Ruffled Tulips

Ruffled or Parrot Tulips are the most unusual - some might say the most bizarre - of all Tulips. Not only are their flowers crammed with masses of large frilly petals, they have stripes too. Each flower, each petal, is unique.

Already popular with flower arrangers and artists, they are also soaring in popularity as garden plants. As such, they are versatile, looking great whether planted in drifts, in pots or in borders. With some 120 varieties, there are plenty of parrot tulips to choose from.

Where to Buy Tulip Flowers
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Where to buy Ruffled Tulip Bulbs

The Ruffled Tulips 'Black Parrot', 'Blue Parrot', 'Fantasy', 'Flaming', 'Rococo', and 'White Parrot' can all be bought at Blooming Bulb.

Plant the nearly black Tulip 'Black Parrot' with the nearly black satiny 'Tulip Queen of the Night' next to the beautiful Silver Spear (Astelia chathamica) a stunning silver grass, which will also help to hide Tulips' ugly dying foliate after flowering.

Other striking but distinctive companions include Forget-me-nots (Brunnera macrophylia) and Tangerine Poppies (Papaver rupifragum), which should briefly mingle with the black tulip flowers in late summer.

Red Parrot Tulips such as Tulip parrot 'Red Parrot', and Tulip Rococo will add early impact to a flowering meadow, contrasting well with green grass and extending the meadows flowering season.

Tulip 'Snow Parrot' will add luxury and texture to a white border, and Tulip 'Weber's Parrot' a touch of pastel pink too. To add texture try the brand new Darwin Hybrid Tulip, Tulip Hakuun, which is pure white, and which flowers around the same time.

Although Parrot Tulips look like the broken virus-ridden tulips of 17th century tulipmania, they are in fact disease free. Their chintzy old world appearance is actually the result of careful breeding.

That said, they can be a little more high maintenance than other tulips.

Take all the usual precautions, including:

• plant bulbs late to give disease less time to develop;
• lift bulbs if they are sitting in waterlogged soil;
• feed the bulbs in the autumn;
• wait six weeks after flowering before removing dying foliage
• protect from slugs

In addition, you could try planting the bulbs a little deeper than the recommended 4in (10cm). Colder temperatures at this depth should deter the bulb from producing baby bulbs or bulbils, which can sap the plant's energy, leaving none for producing new flowers.

Deep planting will also give these top-heavy tulips extra much needed support. At this depth, remember to use plenty of sharp grit for drainage. This method isn't much good in very waterlogged soil though as the bulbs will need to be lifted anyway.

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