We all adore the richly-colored, ruffled petals of peonies but if you’ve only got one plant in your garden, the show’s over in little more than a week. Plant some peony-like tulip bulbs, however, and you can enjoy months of very similar-looking flowers from early April all through May and sometimes even into June. These double tulips couldn’t be easier to grow, and this month is the exact right time to plant the bulbs.
Most tulips have six petals but a natural genetic hiccup capitalized upon by plant breeders means that some cultivars can have up to 50 packed into a single bloom. They’re known as double tulips, and their petal-explosion flowers look remarkably similar to peony blooms. Typically hardy in zones 3-8, they’re some of the best tulip varieties to kickstart spring in your garden, and the most striking spring-flowering bulbs to plant in November.
How to Get Months of Flowers
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The trick to enjoying months of flowers is to pick a pair of tulip varieties, one that opens early and one that blooms a little later. Early-flowering double tulips (officially known as peony-like tulips) begin blooming early in April. These tend to have shorter, sturdy 12-16 inch-high stems so stand up well to spring storms. Their tight layers of petals protect the flower core from cold weather, too, so each bloom can last for around 3 weeks – far longer than a standard tulip.
Late-flowering double tulips (known as peony-flowered tulips) bloom late April through May and are even more spectacular with huge flower heads on taller 16-24 inch-high stems. Because they're so top-heavy, these are more vulnerable to toppling in strong winds so in an exposed garden, give them a sheltered spot.
So, if you love peony flowers and you're wondering what to plant in November, look no further. Part of the Weekend Wins series, planting double tulips that look like peonies is one of those easy garden jobs that brings a big reward.
Which Double Tulip Combo Suits Your Garden Style?
When shopping for double tulips, it's important that bulbs are big enough to fuel all those petals so early in the year, so always buy from a quality supplier. All our recommendations are for 10 bulbs.
Sunrise Shades
Early
‘Lorenzo’ gets spring off to a cheery start with long-lasting blooms in a luminous apricot-orange softly edged in creamy yellow, all through April.
Late
With enormous blooms opening in late April and peaking through May, ‘Gudoshnik Double' has painterly petals streaked in yellow, orange and red.
Fragrant Scent
Early
A few double tulips are fragranced, and 'Avant Garde’ opens its buds in early April to release a sweet, floral perfume with beautifully fresh undertones.
Late
In late April, ‘Pistache’ brings more creamy-white petals, this time splashed with wine red, and a wonderful scent of almonds and pistachios into May.
Color-Changing Flowers
Early
‘Foxy Foxtrot’ wakes up early in April, opening a lovely lemon yellow then gaining rich, warm tones of apricot, salmon-pink and honeyed gold.
Late
In mid-to-late April, ‘Amazing Grace’ starts in a soft lavender pink with green accents, then shade-shifts into a deep rose tone that lasts deep into May.
Show-Off Petals
Early
In early April, ‘Royal Acres’ blooms open into bowls of intensely-colored, velvety magenta petals, often with a silvery sheen along the ruffled edges.
Late
‘Dream Touch’ takes over the show from late April through May with enormous purple blooms, their striking petals prettily edged in white.
Romantic Vibes
Early
Though officially classified as a late tulip, ‘Mariage’ blooms in mid-April with deeply ruffled flowers in the prettiest pale rose-pink, and lasts into May.
Late
‘Wild Romance’ adds creamy white petals with blushing pink picotee edges from late April through May, opening to reveal dramatic jet-black stamens.
Modern Style
Early
‘Marshmallow’ opens in early April with a splash of bi-colored raspberry pink and ivory white petals, with a few green streaks for good measure.
Late
Keeping the drama going, ‘Black Hero’, blooms from late April through May with ruffles of velvety deep-maroon petals that have a super sheen.
How to Plant Tulip Bulbs in November
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Growing spectacular double tulip flowers from fall-planted bulbs couldn’t be easier, and November is the exact right time to get them in the ground.
- In pots or in the ground, plant tulip bulbs at a depth that’s three times the height of the bulb, with the pointy end upwards.
- Choose a spot that gets at least 5 hours of direct sunlight.
- The secret to getting great results and your tulips returning year after year is good drainage. Mix a handful of perlite like Miracle-Gro Perlite from Amazon into the potting mix if you're container-planting, or into the soil if it's not fully free-draining, to improve it.
- Sitting the bulbs on a shallow layer of grit also help bulbs to root, not rot. Dig the hole an inch deeper and drop in a little horticultural grit or poultry grit made from crushed rock like this CZ Grain Chicken Grit from Walmart when planting.
- Water once to settle the soil around the bulbs, then let nature do the rest for you.
- Tulip bulbs are succulent and sweet so if you have squirrels and chipmunks in your area, you should protect bulbs from being eaten by hungry critters in fall.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
More Weekend Wins
This feature is part of the Weekend Wins series, packed with quick and easy gardening tasks that bring a big reward.
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