Island bed Spring 2008

My tulips seem to deteriorate the second year. Do you feed yours?

These are Fab Sarah :O

Thanks Jac!

Hi 4Seasons - no, I don't feed them. I think it is alot to do with the varieties you choose. The more 'highly bred' the tulip, the less vigorous they seem to be. These ones are the bog standard type with large leaves, tall stems and big goblet flowers. I have grown this sort elsewhere in the garden too and they always come back. I have tried other sorts - the little dwarf types, the double flowered types and various other odd looking sorts and they, as you say, deteriorate after the first year - they probably do need cossetting. I don't lift my tulip bulbs. This bed is is all perennials with annuals inbetween, so at this time of year, the tulips are not in much competition with anything else, but as the leaves fade off, the other plants come up other the top of them - a nice dynamic planting! Hope this helps!