Lots of good info and love all the photos.

We live less than an hour from Biltmore http://www.biltmore.com/visit/...

and they have lots and lots of gardens and yes, they change their bulbs every year.

I thought they changed the bulbs just because they could - I had no idea why. They do give their discarded bulbs to their employees which is nice.

I learned a lot in your article Larry - thank you.

Loved this article Larry. I am new to species tulips just this year. Catherine (Clusianna) at Cubits introduced me to them.
I have ordered some that should be here any day now. Can't wait for next spring to see them bloom. I'll be growing them in my raised semp beds.

Thanks for your kind comments, Vicki. I envy your proximity to Biltmore. One of these years Wilma and I will make it to the East Coast to tour all those wonderful old estates.

Glad you liked the article, Lynn. Good for you for your willingness to try species tulips. I think you'll be glad you did. Please let me know how they do for you. And thank you for mentioning Catherine, by the way. She and I were looking for a source for 'Rob Vanderlinden' some time ago, and I just found one recently.

Thank you so much for a very informative article. I've done volunteer
work at a botanical garden and you are right about planting blooming
plants when the bulbs stopped blooming.
But I didn't learn a lot about raising tulips. I did bring home dozens of
dug up and discarded bulbs some of which bloomed and many of which
did not. Somewhere along the line I managed to accidentally get a few
species bulbs. They have multiplied wonderfully even tho my care of them
may not have been the best.

Your article is perfect timing for me Larry. It's been so long since I planted tulips I'd just about forgotten everything and your article reminded me.

I have 93 bulbs waiting to be planted (there were 100 but I gave my best friend 7 for her birthday)

What a wonderful friend you are Margaret

Thank you Vic she also got some hyacinths and crocus and will get a rose bush she wants in the spring.

Thanks for your kind comments, leaflady and Margaret. Glad you enjoyed the article.

Margaret, I think I'm going to move to Delta and become one of your friends!

Larry you come right ahead there's plenty of room in the neighborhood. I tend to be generous with my friends and family like that.

I just bought some bulbs on the hopes of planting some in planters, which can be placed in a sunny spot. I don't have much sun to speak of so have to be prepared to try a spot or two. I have two huge trees which overlap most of my planting area. When they are fully leafed out the sun is nil.

Spring could be OK with the leaves just emerging.

Thanks for this great article.

Those huge trees won't be any problem at all for spring-flowering bulbs! Crocuses & Daffs are even earlier than tulips, but Alliums are the only things I can think of that might flower so late in the season that shade could be an issue for them.. and any of them will flower the first year, sun is just a factor for letting the leaves replenish the bulb for the following year.

Thanks, I have bought a couple of types and will see what happens

Thanks for your suggestions. Now if I can just stay away from Mike's coop. I tend to do things in a huge way once I get started on something.

And I just do not have room for 50 bulbs. Have been reading up on the bulb forum to try to see what I need to do. Mesh bags are the next thing on my list

as I have little critters who like to stop by my in ground plantings for lunch.

Marilyn, I just read recently that chicken grit works just as well as plastic or wire mesh. I'm going to give that a try this fall, IF I can find someone who sells chicken grit. Perhaps a farm supply store.

You mean the grit will deter the rabbits and bunnies from eating my stuff.

I can get more chicken grit at the farm supply store not too far from me.

I bought a bunch this spring to use as top dressing on my succulent garden.

Chili powder and /or cayenne powder down in the hole and on the bulbs will discourage
critters. Peat moss on top of plantings helps too.
Don't put the chili or cayenne on top as the critters can then get it in their eyes etc.
They just have to smell it. They don't like digging in peat.
Also planting daffodil or allium with the tulip bulbs helps as they eat tulip bulbs ,but not the daffodils or alliums.