WE all know what tulips look like – the goblet-shaped flowers on upright stems are instantly recognisable, and the range of colours is amazing!
OK, so perhaps there’s no ‘true blue’ in the tulip’s colour palette, but there’s everything else, from white to black and every tone between. There are also pretty feathered and patterned types that drove 18th century fanatics to great wealth, or bankruptcy, as the bubble inflated and then burst.
These classic tulips are simple and stately, with single flowers like wine glasses, and they are divided into five main groups.
Early single tulips
Flowers open on relatively short and sturdy stems in late March and April. Look for: ‘Apricot Beauty’
