The orange lily-flowered group Tulipa Ballerina have been dancing queens yet again this year. Last year if you remember I was literally tiptoeing through these ballerina lily tulips as I was redesigning that part of the garden. Well this year those same tulips have relished the wonderful sunny days of Spring. Likewise they’ve enjoyed less tiptoeing from this gardener and hence no broken stems!
How to grow Tulipa Ballerina
As a little recap for new readers these tulip bulbs are late spring flowering. They are also perennial, and very reliable. The bulbs are scented. In fact that’s quite rare for a tulip!
I’m a bit of a lazy gardener and I don’t lift my tulip bulbs over the winter. Without fail each year some varieties of tulip decrease in number. Furthermore the Tulipa Ballerina bulbs seem to cope really well with our Perthshire winters as long as they are planted very deep. I just let them die down naturally after they have flowered. But I feed the leaves as they are dying back with a balanced liquid fertilizer for about a month.
The tulips are a very vibrant orange colour. While they have hues of cerise in the petals. However they maybe not to everyone’s colour palette. But I’m sure the late Christopher Lloyd from Great Dixter would have loved them. His books have been a great inspiration for me in regards to being brave with colour in the garden.
I can thoroughly recommend these bulbs any for UK garden. However don’t plant them in a wet or exposed location.
Photographing Flowers
Now I’m breaking all the rules of photography by shooting in the midday sun. If I had waiting until the golden hour I would have had soft shadows rather than the harsh ones in two of the above photos. It’s really best to put the camera away between 11.30 am and 4 pm on sunny days like this! Or else use ‘fill in flash’ or a skim to diffuse the light.
Gatsbys Gardens
Rosie, these are beautiful. Sorry to say my tulips are done because I only do early ones.
Eileen
debsgarden
Your tulips are wonderful, and the photo with the laburnum is truly inspirational. I have a great new camera this year, and I want to learn more about its possibilities. Thanks for the link!
Ewa
the shape of these tulip flowers is so lovely!
and your garden looks amazing 🙂
Jane
Love that second photo. We have been on a similar journey so it seems – I went to manual mode only last December having discovered the 31 days to a better photo tutorial.
Lona
Rosie your tulips are just gorgeous and I am loving your spring garden. That Laburnum tree is just fantastic. Have a wonderful weekend.
Linda Makiej
Wonderful work!
Have a great day!
TheGardeningBlog
Amazing, amazing photographs! Thanks for the link to "31 Days to a Better Photo Series". I will have a look – your photos have inspired me!
Cat
Beautiful. I appreciate the link to the better photos in 31 days. Like you, I've gone to manual mode and I could use a little more direction. I'll be looking over that site carefully. Photography is a beautiful journey!
Pam's English Garden
Dear Rosie, Your blog is so inspiring on many levels! I love this post, and applaud your brave use of color. I cannot grow tulips, unfortunately, because here they are a favorite treat of the deer. I so much admire your photography and would like to improve mine. I am looking forward to checking out the links you provide. Thank you. P. x
SquirrelQueen
What a beautiful tulip. I adore your fourth shot down, it is stunning.
Jayne
Beautiful tulips – the color is very vibrant and your photos — wow! I'm afraid the most daring I get it to set the camera to the "flower" setting which does seem to improve the color, provided the light is right. One day I really should take the time to learn more about my camera!
Gerry Snape
Yes I think that they would go down very well at Dixter. the photos are wonderful!
Fishtail Cottage
Blog hopping & just came across your darling gardening blog…I host a garden party on Thursdays & would love to have you link up sometime???? xoxo, tracie