Gardeners have spent generations coaxing tulips to grow taller and grander, which makes it rather charming that some of the loveliest stay close to the ground. This mix of botanical tulips reaches about 10 inches, and when planted near one another they knit into a low carpet of color.
Among them is Tulip tarda, a longtime favorite with buttery yellow blooms, joined by other choice forms in a range of hues. They flower from late February into early April and are well regarded for naturalizing, so they suit ground-cover areas and patio edges where taller tulips would look out of place. The mix is also noted as a good choice for southern gardens.
Give them full sun. Twenty-four bulbs suit a patch by the patio, and 60 cover a bigger stretch of yard. It turns out the humble approach has its rewards: a season of color that starts at your feet.
