Tulip Time
The fabulous tulip has its origins in Central Asia. It grew in mountainous coastal regions where there are freezing winters and hot dry summers.
In the 16th century the Dutch took the tulip to Europe and it became an absolute sensation. The era was known as tulip mania and Europeans have never been the same since.
Tulips are seen as exotics in Australia and because all our major cities are near the coast this moderate our winter temperatures. We often need to put the dormant bulbs in the fridge in autumn to simulate the cold of an Afghan or Turkish winter in order to get great flowering.
Dutch breeders have taken what was once a fairly simple flower and turned it into an international cut flower and a garden superstar. The best visual effect comes from mass planting as you can find in every state this time of year.
The Araluen Botanical Park is located in the foothills just outside of Perth and the display of tulips is just spectacular. In spring time, such displays can be seen all around Australia and they really are something. There is nothing better than experiencing the vivid colours in person.
A tip for growing tulips at home is to remember that flowering time is also feeding time so its really important to give them a good all round fertiliser. You can use specialised bulb food but you can also use something like Dynamic Lifter All Purpose.
Dynamic Lifter is a really good plant food, just sprinkle it around the base and the tulips take all the energy and store it down in the bulb. This means that next spring the flowering is going to be even better.
When the tulips are in flower it's a great idea to cut the flowers off and put them in a vase inside the house, but don't be tempted to cut the foliage off when picking the flowers. It continues to grow for many weeks after flowering pushing goodies into the storage bulb for next year.
One problem with tulips is snails and slugs that can eat the leaves and also the flowers so you have to use snail pellets to control them. Get something like Baysol, it is very effective, good in the weather and it also contains a pet repellent.
The tulip flowering season is very short so make sure you get out and enjoy them while you can!
Tulip Facts
- It can take a tulip breeder up to 25 years to bring a new variegated variety to the market.
- Commercial growers world wide produce 9 billion bulbs every year. That is 2 bulbs for every person on the planet. Of these, 90% are produced in Holland.
Featured Products
Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food:
- This is a versatile feed for all garden, potted and Australian native plants.
- Slow release nutrients improving structure and retention of the soil.
- It also encourages earthworms and is beneficial to soil micro-organisms
Bayer Advanced Garden Baysol Snail and Slug Bait
- Very effective and economical
- one pellet can control up to 30 snails.
- Contains a bittering agent to help prevent accidental consumption by children and pets.
- Blue pellet colour is not attractive to birds.
- Biodegradable.
- Easy to apply straight from the pack.
Araluen Botanical Park
Araluen is located in the Darling Range, 35 kms south east of Perth.
362 Croyden Road Roleystone WA 6111
Tel: (08) 9496 1171
Fax: (08) 9496 1081
Email: info@araluenbotanicpark.com.au
In the 16th century the Dutch took the tulip to Europe and it became an absolute sensation. The era was known as tulip mania and Europeans have never been the same since.
Tulips are seen as exotics in Australia and because all our major cities are near the coast this moderate our winter temperatures. We often need to put the dormant bulbs in the fridge in autumn to simulate the cold of an Afghan or Turkish winter in order to get great flowering.
Dutch breeders have taken what was once a fairly simple flower and turned it into an international cut flower and a garden superstar. The best visual effect comes from mass planting as you can find in every state this time of year.
The Araluen Botanical Park is located in the foothills just outside of Perth and the display of tulips is just spectacular. In spring time, such displays can be seen all around Australia and they really are something. There is nothing better than experiencing the vivid colours in person.
A tip for growing tulips at home is to remember that flowering time is also feeding time so its really important to give them a good all round fertiliser. You can use specialised bulb food but you can also use something like Dynamic Lifter All Purpose.
Dynamic Lifter is a really good plant food, just sprinkle it around the base and the tulips take all the energy and store it down in the bulb. This means that next spring the flowering is going to be even better.
When the tulips are in flower it's a great idea to cut the flowers off and put them in a vase inside the house, but don't be tempted to cut the foliage off when picking the flowers. It continues to grow for many weeks after flowering pushing goodies into the storage bulb for next year.
One problem with tulips is snails and slugs that can eat the leaves and also the flowers so you have to use snail pellets to control them. Get something like Baysol, it is very effective, good in the weather and it also contains a pet repellent.
The tulip flowering season is very short so make sure you get out and enjoy them while you can!
Tulip Facts
- It can take a tulip breeder up to 25 years to bring a new variegated variety to the market.
- Commercial growers world wide produce 9 billion bulbs every year. That is 2 bulbs for every person on the planet. Of these, 90% are produced in Holland.
Featured Products
Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food:
- This is a versatile feed for all garden, potted and Australian native plants.
- Slow release nutrients improving structure and retention of the soil.
- It also encourages earthworms and is beneficial to soil micro-organisms
Bayer Advanced Garden Baysol Snail and Slug Bait
- Very effective and economical
- one pellet can control up to 30 snails.
- Contains a bittering agent to help prevent accidental consumption by children and pets.
- Blue pellet colour is not attractive to birds.
- Biodegradable.
- Easy to apply straight from the pack.
Araluen Botanical Park
Araluen is located in the Darling Range, 35 kms south east of Perth.
362 Croyden Road Roleystone WA 6111
Tel: (08) 9496 1171
Fax: (08) 9496 1081
Email: info@araluenbotanicpark.com.au
AS SEEN ON 
