Tulipa fosteriana Rosy Dream

Tulipa fosteriana 'Rosy Dream' is an old but rarely offered variety. Its delicately bicoloured flowers will charm every gardener. Its blooms are carmine pink edged with ivory. This pretty descendant of the fosteriana tulip has the same early flowering, longevity in the garden, and ability to naturalise in favourable soil. It flowers early, usually in mid-March. Admire its elegant and refined blooms in borders and rockeries.

Tulipa fosteriana is a very hardy botanical species originating from Turkestan. Tulips derived from T. fosteriana belong to division 13 and are reliable performers: they are among the first tulips to flower, sometimes as early as March 15th, and they naturalise easily, so there is no need to replace them regularly. 'Rosy Dream' was registered in 1971 in the Netherlands. It produces short, sturdy but flexible stems, 30 to 35cm (12 to 14in) in height when in bloom. They bear a cup-shaped corolla at their tip, which is 10 to 12cm (4 to 5in) wide when fully open. It opens and spreads in the sun to reveal a deep and wide yellow throat marked with almost red macules. It develops broad glaucous green foliage that dries up a few weeks after flowering, while the bulb enters dormancy in summer.

Tulips from the Fosteriana Group work well in flower beds and borders. The taller varieties are ideal for bouquets. Their sparkling yet elegant colours pair well with blue hyacinths, grape hyacinths, forget-me-nots, and with other tulips. Create a lovely scene by planting 'Rosy Dream' in front of small chamomiles or daisies. When designing your flower beds, you must consider the height and flowering period of the tulips, as these parameters can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant extra bulbs for bouquets, as they make gorgeous cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.