A WESTERNER's GUIDE TO tulips

Sunset, Oct, 1999 by Lauren Bonar Swezey

Even mild-climate gardeners can grow tulips successfully. We show you how, and share our favorite color combinations

* As anyone who has been to Holland knows, tulips thrive best in cold-winter climates. Nature blesses the land of windmills with months of winter chill that urges the bulbs to robust growth. In spring, swaths of silky-cupped beauties splash the landscape like strokes of paint on canvas.

In mild-winter climates, though, growing tulips might seem more of a struggle; without winter chill, many kinds bloom poorly, if at all. But with a little extra care and the right varieties, even gardeners in mild-winter climates such as San Diego and Phoenix can grow them successfully every year. After all, in public gardens from British Columbia to Southern California, gorgeous displays of tulips flaunt their irresistible jewel-tone colors each spring.

how to combine tulips for a spectacular color show

One reason for growing tulips is the glorious color they present. The trick is to create harmonious combinations that bloom all at once. But how to achieve a coordinated display?

To learn the answer, we asked growers which bulbs bloom at the same time and pair well for color. Then we planted groupings of bulbs in Sunset's test gardens last fall. The photos on these pages show tulip combinations that work. if you wish to reproduce these color schemes in your own garden, select the types listed in "The Magnificent 7," at right.

Keep in mind that the colors of real flowers may differ slightly from the pictures of tulips on these pages, on box labels, or in catalogs. Colors may fade in warm weather. Unison blooming can also be thrown off by weather.

tulip planting and care

In the West, tulip planting time begins in September in the coldest climates, and in December in Southern California and the desert (to allow for the soil to cool). To get the best selection, shop at nurseries or by mail as soon as possible. Buy only top-quality bulbs.

In mild climates, chill tulips before planting. Store the bulbs in paper or netted bags - not plastic - for six to eight weeks in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Do not mix them with fruit.

IN THE GROUND

* Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. If the soil is heavy, add plenty of organic matter or plant in raised beds. In coldest climates (Sunset zones 1-6), where bulbs will live on for more than one season, mix a bulb fertilizer into the soil.

* Plant at the right depth. Follow instructions for your climate in our chart on page 84 (measure from the top of the bulb).

* Space them correctly. Set tulip bulbs 2 to 4 inches apart. Exception: When planting forget-me-nots, pansies, violas, or other flowers above the bulbs, plant the tulips 8 inches apart on center and the flowers 10 inches on center.

* Water well after planting, and often enough to keep the soil from drying out if rain doesn't come. When stems emerge from the soil, water to keep the soil moist.

* After bloom, in mild climates, pull out and discard the bulbs. In cold climates, for bloom next year, snip off spent flowers. Then fertilize with nitrogen and allow the leaves to manufacture nutrients. Cut the leaves off when they turn yellow.

IN A CONTAINER

* Plant bulbs so they're touching.

* Arrange the outermost bulbs so their flat sides are against the rim of the container (the first big leaf appears from the fiat side of a bulb and will gracefully drape over the edge of the pot).

* Cover with 2 to 4 inches of soil. Water well and monitor the soil to make sure it doesn't dry out. Set the container in shade until stems first emerge, then move the container to full sun. Water regularly after bulbs emerge.

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tulips: which class is best for your region?

* SINGLE EARLY: NW, MTN (with exceptions as noted). Large, single blooms on sturdy 12- to 18-inch-tall stems. Favorites: 'Apricot Beauty', 'Beauty Queen' (salmon and pink). Both also perform well in Northern and Southern California. Early.

* FOSTERIANA (Emperor): NW, NC, SC, MTN. The largest flowers of all varieties grow on 12- to 16-inch-tall stems. Come back reliably in colder climates. Favorites: 'Orange Emperor', 'Red Emperor'. Early.

* TRIUMPH: NW, NC, SC, MTN. Hybrids of Single Early and late-flowering tulips with large flowers on 12- to 20-inch-tall stems. Favorites: 'Douglas Baader' (light pink), 'Dreaming Maid' (lavender), and 'New Design' (pink and yellow). Midseason.

* DARWIN HYBRIDS: NW, NC, SC, D, MTN. Known for their tall (20- to 24-inch), strong stems and bright flowers. Widely adapted; the best tulips for the desert. Come back reliably in colder climates. Favorites: 'Apeldoorn' (red), 'Daydream' (apricot-orange), 'Pink Impression'. Midseason.

* FRINGED: NW, NC, SC, MTN. Petal edges are fringed. Stems grow 20 to 24 inches tall. Favorites: 'Emmy' (red and apricot), 'Fringed Elegance' (yellow), 'Swan Wings' (white). Mid- to late-season.

* DOUBLE LATE (PEONY): NW, NC, SC, MTN. Full, double flowers that look like peonies. Stems grow 14 to 20 inches tall. Favorites: 'Angelique' (pink), 'Mount Tacoma' (white). Late.