Monday 19 November 2012

Ebony And Ivory

I saw a gorgeous tulip display at RHS Harlow Carr when I visited last spring. There were some really dark coloured tulips in a container with cream ones and they looked really good together, so I wanted to replicate the display on a smaller scale. I've managed to find the darker ones but haven't come across any cream ones in the places I've looked. I did find these bulbs in Wilkinson's yesterday though, Tulips Single Late Queen of Night and Anemone White. They're sold together to be planted together to create an Ebony and Ivory display. Wilkinson's were selling off their bulbs at buy one get one free, so I bought two packs of the same which will give me twenty bulbs of each variety, enough for a good display. I think the tulips and anemones will look good together, something a little different.

The days are noticably cooler just lately and there isn't much flowering in the garden now. The only things hanging on are the pelargoniums, a primrose and a geranium. I really want to try and get more interest in the garden next year, things which will continue to bloom until the first frosts and extend the flowering season.

We haven't managed to get anything done in the garden or at the allotment this weekend owing to other commitments, though I doubt the digging would have got done anyway. We had rain overnight on Friday, which I'm sure will have left the plot waterlogged. It's getting rather late in the year now so I think some of the digging will be left for spring. I'm pleased that we did at least manage to get some of the plot dug over a few weeks back as there's always so many other things to be doing at the start of the year, it's always busy, so every little bit that can be done now will certainly help.

18 comments:

  1. I was looking for white tulips this year for my white and blue border and couldn't find what I wanted in the nurseries - I ended up buying some online. It made it all the more complicated as I wanted lily shaped flowers.

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    1. I've left it till the last minute, as usual, otherwise I'd have probably had more luck online. At least we have that option these days.

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  2. They'll be beautiful. I love the black and white combinations. I grew Queen of the Night and White Triumphator tulips for a couple of years and they looked great together.

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    1. I saw this combination at Harlow Carr and it looked stunning, I've remembered it ever since. I think the anemones will add something a little different to the display.

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  3. That looks be to be a really nice combination! It's certainly now more an armchair gardening time of year although we may be lucky and get a few days when we can still do some plotting. Flighty xx

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    1. I hope it looks good when they bloom. It would be good to get a few more gardening days in this year, though the wet ground is making it near on impossible to get much done.

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  4. Funnily enough I was in Wilkos this morning eying up the 3 for 2 bulb offers Jo. I did not see your combination though which looks most eye catching. Be sure to show us your container come spring :)

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    1. Your Wilkos must be behind our's in reducing their bulbs. It was 3 for 2 last week but they're now buy one get one free. I'll definitely be showing off all my bulb displays come spring.

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  5. I love your colour combination. I planted orange ballerina tulips with black parrot tulips. The dark colours can get lost sometimes unless you have something bright to lift them.

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    1. That combination sounds stunning, I bet it looked fantastic. I never thought of an orange tulip to compliment the darker colour but I'm sure it works really well.

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  6. White Triumphator is a great white lily-flowered tulip. Maureen is a similar shape/height to Queen of the Night, but it can tend to flower a little later (mid-May).

    Like The Cookie Jar, I use black and orange and mix in a little strong pink to really hot it up. It sounds terrible, but it looks amazing at that time of year!

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    1. Triumphator is one of the ones that I've planted.

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    2. I've just looked those up and I like Maureen very much, I shall have to make my choices earlier next year so that I can source the ones I actually want. I can see the strong pink working, I bet it's a really zingy display.

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    3. Triumphator will work well in your blue and white border, I'm pleased you managed to find one with the shape you wanted as well as the colour.

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  7. I can't believe your wilkos still have bulbs in. Ours took away the gardening isle for Christmas last month.. :-(

    I think the bulbs will look great when in flower...looking forward to seeing the photos of them.

    I still have some digging to get done but I am remaining optimistic the the weather is going to cooperate!!

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    1. Our Wilkos is quite large, perhaps that's why they're still allocating space to bulbs. The weather isn't too good here today, the rain hasn't let up all morning.

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  8. Those tulip packs look like a good find and the price is good too. Hope they do well. I really need to plant some extra tulips this year (on my to do list).

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    1. They should make a nice display. It's just a matter of time now until we're all showcasing bulbs on our blogs.

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