There’s a rather sad-looking terracotta pot outside my back door. It was supposed to have been filled with the dramatic reds and yellows of my tulip bulbs, Flaming Parrot. It was the slugs that did it. Last year was slug year and, much to my disappointment, they devoured the entire crop.
This was the same pot last Spring. If it hadn’t been for those wonderful fritillaries, this corner of my garden would have looked pretty dull over the last month. Luckily my other tulips, Ballerina, were magnificent this year so it was’t all bad news for my favourite flowers.
I usually replace the tulip bulbs in my terracotta pots annually but last year I decided I would see if the bulbs would come back. As you can see, they didn’t.
It’s impossible to predict the future, I know, but I’m trying very hard to avoid a similar problem next Spring and, this week, I’ve ordered next year’s tulips to be delivered and planted this Autumn. It will come as no surprize if I tell you I’m going for those Flaming Parrots again and some more Ballerinas. The tulip season is over in my garden now but, gardeners are optimists and I’m already looking forward to next year. I shall be keeping a vigilant eye open for slugs and snails too. Until then all I have are memories of this year’s tulips and, well yes, a well-known song played on a Dutch accordion: