Monet Tulip Vaucluse

A winning combination of warm colours, the burnt gold is overlaid with rich red tones. They drew a lot of comment from our paddock during the Tesselaar Tulip Festival. Tulip 'Vaucluse' flowers late season.

These huge, goblet shaped blooms are head and shoulders above the rest! We love the array of bold, bright colour that these hardy bulbs provide. Monet Tulips are especially suited to Australian climatic conditions, they have the biggest, boldest flower heads and the strongest stems.
Tulips have a bit of a Prima Donna reputation. And while they can be a little more work than some bulbs, they do put on an amazing show. With a little know how, though, they are easy as pie!
An simple way to remember when to plant your tulips is Mother`s Day! It is ideal because by this time of year the soil has cooled sufficiently for planting. It doesn’t have to be on the day but as long as you are around the date.
If you are lucky enough to live where the weather is warm, you will need to chill your bulbs. To do this place them in a paper bag, egg carton or similar breathable containment, then pop them into the crisper (don`t confuse them with onions!) and leave them for 4-6 weeks (for tulips some say up to 8 weeks but it is a long time and they take up valuable fridge space so just do your best). Chilling your tulips brings their flowering time forward by converting the carbohydrates to sugars and stimulating growth in the bulb. By bringing your flowering forward, the flowers will open before the warm weather and last longer.
If you live in an area that gets around two frosts a year you do not need to refrigerate your tulip bulbs.
It is a good idea to prepare the soil for their arrival by adding some delicious organic matter. Tulips need good drainage and at least six hours sun a day to flower at their best. Plant the bulbs 15-20cm deep with the pointed end up. Space your tulips 10-20cm apart, planting closer for a bigger show.
In most areas it is recommended you lift and store your Tulip bulbs once their foliage has browned. You don’t need to do this if you live in an area with frost, the soil is shaded or mulched through summer and the ground does not become soggy during their dormant period. In every other case it is recommended.

Supplied as: Bulbs