Tulips were failures for me as well until I planted parrot tulips. The earlier blooming ones were always destroyed by our late snows, the parrot tulips come up a bit slower and bloom later, were blooming here the 3rd and 4th week of May ending when the very first peony blooms were opening. They are a bit flamboyant, probably not for everyone, but I love them! The only ones I've had to replace are the ones the deer accidentally pull up when trying to eat off the tops, stick them right back in the hole they came out of and they seem to do fine, increase every year. If I can get myself organized I'll spread Milorganite on the beds next year, deer seem to hate it.
