A gloriously warm and sunny day saw 55 members of the Garden Group (and friends) arrive at Dyrham Park – the NT property outside Bath – for the Tulip Festival. Joined there by Chris & Colin Rowe, many headed straight for the coffee shop, while others went to view the tulips and the magnificent gardens in the company of the Head Gardener, Kate (who happens to be Chris’s daughter). Picking up various group members en route through the gardens, Kate described the history of many of the tulip varieties and how last year’s tulip bulbs had been replanted in the orchard where they had joined camassias and various other “retired” bulbs from previous years – a splendid display – and thankfully shady!
Kate had been somewhat concerned that many of the tulips had gone over due to the recent warm weather, but on the day there were sufficient displays to make an impact. Planting late-flowering varieties seems to be the answer if you want a display to be proud of at the end of April. On the parterre, Kate also showed us some of the heritage varieties that date back from “Tulip Mania” of the 17th Century – including the fabled Rembrandt varieties – which even the National Trust are unable to obtain in quantities larger than 10 bulbs. We were also shown the Dyrham Park variety named and introduced by Blue Diamond garden centres – so we may be able to buy some bulbs locally after September to recreate our own Tulip Festival in our own back gardens.
A selection of photos taken by Clive Tyrrell and Chris Rowe
