GARDENS BY THE BAY
Tulipa 'Blue Parrot'

TULIPS & THEIR COMPANIONS

Along with daffodils, tulips are among the most anticipated plants to appear each year, blooming over a long period of time in nearly every colour imaginable. Below you will surely find partners for those in your collection already. Or you might want to use some of the suggestions below to make up a shopping list of new ones to add to your gardens next fall.

Many multi-plant partnerships outlined below, and on other pages on our site, appear in the books written by Patrick Lima and in the wonderful photographs taken by his partner, John Scanlan, of their gardens called Larkwhistle on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. Read more of their suggestions in

  • THE HARROWSMITH PERENNIAL GARDEN - FLOWERS FOR THREE SEASONS
  • THE ART OF PERENNIAL GARDENING - CREATIVE WAYS WITH HARDY FLOWERS

Both books are part of my most treasured garden literature and provide new ideas and inspiration with every reading. Add them to your own collection soon.

Tulips are classified as belonging in one of 15 divisions. For valuable information about tulips as well as other bulbs visit Florissa. Links from their page will lead you to Bulb Basics, Bulb History, Spring-flowering Bulbs, Summer-flowering Bulbs, FAQs and more.


* Watch for the animated hummingbird and butterfly with the plants that attract them. *
The deer icon indicates plants that deer are not usually attracted to.

The best time and method to propagate plants can be found on our image-intensive PROPAGATION page.

To help your plants grow their best, check out our FERTILIZATION page.

To create your own plant partnerships based on tried and true color theory, check out our GARDEN COLOR page.

To see if a particular plant is on this page press Ctrl+F, type in the name, then click the Find button.


TULIPA
IN GENERAL

Tulipa:  in general

    with:  later-starting plants requiring infrequent division i.e. Anemone japonica, Aster x frikartii, Heliopsis
      with:  Dicentra, Euphorbia epithymoides, Iberis sempervirens
        with:  Hemerocallis (to hide the dying foliage of the bulbs), Hesperis matronalis
          interplanted with:  Epimedium, Primula
            with:  Hosta
              with:  masses of co-blooming Viola cornuta
                combined in shade with:  Helleborus & Mertensia virginica


              TULIPA
              BY BLOOM TIME

              Tulipa:  early

                with:  Anemone blanda
                  combined with:  Allium (early) & Iris x germanica (Intermediate types)
                Tulipa:  May blooming
                  with:  Doronicum caucasicum, Leucojum aestivum, Scilla sibirica
                Tulipa:  spring to early summer blooming
                  with:  Aquilegia x hybrida (large pastel-coloured flowers & long spurs)
                    with:  Astilbe (to hide the dying foliage of the bulbs)
                  Tulipa:  late season
                    with:  Dicentra eximia, Dicentra spectabilis, Endymion hispanicus
                      combined with:  Phlox subulata (white or pink), Iberis sempervirens & Aurinia saxatilis
                        with:  Doronicum caucasicum, Allium aflatunense & Dicentra spectabilis (white or pink)
                      Tulipa:  double late peony-flowered
                        with:  Iris x germanica (blue)


                      TULIPA
                      BY SIZE

                      Tulipa:  miniature

                        with:  Helleborus orientalis
                      Tulipa:  species types
                        Tulipa - yellow species type
                        seen in the photo above growing through a mat of double white Arabis
                          with:  Mertensia virginica, Muscari
                            under:  Veronica repens
                              with:  Pulmonaria, Brunnera macrophylla, Dicentra, Aquilegia


