The Mitcheldean Garden 2025
A Glut ofTulips

This page is part of a series of garden blogs from 2025. Click here for the index.

Regular visitors to this part of the site will know that we plant masses of tulips ahead of our departure for Penang in anticipation of a fine display when we return. The sad fact though, is that while the ones in tubs have usually performed as they ought to, those in the beds have tended to 'disappear'; we could only guess which of our local fauna are responsible.  This year for the first time, there was no significant problem, there were just a very few 'failures' which are unavoidable. It took me a while to work out what had had been going on. Sadly our northern neighbour passed away some 18 months ago since when the garden has been effectively untouched, in particular the supply of bird food has dried up. The local squirrels which used to poach much of it have taken their custom elsewhere and our garden has been spared their attention.

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We knew that looking after our garden this year was going to be more of a challenge than ever because Yuehong was due for a knee replacement operation in April. While the picture (taken two weeks after the 'op') shows that she is recovering quickly, it doesn't show the pain she has had to bear over the last 5 weeks or so. Even now, she has incomplete mobility and normal patio gardening is out of the question. Not surprisingly, I am feeling extremely tired most evenings. 

During our absence, there had been some windy days, one of which was exceptionally so. It ripped 35's beautiful old magnolia tree out of the ground and left our own 'gum tree' (top left below) leaning somewhat precariously. My initial fear was that we would have to take it down, but it has grown new leaves as normal and looks quite healthy although I can't be sure it would survive a second assault.

We bought two 'job lots' of tulips at the Fairford steam rally last year (one red, one yellow) as we think they make a very attractive combination. Planted in our '35' bed, the display was nothing less than stunning. For some unfathomable reason just one of the 'Lidl collections' was some way ahead of all the others.

With our dahlias showing signs of old age, I decided to give the aubrietia a bit more space in the hope this would allow them to trail down the wall more successfully. In case that didn't work, I planted some hyacinths too, but they turned out to be almost invisible. With so many yellow tulips in front of the house, this display was dominated by the red ones.

Normally I have to wait for the right day's weather but Spring 2025 has been just about the sunniest on record. The absence of rain meant that even the specialty tulips could be seen at their best.

We have ten large pots which we bought to grow tomatoes in the greenhouse, but they double up nicely for groups of novelty tulips (from Lidl). These make their appearance in no particular order so it makes sense to avoid mixing them. As the days go by, I move the display around so we can see the best ones through our French windows.

Here are four sets and for the most parts, each type flowers simultaneously en masse. We seem to have cracked the trick of reusing compost which makes these displays a veritable bargain. Sadly, these bulbs tend to divide after flowering which means they will be banished to the fringes for the following year, 

The classic reds and yellows seen already are better but not perfectly behaved in this respect.

The better of the 'old' fancy bulbs are planted in front of the house. It's cooler and has less light compared to the patio so they come later, which always frustrates planting Yuehong's favourite snapdragons which will follow on. There's no such thing as a black tulip for good genetic reasons, but this one is about as close as it gets, it looks even darker to the naked human eye. 

Click here for the next part and click here for the 2025 index.