TULIPS are the perfect way to fill your garden with joy come spring time, so the fact they symbolise ‘deep or perfect love’ is rather fitting.
Originating from Kazakhstan around 10 million years ago, they were taken over to Turkey and planted in the richest folk’s gardens – and immediately became a mark of wealth and power.
In fact, their name actually comes from the Turkish word for ‘turban’ because of their similarity to the headwear.
And ever since they spread throughout the world thanks to trade routes like the Ottoman Empire – and started ‘tulip mania’ in The Netherlands in the 17th century – they’ve been bringing joy to our outside spaces.
November is the best time to start thinking about getting them in the ground – because the bulbs prefer colder weather and there’s less chance of disease.
The RHS is currently planting 150,000 across their five main gardens – with Wisley in Surrey alone seeing more than 100,000.
Their new display will take shape in front of their Old Laboratory Building, creating carpets of colour along the banks of the Jellicoe Canal that they claim has never been seen before.
Rob Brett, Curator RHS Garden Wisley said: “We wanted to create an unforgettable display, a true celebration of spring for our visitors to enjoy and this rare opportunity to see a mass planting of tulips on this scale in front of our iconic Old Lab is the result of that vision.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors to the garden in April to experience the display in full bloom.”
So to get you growing Rob’s got some top tulip tips.
AVOID WET SOIL
If you have a heavy soil nestle the bulb into a small amount of grit placed in the bottom of the planting hole. Tulips dislike sitting in wet conditions, and this will help prevent rot.
PROTECT FROM WILDLIFE
Squirrels, rats, mice and badgers enjoy tulip bulbs. Use a layer of chicken wire on top of the soil, disguising with ornamental grit if desired.
PLANTING DEPTH
Plant bulbs 2 – 3 times the height of the bulb with the pointed end of the bulb facing upwards.
A depth of 10cm depth is sufficient. Use a bulb planter or bulb planting trowel with depth markers for ease.
Sun Gardening have found a Wilkinson Sword bulb planter for just £3.99 at Wilko.
TIMING MATTERS
Plant tulips in the ground when the soil has cooled, ideally from November onwards.
This helps prevent tulip fire a fungal disease which thrives in mild, humid conditions. If tulip fire occurs plant in a different location the following year.
USE COMBINATIONS
There are 15 recognised divisions of tulips and many flower at different times, and with different heights and forms.
Combine short single early tulips with tall single late tulips, incorporate unique shapes like fringed, parrot or lily-flowered tulips and even including the striking foliage patterns of the Greigii types to enhance your display and extend the season of interest.
The RHS run Tulip Trials every year to identify, celebrate, and recommend the most reliable, beautiful,and garden-worthy tulip cultivars for UK conditions.
Each trial takes place at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, where dozens of cultivars are planted side by side under identical conditions.
Bulbs are planted in autumn in well- drained, sunny beds, and carefully labelled to ensure fair comparison.
The plants are then assessed throughout spring, as they grow, flower, and fade.
A panel of expert judges evaluates each variety for flower quality, colour, form, stem strength, uniformity, disease resistance, and garden performance.
This year’s winners top tulips include ‘Amazing Grace,’ ‘Amazing Parrot,’ ‘Black Hero’ ‘Cabanna’ ‘Campbell’ ‘Caribbean Parrot’ ‘Canyon’ ‘Crown of Dynasty’ ‘Dee Jay Parrot’ ‘Flaming Parrot’ ‘Lilac Perfection’ ‘Red Dress’ and ‘Rasta Parrot’
For more on the trials visit www.rhs.org
Also in Veronica’s Column this week…
Gardening news, top tips, and a RHS bulb bundle competiton
For more gardening content, follow me @biros_and_bloom
NEWS! Anya Lautenbach, also known on social media as @anya_thegarden_fairy has joined the National Garden Scheme as their newest ambassador.
The best selling author, who we’ve featured previously in Sun Gardening, joins other ambassadors like Rachel De Thame, Joe Swift and Jo Whiley, to promote the charity.
The National Garden scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,300 private gardens in England , Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Island – while raising money for nursing nad health charities through admissiions, teas and cake. For more information visit www.ngs.org.uk
NEWS! It’s that time of year again! Great Comp Garden in Kent will host a series of festive events throughout November and December, inviting visitors to enjoy a hands-on and creative celebration of the season. The programme includes both dried and fresh wreath-making workshops, as well as a week of Christmas Afternoon Teas in the garden’s tearoom.
NEWS! Garden care company STIGA has been appointed
Official Groundskeeping Partner of England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) supporting both men’s and women’s teams, as well as
grassroots rugby clubs nationwide. This means they’ll be donating a variety of mowers to clubs up and down the country to keep their pitches up to scratch.
WIN! Get planting with a £15 RHS 30-Bulb Bundle from the RHS. We have FOURTEEN to give away of the ‘Kapiteyn Cottage Garden Collection’ including 10 x Tulipa ‘Finola’ , 5x Tulipa ‘Graceland’, 10 x Tulipa ‘Queen of the Night’ and 5 x Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/RHSBULBCOMP or write to Sun Gardening RHS Bulb Competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. November 22, 2025. T&Cs apply
PLANT OF THE WEEK! Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’ – another Perennial still boldly flowering in November in the right climate – with stunning purple pink flowers and burgundy sepals, which contrast really well with garden greens. Be careful in proper winter – I lost mine to frost.
JOB OF THE WEEK! You’ll need to stake brussel sprouts if you’re growing them for Christmas – and net your brassicas. After the first frost – lift Dahlias, and pick up any rose leaves showing black spot – don’t compost them.