                            TULIPA
                            BY COLOUR

                            Tulipa:  any colour

                              in front of:  tall plants such as Nepeta sibirica that will cover their dying foliage
                            Tulipa:  any bright colour that needs toning down
                              with:  Camassia leichtlinii 'Blue Danube' (with starry blue spikes)
                            Tulipa:  pastel shades
                              with:  Primula
                            Tulipa:  cream-coloured
                              combined with:  Eremurus himalaicus (white) & Pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White'
                            Tulipa:  crimson (a cool red on the blue side of the spectrum)
                              with:  Dicentra (pink)
                            Tulipa:  crimson and/or rose
                              interplanted with:  Myosotis
                                behind edger of Iberis sempervirens
                                  beside:  Iris florentina (gray-blue)
                                    all above plants in front of:  pink-flowered apple tree or white Syringa vulgaris bushes
                                  Tulipa:  lavender
                                    with:  Bergenia cordifolia, Salvia x superba 'East Friesland'
                                  Tulipa:  lavender & cherry
                                    with:  pink Flowering Crabapple tree
                                  Tulipa:  magenta-red double early
                                    with:  Hosta 'Krossa Regal'
                                  Tulipa:  mauve
                                    with:  Bergenia cordifolia
                                  Tulipa:  mauve & creamy yellow
                                    with:  Lunaria biennis (white or magenta), all behind Aubrieta deltoidea
                                      all in front of:  Spiraea thunbergii (dwarf early white Bridalwreath Spirea shrub)
                                    Tulipa:  orange
                                      with:  yellow Aurinia saxatilis
                                    Tulipa:  soft orange
                                      combined with:  yellow Doronicum caucasicum, yellow Aurinia saxatilis & white Iberis sempervirens
                                    Tulipa:  strong orange
                                      with:  Phlox subulata 'Atropurpurea'
                                    Tulipa:  pink
                                      combined with:  Veronica gentianoides (ice-blue), pink Dicentra & Bellis perennis
                                        with:  Bellis perennis, Myosotis (of a similar shade), Salvia x superba 'East Friesland'
                                          between:  Centaurea dealbata rosea & Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy'
                                        Tulipa:  pink, lavender & plum
                                          near:  Dicentra spectabilis (pink)
                                            filling spaces between:  clumps of Salvia 'East Friesland'
                                          Tulipa:  pink & white
                                            with:  Brunnera macrophylla (sky-blue)
                                          Tulipa:  pale pink
                                            with:  Phlox subulata 'Atropurpurea'
                                          Tulipa:  vibrant pink
                                            with: Myosotis
                                          Tulipa:  plum-coloured
                                            with:  Bergenia cordifolia, Salvia x superba 'East Friesland'
                                          Tulipa:  dark plum & mauve
                                            in front of:  Rosa rubrifolia (a shrub rose)
                                              near:  Pulsatilla vulgaris (silvery mauve seedheads will be present at same time)
                                                behind:  Phlox amoena (rosy)
                                              Tulipa:  dark purple
                                                behind:  Phlox subulata (pink)
                                              Tulipa:  red
                                                with:  Bellis perennis, Iberis sempervirens, Muscari
                                                  under:  Myosotis (blue) under a white-flowered apple tree
                                                Tulipa:  bright red
                                                  with:  Muscari, Myosotis
                                                    with:  Lunaria annua (Money Plant, Honesty)
                                                  Tulipa:  a crimson red
                                                    with:  Nepeta x faassenii
                                                      behind:  Phlox subulata (pink)
                                                    Tulipa:  late-blooming red
                                                      with:  Veronica pectinata 'Rosea' (rose-pink with soft gray-green foliage)
                                                    Tulipa:  scarlet (a warm red leaning to orange)
                                                      with:  Dicentra spectabilis (white)
                                                    Tulipa:  white
                                                      for all-white effect with:  white Arabis caucasica, Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba', Phlox subulata (white)
                                                        with:  Bergenia cordifolia 'Perfecta' (lilac-red)
                                                          with:  Linum perenne & Phlox paniculata 'Miss Lingard' (white)
                                                            with:  Lunaria annua
                                                              with:  Muscari, Primula
                                                                with:  Pulmonaria saccharata 'Mrs. Moon'
                                                                  behind:  Phlox subulata (pink)
                                                                    with:  Phlox maculata 'Miss Lingard' (white) & Linum perenne
                                                                      combined with:  Phlox subulata (pink), sky blue Iris (Intermediate) & white Narcissus poeticus, dark plum Tulipa &
                                                                        Dicentra, all in front of pink Honeysuckle or Bridalwreath Spirea x arguta 'Compacta'
                                                                    Tulipa:  late-blooming white
                                                                      with:  Paeonia suffruticosa 'Godaishu' ('Five Continents')
                                                                    Tulipa:  white & green like 'Spring Green' (see below)
                                                                      with:  Polygonatum odoratum
                                                                    Tulipa:  yellow
                                                                      with:  Linum perenne & Phlox paniculata 'Miss Lingard' (white)
                                                                        combined with:  Veronica gentianoides (ice-blue), white Dicentra & Myosotis
                                                                      Tulipa:  yellow & lavender
                                                                        with:  Iris x germanica (tall deep purple)
                                                                          with:  Phlox maculata 'Miss Lingard' & Linum perenne
                                                                            combined with:  Iris x germanica (violet or purple Intermediate) & Allium aflatunense,
                                                                              all behind Nepeta 'Dropmore Blue', all in front of Ribes odoratum 'Aureum'
                                                                          Tulipa:  pale yellow
                                                                            with:  Nepeta x faassenii
                                                                          Tulipa:  white lily-flowered
                                                                            under:  Pulmonaria rubra
                                                                              near:  Dicentra spectabilis & Endymion hispanicus (also called both Scilla campanulata and Hyacinthoides hispanicus)
                                                                                beside:  Hosta
                                                                              Tulipa:  yellow lily-flowered
                                                                                under:  Doronicum 'Finesse' (shorter than the common D. caucasicum)
                                                                                  near:  Mertensia virginica or Brunnera macrocephala


