my tulips are mental - loads of doubles and 3 triples!

[LaurieFairyCake]

That's fab!

Has anyone had a 4 headed tulip?

[shovetheholly]

Some varieties are specially bred to do this - helps the cut flower industry!

Or are you saying that you have single-stem varieties that have suddenly gone multi-stemmed? If so, you may accidentally have got a very valuable genetic mutation!

[bigboypants]

Excuse the horribly painted concrete, not my doing and the untidy hose. This is one of mine, the pack never said these would produce multiples and I never knew they existed. I'm clearly still pretty clueless in the garden.

[shovetheholly]

People say they look lovely in pots, and now I can see why!!

I'm learning about tulips too. There are just SO many kinds. I actually don't like many of those that others enjoy (the fringed, double ones are just too much for me), but I'm finding loads to love in species tulips. And not just because you don't have to lift and fuss them like the larger ones! I put some 'lilac wonder' in my garden last autumn, and they look really good now! I'm hoping they spread and give me a big old carpet of early May pink in future years.

[bigboypants]

I only potted mine this year because the soil really needs work before anything goes into the ground and I just can't get my head around where to start. I've seen the fringed tulips but I really don't like them, I love tulips for their uncomplicated and tidy shape. I like to think it's a confident flower that doesn't need to be showy to be beautiful.

I have marked out the borders but haven't worked out what I actually want to put in. I bunged things in that were in the clearance sections last year after making huge gaps getting rid of all the overgrown weeds in my excitement at finally having a garden and will probably have to fix it all later as it's all looking really higgledy-piggledy, and not in a stylish accidently-on purpose way! It was only temporary gap-filling anyway until I get it together to work it all through properly. I think the front garden will be my showy garden, I'd love a carpet of tulips, that sounds fab.

[shovetheholly]

I find I'm always having to move things. Something grows too big, needs dividing, isn't quite in the right place any more! I think it's just the nature of the beast with gardening. Clearance plants have often had a rough ride, so if you got them through, you definitely have green fingers!

Picture of my Lilac Wonder tulips, just because it's sunny!

[LaurieFairyCake]

bigboypants - that's a 4 - fabulous!

My triples are single headed variety (Angelique)

I've also got some amazing Sarah raven mix beauties in a vase

Can't believe how good the tulips have been

[shovetheholly]

Those are both truly stunning, laurie. Angelique must surely be one of the most romantic tulips of all!

I LOVE the colour of your outbuilding too!

[LaurieFairyCake]

This the teeny shed at my allotment - it's like a beach hut size

[shovetheholly]

It's GORGEOUS! I do like your owl bunting.