Tulips In Spring

They’re the welcome burst of colour in the Spring before the garden really gets going. And with such variety, that ordering the bulbs in October gets more involved with every year. What started out as a display of 13,000 bulbs back in 2013 has rapidly grown to over 30,000, a choice between tall and elegant uprights, blousy and peony like blooms, feathery fringed edging, glowing goblets and of the crimped and ruffled sort. The list is endless, the colours too.

This season’s selection includes; ‘Merlot’ and ‘Ballerina’ in the the kitchen garden, ‘Apeldoorn,’ ’Beauty of Spring’ and ‘Ad rem’ either side of the pathway as you walk towards the Abbey, ‘Recreado’ up on the Mount interplanted with ‘Claudia, ‘Pleasure,’ ‘Elegant lady’ and ‘Mistress.’ Elsewhere there’s swathes of ‘Harmony of purples,’ and a pick-and-mix combination of colours including; ‘Candy club,’ ‘Night club,’ Weisse Berliner,’ Red Georgette’ and ‘Flaming parrot’ – the rhubarb and custard candy striped of tulips.

New for 2018, there’s also a tulip walk, two interconnecting swirls with ‘Asahi’ and ‘Havran’ tulips planted either side of the pathway. Later on in the year, the tulips will give way to wild flowers, a flower-filled wander spanning the seasons, with the perfect ‘viewing’ bench in situ by Sitting Spiritually.

Later in May, the tulips will be lifted in the borders and replaced with dahlias, herbaceous perennials filling in the gaps. It’s a labour intensive exercise and only possible with the unflinching enthusiasm and work ethic of the garden team ,who will no doubt be mindful that come November, there’ll be the job once again of planting the bulbs  – individually dug holes for each and every one of them.

Do come and join us on instagram, as we’ll be posting snippets of the everyday, and with as many tulips in frame this May as possible.