                                                                                TULIPA
                                                                                BY SPECIES

                                                                                Tulipa clusiana:  

                                                                                  with:  Phlox subulata (pink & most colours)
                                                                                Tulipa kaufmanniana:  
                                                                                  with:  Chionodoxa de luciliae, Phlox subulata (especially pink), Phlox subulata (most colours)
                                                                                Tulipa tarda:  
                                                                                  Tulipa tarda
                                                                                  with other bulbs:  Anemone blanda, Chionodoxa de luciliae, Narcissus 'Hawera', Tulipa turkestanica
                                                                                Tulipa turkestanica:  
                                                                                  Tulipa  turkestanica'
                                                                                  seen in their first year above, before the critters ate them all - we intend to try them again soon
                                                                                    with:  Stachys byzantina, Muscari armenaicum, Tulipa tarda


                                                                                  TULIPA
                                                                                  BY CULTIVAR NAME

                                                                                  Tulipa 'Angelique':  pale rose on cream, 12-14", semi-double, late-blooming

                                                                                    where:  front of border
                                                                                      with:  Tulipa 'May Wonder' (these are perfect together)
                                                                                    Tulipa 'Apricot Beauty':  
                                                                                      Tulipa 'Apricot Beauty'
                                                                                      a lovely cultivar - plant some this fall for a wonderful showing next spring
                                                                                    Tulipa 'Apricot Parrot':  15" Parrot type, apricot-yellow
                                                                                      with:  white bloomers, some pinks and purple shades
                                                                                    Tulipa 'Atilla':  16" purple mid-season Triumph type
                                                                                      with:  white shades
                                                                                    Tulipa 'Ballerina':  reddish-orange lily-flowered type
                                                                                      behind:  Phlox subulata 'Emerald Blue', near Allium aflatunense & Tulipa 'Queen of the Night' (a dark purple),
                                                                                        all in front of a Syringa vulgaris shrub
                                                                                    Tulipa 'Bellona':  an early yellow
                                                                                      combined with:  Narcissus 'Yellow Cheerfulness', Muscari (blue) & Fritillaria imperialis (a yellow form)
                                                                                    Tulipa 'Blue Parrot':  fringed and ruffled
                                                                                      'Blue Parrot' Tulip
                                                                                      this beautiful cultivar can be seen in the border around this page and in the images at the top of the page and directly above
                                                                                        above growing up through:  white Viola
                                                                                          with:  Myosotis, marigolds
                                                                                            over:  Muscari
                                                                                          Tulipa 'Blushing Beauty':  3' canary-yellow single late-blooming
                                                                                            where:  large plantings, deep mixed borders
                                                                                          Tulipa'Burgundy Lace'
                                                                                            'Burgundy Lace' Tulip
                                                                                            a fringed type as seen above
                                                                                          Tulipa 'Couleur Cardinal':  early crimson
                                                                                            behind:  double-flowered Arabis caucasica
                                                                                              combined with:  Arabis albida 'Flore Plena', Mertensia virginica & Narcissus (late white)
                                                                                            Tulipa 'Cum Laude'
                                                                                              'Cum  Laude' Tulip
                                                                                              a lovely pink form as seen above with the turquoise of a neighbour's peacock in the background
                                                                                            Tulipa 'Dance':  early Fosteriana type
                                                                                              where:  along a front walk
                                                                                            Tulipa 'Dillenburg':  very late, peachy-orange
                                                                                              with:  Aurinia saxatilis
                                                                                                combined with:  Veronica whitleyi (early-blooming soft blue), Iris x germanica (lemon yellow Intermediate) &
