Tulipa kaufmanniana Shakespeare

The Tulipa kaufmanniana 'Shakespeare' is a horticultural variety belonging to the Kaufmann Tulip group, also known as the water lily tulip, due to the shape its corolla takes when it unfolds. In early spring, it produces red flowers through which the sun likes to play, creating delightful transparencies. In the centre of the corolla, a bright yellow heart contrasts with the red petals. Unlike other varieties in this group, the foliage is uniformly green and perfectly complements the flower's color. This hardy bulbous plant easily naturalises in the garden and faithfully blooms year after year.

Originally from the mountains of Central Asia, the Tulipa kaufmanniana or Kaufmann Tulip spreads in large carpets on the dry and rocky meadows of its native Turkestan. This species is the origin of numerous cultivars and hybrids with vibrant colours, including the 'Shakespeare' variety. Its bulb is round, covered with a brown tunic, and measures about 3 cm (1in) in diameter. In spring, the plant forms a small clump composed of 2 to 5 lanceolate leaves, wide, 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10in) long, with a slightly glaucous green colour. It produces a short floral stem only 15 cm (6in) tall starting from February, with flowering blooming in March or even April. The flower measures 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, consisting of 6 tepals (similar petal and sepal) with an oval shape and rounded tip. The tepals bear a discreet central longitudinal stripe, which enhances their pattern. The corolla opens widely in the sun, almost flat, in a hexagonal star shape centred on a yellow heart, and at that moment resembles more a water lily than a tulip. At the end of the day, when the sun disappears on the horizon, the corolla closes again.

Kaufmann tulips are very hardy plants that easily naturalise in the garden under the right conditions. They prefer cold and humid winters and dry summers. You can plant them in pots to adorn your terrace or balcony, or create large colourful clusters in the garden, or even combine them with other plants in a rockery that they will brighten with the first spring sunshine. Pair Shakespeare with the Narcissus Barrett Browning, whose white flowers with an orange-yellow heart will allow you to create a joyful scene from the first beautiful days. To ensure a long flowering period, consider also planting later blooming plants, such as perennials with staggered flowering. With their colours spanning the entire imaginable palette and their sizes ranging from about fifteen centimetres to 1 metre (3 feet) in height, Irises will be perfect for this role. And to flower the end of the season, the prolific Aster will be an inexhaustible source of inspiration in white, pink, blue shades, and in all sizes.