Fabulous informality
All spring-flowering bulbs make good bedfellows with tulips. For instance, short species, such as crocus, muscari and scilla, are excellent for planting close together to give a ground cover effect. They’ll partially hide tulip foliage and provide a great two-tier effect, with the tulips gracefully swaying on their taller stems above them. Bedding plants, especially wallflowers and forget-me-nots, are traditional partners for tulips. Pansies and violas also look great, flowering before and continuing until after tulips have finished.
Even in small gardens, planting a limited number of varieties and colours always looks the most effective. Choose single colour varieties of these bedders to either complement or contrast with the tulips. Try a simple yellow and orange theme, planted with polyanthus and primulas, which brings a ray of spring sunshine to your displays.