                                                                                                  Allium aflatunense
                                                                                                combined with:  Phlox subulata (lavender-blue), Iris (cream to orange early Bearded type) & Dicentra spectabilis (white)
                                                                                                  combined with:  Iris x germanica (a yellow Intermediate) & Viola 'Arkwright Ruby' as an edger
                                                                                                    under:  a white-flowered apple or pear tree
                                                                                                  Tulipa 'Estella Rijnveld':   creamy striped and brushed with crimson
                                                                                                    'Estella Rijnveldt' Tulip
                                                                                                    with:  Tulipa 'White Parrot'
                                                                                                  Tulipa 'Fringed Elegance':  lemon-yellow, a Darwin hybrid type
                                                                                                    Tulipa 'Fringed Elegance'
                                                                                                    with:  Scilla sibirica
                                                                                                      under or behind:  Stachys lanata
                                                                                                    Tulipa 'General de Wet':  a citrus-scented, soft orange etched with red
                                                                                                      with:  Muscari
                                                                                                        echo with:  Narcissus 'Cheerfulness' (double white with orange flecks)
                                                                                                          in front of:  Fritillaria imperialis
                                                                                                        Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn':  yellow
                                                                                                          with:  white or yellow & white Narcissus
                                                                                                        Tulipa 'Hibernia':  16" white (with a hint of green) mid-season Triumph type
                                                                                                          with:  the most exotic shades of other co-bloomers
                                                                                                        Tulipa 'Lilac Perfection':  lilac 20" double late tulip, a peony look-alike
                                                                                                          where:  prominent position in the garden
                                                                                                        Tulipa 'Little Beauty':  dark red with blue eyes, a 2-3" dwarf
                                                                                                          where:  front of border
                                                                                                            with other bulbs:  Tulipa tarda, Anemone blanda (blue), other species Tulipa
                                                                                                              under larger bulbs:  Narcissus 'Thalia'
                                                                                                            Tulipa 'Mariette':  deep rose, 25", mid-season lily-flowered type
                                                                                                              with:  Myosotis
                                                                                                            Tulipa 'Maureen':  tall white
                                                                                                              in front of:  Prunus triloba 'Multiplex'
                                                                                                                behind:  Veronica gentianoides (ice-blue)
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'May Wonder':  
                                                                                                                perfect companion with:  Tulipa 'Angelique' (pale rose on cream, semi-double, late)
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Menton':  rose-pink 24" single late
                                                                                                                with:  deep pinks, reds and creams
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Mount Hood':  white Trumpet
                                                                                                                with:  Tulipa 'Red Emperor'
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'New Design':  pink and white with white-edged foliage
                                                                                                                with:  Phlox subulata 'Scarlet Flame' (a bright pink)
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Niphetos':  lily-flowered
                                                                                                                with:  Phlox subulata (white), Iris (dwarf apricot) & Allium 'Purple Sensation'
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Ollioules':  20-24", a Darwin hybrid
                                                                                                                in front of:  Tulipa 'Pink Impression'
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Orange Emperor':  soft orange
                                                                                                                combined with:  Narcissus (with orange, apricot or pink cups) & Mertensia virginicia (turquoise)
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Orange Favorite':  a parrot type
                                                                                                                with:  Rudbeckia fulgida speciosa 'Goldsturm'
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Pink Diamond':  pale pink single late
