Tulipa Alison Bradley - ORG

Some tulips behave as if they’d rather be a different flower, and the Tulipa Alison Bradley plays that part convincingly. Instead of the classic, sleek tulip shape, it unfurls into a full, double flower with layers upon layers of petals. Just like a peony, but with the ease and hardiness of a tulip. The colour completes the picture: a deep, rich wine-purple with a hint of mahogany that looks almost velvety, especially when the sun hits it at the right angle.

The tulip that resembles a peony

The numerous, densely packed petals give the Alison Bradley a sumptuous, almost extravagant appearance that you wouldn’t immediately expect from a tulip. It belongs to the early-flowering, compact double tulips and stays nice and low; a lovely bonus is that a single bulb often produces two to three flowers at once, something that is anything but common with tulips.

Wine-purple with character

The deep, understated colour of the Alison Bradley combines well with both soft pastel shades and dark-leaved plants in the border. It is a colour that looks its best in direct sunlight, when the velvety sheen of the petals becomes clearly visible; a detail that is easily overlooked in a single flower, but immediately catches the eye in a group.

Planting for a full effect

Plant the organic tulip bulbs in the autumn at a depth of around 15 cm, in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Due to the weight of the full, double flower, a slightly sheltered spot is ideal, so that strong gusts of wind do not put too much strain on the sturdy, short stem. The ‘Alison Bradley’ is also excellent as a cut flower: a few stems in a vase instantly create a sumptuous, almost romantic effect that lasts for days. Organically grown and certified NL-BIO-01, so you can be sure this sumptuous flower has been grown without chemical pesticides.