A colourful winter: 5 reasons we love Tulip bulbs

Fresh Tulips in red, white, pink, and yellow brighten up South African homes during the winter months. They are a cheerful sight when it’s looking a bit gloomy out, and thrive both indoors and outdoors. In a word, Tulips are gorgeous – we all know this to be true. So, need we give you more reason to love Tulip bulbs? We’re pretty sure you’re shaking your head, but we’ll do it anyway. Here are our top five reasons for loving these winter wonders.

1. Tulip bulbs are easy to grow 

Tulips are the no-fuss, ready-to-plant type of bulb. But they do need proper treatment and care. If you’re keen to plant your own Tulip bulbs, follow our planting tips below for healthy growth:

• Wait until the temperatures have dropped before planting, ideally in May or June. Tulips are hardy plants, and prefer the cold of winter. A drop in temperature stimulates Tulip root growth, and a subsequent rise in temperature (Spring) causes the flowers to bloom. 
• Find a spot for them in your garden that receives full morning sun and is in shade in the afternoon. If planting them in a pot, leave the pot in a shaded, dark spot until the leaves begin to show. Then move the pot into a place that receives morning sun. 
• Getting ready to plant: Tulips love moist environments, yet also require good drainage. So, add a mixture of sand and compost to your Tulip spot to create the ideal Tulip-growing environment.
• Dig holes and plant the Tulip bulbs with the pointed ends facing upwards, then cover them with about 5cm soil, followed by 2cm compost mulch. 
• Water the bulbs thoroughly, and repeat every three to four days to make sure the roots don’t dry out. 

2. Tulip flowers come in many colours

Tulip blooms come in many colours, ranging from the classic red to dark shades of purple and even black. Their vast range of colours makes them a versatile plant, fitting in seamlessly with pretty much any garden or home colour palette. Tulips of different colours can be paired to create stunning arrangements – a couple of our favourite combinations are pink, purple and orange, and yellow, orange and white.

3. Tulips are allergy-friendly

Due to their low pollen count, Tulips are among the most allergy-friendly flowers in the world. So if you get a sniffly nose around flowers like jasmine and daisies, rest assured you won’t need to whip out the tissues to enjoy these!

4. Tulips work well in flower bouquets

Tulip flowers pair excellently with other winter bloomers like freesias. So if you’re keen to cut flowers from your garden, later on, and arrange them in vases with other seasonal varieties, Tulips are the perfect bulb for the job. Explore our list of flowers that pair well with Tulips below for some arrangement inspiration:

• Tulips and Freesias
• Tulips, Hydrangeas and Ranunculi
• Tulips, Peonies and Geraniums
• Tulips and Poppies

5. Tulip flowers have different meanings

Did you know each Tulip colour has a different meaning? It’s true – there’s a beautiful association for each one. Read up about the different colour meanings below to make your Tulip bouquet gifts that much more special: 

• Red Tulips symbolise true love. 
• White Tulips symbolise forgiveness.
• Yellow Tulips symbolise cheerfulness and friendship.
• Pink Tulips symbolise care and attachment.
• Orange Tulips symbolise happiness.
• Purple Tulips symbolise royalty.
• Black Tulips symbolise power and strength.

Let’s plant some Tulip bulbs, together

If you’re keen to plant some Tulip bulbs of your own, head over to our online store to explore the varieties and flower care products we have available. And if you have any questions about growing your Tulips, send us a message and we’ll be in touch.