                                                                                                                combined with:  Tulipa 'Maureen' (white) over Myosotis
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Queen of Night':  maroon, 29", single late
                                                                                                                with:  soft lavender and cream Tulipa
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Queen of Sheba':  lily-flowered, red with a yellow edge
                                                                                                                for a colour echo in front of:  Euonymus (one with a chartreuse-yellow colour)
                                                                                                              Tulipa 'Red Emperor':  18", early, Fosteriana type
                                                                                                                with:  Muscari
                                                                                                                  with:  white Trumpet Narcissus 'Mount Hood'
                                                                                                                Tulipa 'Renown':  pink
                                                                                                                  Tulipa 'Renown'
                                                                                                                  seen in the photo above with a drift of purple Aubrieta beyond
                                                                                                                    combined with:  Tulipa 'Kingsblood', 'Maureen' & 'Menton' (all single lates)
                                                                                                                  Tulipa 'Rosy Wings':  a light coral shade
                                                                                                                    behind:  Allium karataviense
                                                                                                                  Tulipa 'Spring Green':  white with green markings
                                                                                                                    in front of:  Myrrhis odorata
                                                                                                                      in light shade amid:  white Lamium maculatum
                                                                                                                        for all-white effect with Leucojum aestivum & Pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White'
                                                                                                                      Tulipa 'Sweet Harmony':  butter coloured
                                                                                                                        with:  Aurinia saxatilis
                                                                                                                          combined with:  Phlox subulata (lavender-blue), Iris (cream to orange early Bearded type) & Dicentra spectabilis (white)
                                                                                                                        Tulipa 'West Point':  yellow, lily-flowered
                                                                                                                          drifted in front of:  Euphorbia epithymoides
                                                                                                                            combined with:  Phlox subulata (white), Iris (dwarf apricot) & Allium 'Purple Sensation'
                                                                                                                          Tulipa 'White Cascade':  18", mid-season Triumph
                                                                                                                            with:  anything (it complements every colour)
                                                                                                                          Tulipa 'White Parrot':  23", pure white, Parrot type, late-blooming
                                                                                                                            with:  Tulipa 'Estella Rijnveld'
                                                                                                                          Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder':  miniature 8", pink crocus-like, deeper rosy-purple veining & yellow center and stamens
                                                                                                                            Tulipa 'Lilac Wonder'
                                                                                                                            above with:  the wonderful foliage of Geranium renardii
                                                                                                                              where:  rock gardens, niches in terraces, window boxes
                                                                                                                            Tulipa greigii 'Donna Bella':  
                                                                                                                              with:  gentian-blue Chionodoxa sardensis
                                                                                                                            Tulipa greigii 'Oriental Splendour':  orange-red-yellow
                                                                                                                              with:  Tulipa greigii 'Oxford’s Elite' (scarlet)
                                                                                                                                both underplanted with:  Viola (one with lots of yellow for accent)
                                                                                                                              Tulipa praestans 'Fusilier':  12", orange-red
                                                                                                                                with:  Anemone blanda, Myosotis
                                                                                                                              Tulipa:  Darwin
                                                                                                                                behind:  Cheiranthus


