Tulipa kaufmanniana Rainbow Mix

This Rainbow mixture of botanical kaufmanniana Tulips will create a spectacle in the garden from the early days of spring. Bulbs emerge from short stems that bear colourful and varied corollas in a palette of red, pink, orange, salmon, yellow, and white tones. They belong to a group of hybrids derived from a very resistant botanical species also known as the Water Lily Tulip. These are hardy bulbous plants that naturalise easily in the garden, and reliably flower year after year. They thrive in well-drained, moist soil in winter and spring, in the sun until May-June, and go dormant in dry soil in summer.

In the mountains of Central Asia, from Turkestan to the borders of Kazakhstan, the humble Kaufmann's Tulip spreads in large carpets on dry and rocky meadows. This species is the origin of many hybrids and cultivars with vibrant colours. The bulb is round, covered with a brown tunic, and measures about 3 cm (1in) in diameter. In spring, the plant forms a small clump composed of 2 to 5 lanceolate leaves, often marbled with brown-red, measuring 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10in) in length. The floral stem, 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8in) tall, bears, in March, a flower with 6 pointed petals, measuring 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, which opens wide in the sun, almost flat. At this moment, it resembles more a water lily than a tulip. The corolla closes when the sun hides. The foliage dries some time after flowering, marking the entry into dormancy of the bulb.

Kaufmann's tulips are very hardy and reliable plants. They prefer cold and humid winters and love dry summers. They are excellent tulips to naturalise in a short grass meadow: they flower early and their foliage dries quite quickly. So, you just have to wait a little before the first mowing and avoid watering the lawn in summer: a small gesture for both the wallet and the environment, which will be rewarded with a magnificent carpet of flowers from the first spring days. Grape Hyacinths, Spring Crocuses, and violets can also liven up this stretch of grass from the end of winter. Water Lily Tulips are also used with pleasure in rock gardens or at the base of deciduous trees and shrubs with late leafing. They pair very well with Grecian Windflowers and Ipheions, which flower at roughly the same time, in March, or even earlier depending on the region. You can also place them in pots on your terrace or balcony.

Note: Each batch is unique and the proportion of colours may vary significantly from one batch to another.