To learn more about Jacqueline van der Kloet's planting style, see our article about her and our slide show of her gardens.
The secret to Jacqueline van der Kloet’s beautifully interwoven beds is how carefully she considers every aspect of what a plant has to offer, including height, texture, and how one cultivar’s growth cycle can complement its neighbor’s. Species tulips, originally from Central Asia (where they grow wild), are shorter and often subtler in hue than their hybrid counterparts, but they provide early-season color at the lower level of a planting and are more likely to perennialize (especially if they experience a hot, dry summer followed by a cold winter).
Better still, their foliage offers a pleasant distraction from the later-blooming perennials that are just starting to break through the soil. Here are nine of van der Kloet’s favorites, all of which do best in full sun and well-drained soil.
Left:
Name T. batalinii 'Bright Gem'
Zones 3-8
Height 6"
Available from Brent and Becky's Bulbs, 10 bulbs for $5, 50 for $22, and 100 for $39.