                                                                                                                              FOR MORE BULBS & THEIR COMPANIONS, FOLLOW THE LINKS BELOW.


                                                                                                                              All of our own Gardens By The Bay pages can be accessed by clicking on the links below.


                                                                                                                              HOME

                                                                                                                              GARDEN POETRY  |  GARDEN POETRY MUSE

                                                                                                                              GEORGIAN BAY VIEW

                                                                                                                              BOTANICAL LATIN - BASICS

                                                                                                                              COLOR THEORY

                                                                                                                              THE GARDENS

                                                                                                                              CORNER GARDEN CONSTRUCTION  |  CORNER GARDEN PLANTING  |  LONG GARDEN

                                                                                                                              EAST GARDEN  |  HOSTA GARDEN  |  NORTH GARDEN  |  WINTER GARDENS

                                                                                                                              PLANT PARTNERSHIPS

                                                                                                                              BLUE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Geranium  |  Iris - Vinca

                                                                                                                              BULBS    Allium - Hyacinthus  |  Narcissus only  |  Tulipa only  |  Minor Bulbs

                                                                                                                              BUTTERFLY MAGNETS    Anaphalis - Hemerocallis  |  Liatris - Veronicastrum
                                                                                                                              DAYLILIES      Spider & Unusual Form

                                                                                                                              EDGERS    Arabis - Iris  |  Nepeta - Veronica

                                                                                                                              FOLIAGE PERENNIALS     Alchemilla - Tanacetum

                                                                                                                              HOSTA    Hosta - all

                                                                                                                              HUMMINGBIRD-FRIENDLY PERENNIALS    Alcea - Salvia

                                                                                                                              ORANGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Tulipa

                                                                                                                              ORNAMENTAL GRASSES    Acorus - Imperata |  Miscanthus - Spodiopogon

                                                                                                                              PINK PERENNIALS    Achillea - Lilium  |  Lychnis - Veronica

                                                                                                                              PURPLE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Liatris  |  Polemonium - Veronica

                                                                                                                              RED PERENNIALS    Achillea - Veronica

                                                                                                                              SHADE PERENNIALS    Aegopodium - Erythronium  |  Ferns - Polemonium  |  Polygonatum - Vinca

                                                                                                                              SILVER FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Cerastium    |    Cornus - Limonium    |    Lunaria - Veronica

                                                                                                                              SIMPLY SPECIAL PERENNIALS    Acanthus - Saxifraga

                                                                                                                              WHITE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Iris  |  Kalimeris - Yucca

                                                                                                                              YELLOW PERENNIALS    Achillea - Hypericum  |  Inula - Verbascum

                                                                                                                              VARIEGATED-FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Acorus - Erythronium  |  Hakonechloa - Lysimachia  |  Miscanthus - Yucca

                                                                                                                              PLANT PROFILES

                                                                                                                              Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies'  |  Geranium  |  Geum coccineum  |  Kerria japonica  |  Knautia macedonica

                                                                                                                              Paeonia tenuifolia  |  Papaver somniferum  |  Rudbeckia  |  Salvia 'East Friesland'

                                                                                                                              Trollius  |  Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'

                                                                                                                              PROPAGATION

                                                                                                                              DIVISION - SPRING ONLY  |   DIVISION - FALL ONLY  |   DIVISION - SPRING OR FALL  |   DO NOT DIVIDE

                                                                                                                              FERTILIZATION

                                                                                                                              BULBS  |   ORNAMENTAL GRASSES  |   PERENNIALS  |   SHRUBS  |   VINES

                                                                                                                              LINKS

                                                                                                                              GARDENS  |   LOCAL GARDENS  |   BOTANICAL TERMINOLOGY

                                                                                                                              GARDENING BOOKS  |   NON-GARDENING


                                                                                                                              HOME