Wednesday 30th April 2014

My top terrace, created by my private architect, Bruce McBain, commands London and from it I can see what everyone is doing. I envisaged blue and purple tulips but because nobody ever sees this terrace I tend to veer wildly off course. Somehow I ended up with ‘Ballade’ which is a murky mauve with a white edge. When it first came out I reeled in horror but as time went by its dinginess became more lovely. With it I had ‘Bleu Aimable’ which is one of the greatest of tulips, both in colour and shape. So no sin there. But why did I make the third in the party ‘Spring Green’ which is cream with a green stripe? The whole point was to have tulips of similar colours, not contrasting, this year.

Really the whirring mind of a Poor Little Rich Gay.  I like ‘Spring Green’, although it is rather tasteful, and haven’t had it for a few years. I must have so yearned for ‘Spring Green’ my mono-colour idea got overridden. I can’t think of any other explanation.

The final effect is somewhat ice-cream but agreeable enough.

More and more I’m liking the dot planting approach with tulips. Not massed in pots – as much as they will mass. Wait ’til you see my main garden tulips.

‘Ballade’, ‘Spring Green’ and ‘Bleu Aimable’

‘Ballade’, ‘Spring Green’ and ‘Bleu Aimable’