Border tulips

RHS Genus Guide

Border tulips provide a myriad of colour and flower shapes which light up the spring garden. Use them to fill borders and containers, or plant en masse in bedding schemes alongside forget-me-nots (Myosotis), or wallflowers (Erysimum).

Botanical name: Tulipa

Common name: Tulip

RHS / Tim Sandall

Appearance

Upright stems, clasped by strap-like leaves, are topped with large bowl-shaped flowers in white, pink, orange, red, yellow or purple-blue. Different flower shapes add to this diversity, with double, fringed, lily, parrot and viridiflora forms.

Preferences

Border tulips grow best on well-drained soils in a bright sunny position. They also grow well in containers of free-draining compost.

Dislikes

Tulips will not grow well on very dry soils, or those that are excessively wet. They also dislike shaded sites.

Did you know?

Border tulips normally only flower well in their first year. For this reason they are often treated like bedding and removed after flowering. Some varieties will persist for longer if lifted and dried.

RHS Growing Guide