, but the bulbs are usually dug up in summer.

Usual blooms

* T.‘Estella Rijnveld’: parrot tulips are blowsy blooms, in rich colours with shaggy, frilled, wavy petals. They make for an extravagant display, particularly when planted en masse. This particular variety has red flowers with white splashes.

* T.turkestanica: this is a very early-flowering variety, with the star-shaped blooms appearing between late February and early March. The flowers are white with bright yellow centres and are very fragrant. It is a vigorous species tulip native to central Asia and thrives in a hot, sunny rock garden or naturalised in a gravel bed.

* T.acuminata: this is a distinctive species, with very fine, narrow petals that look almost torn. They are red at the tips and pale yellow at the base. They suit alpine displays or rock gardens.

* T. clusiana: also known as the Lady Tulip, this diminutive bulb flowers in mid-spring. The blooms comprise petals that are white with white and deep pink striped petals on the outside.

Growing Tips

The botanical origins of tulips point to the growing requirements of the bulbs. Although traditionally associated with the Netherlands, tulips originate from Turkey and western and central Europe. The bulbs grow best in fertile, sandy soil in a sunny, open location and should be protected from excessive moisture and strong winds.

Traditionally it was always said that bulbs should be planted in the autumn, before the first frosts. Nowadays, however, many disregard this rule. Chris Blom, of Blom’s Bulbs, whose family has been growing tulips since 1910, says: “Tulips don’t like to be planted too early.” He has planted bulbs as late as January, but would recommend planting up until the end of November, adding that tulips need cold weather to root.

If you are growing tulips in containers, Chris warns: “Don’t forget to water during early spring when you might get dry, warm weather, otherwise the bulbs will dry out.”

After flowering, most tulip varieties benefit from being lifted and stored in a dry place until the following autumn. Other varieties, particularly the Kaufmanniana hybrids and the species tulips, can be left in the ground and may spread to colonise an area.

* plant bulbs 10cm (4in) deep and 10cm (4in) apart

* water bulbs when the buds are rising to encourage large blooms and taller stems

* top-dress bulbs in autumn after planting

* for long-term tulip displays, wait until the foliage has died off before cutting back

* beware of slugs - they love tulips!

Tulip grey bulb rot

Symptoms: bulbs fail to emerge above ground, or produce severely distorted shoots which then wither and die off. Below ground, the bulbs turn grey and dry as they rot away to leave only the roots and basal plate.

Cause: the fungus Rhizoctonia tuliparum, which attacks many different types of bulbs as well as tulips.

Cure: remove and burn infected plants and the surrounding soil. Do not plant other bulbs in the same spot for at least five years.

Tulip fire

Symptoms: withered, distorted foliage with pale coloured flecks or a scorched appearance. A fuzzy mould will follow. Plants will often fail to mature or flower. If flowers do open, petals will show bleached spots and flower stems will be weak and prone to collapse. The bulbs may also rot or show signs of fungal sclerotia.

Cause: the fungus Botrytis tulipae. This overwinters in the soil on infected bulbs. Spread by air or water splash.

Control: remove affected foliage immediately and dispose of severely infected plants and the surrounding soil. Do not plant tulips in the same area for more than two years in a row to discourage the build up of any disease. If the disease has been identified, do not plant tulips for at least three years.

Plant late to discourage the disease from developing. Lift bulbs at the end of the season and dust with antifungal sulphure or dip in carbendazim.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

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