Gardeners dreaming of a dazzling spring display can start planting with more choice and sooner than ever before, as Thompson & Morgan (T&M) kicks off its biggest-ever tulip bulb dispatch season.
This year, the mail order gardening specialist has put a special spotlight on tulips, adding 40 new varieties - taking the collection up to 180 tulip types and mixes - the widest choice yet for gardeners.
© Thompson and Morgan
Elegant double and peony-type blooms appear heavily in the new selections with T&M keen to bring an air of opulence to the range, and to customers' gardens. With an increasing demand for cut flower tulips, these showy blooms all make a statement in the vase as well as the garden.
© Thompson and Morgan
Coral Ruffles
For really textured and charming spring displays 'Coral Ruffles', 'Wedding Dream', 'Coventry' and 'Strawberry Cream' should be high on everyone's planting list. Each of these peony-type blooms offer treble the petal power, providing intense colour displays that demand attention.
© Thompson and Morgan
Wedding Dream
If classic shapes in new colours catch your eye, turn to the likes of new 'Flaming Spring Green' with its fresh, two-tone, pointed petals, 'Dafeng' for its traditional cup shape in fiery shades, or 'Sinfonie' for its tall sturdy stems and soft, romantic, white-pink blooms.
© Thompson and MorganFlaminbg Spring Green
These are just several of many new tulip launches for autumn, which T&M Purchasing Director, Vicky Ager says have been driven by a run of revived interest for these hard working, easy to care for bulbs: "Tulips are a customer favourite and we've seen increased demand for several years. Being a seasonal bulb there's the freedom to experiment every year with something new, be it colour, shape or planting style. We're catering for that with our widest offering yet."
© Thompson and MorganDafeng
Last year, T&M dispatched more than 4 million tulip bulbs, filling gardens nationwide with vibrant spring colour. Now, with tulips available again for immediate despatch in August, T&M shoppers can get the best varieties and quality first - and get a head start on planting.
Why plant early?
Planting tulip bulbs in late summer allows them to establish strong root systems before the soil cools, giving them the best start for a stunning spring display. T&M trials showed that early planting often led to sturdier plants and, in some cases, earlier flowering.
T&M Nursery Manager, Kris Collins, explains: "We've been trialling all our tulip bulbs in recent years. Planting in staggered batches through late summer to late autumn showed that early planting led to stronger plants, better blooms and often earlier flowering."
From bold, show-stopping varieties to soft pastels perfect for naturalistic planting, the new range has something for every taste and style. T&M is encouraging customers to order early to secure their favourite varieties for autumn planting — and to enjoy the benefits of getting bulbs into the ground ahead of the season.
