If you know anything about tulips, you know that there many available colors and varieties. This extensive selection can make choosing tulips for your garden difficult. Tulips always look great, so you don’t have to worry about going wrong when planting tulips. Just choose what you like and let nature take care of the rest. If you really want to create a stunning tulip display in your garden these tips will help.

Choose the Colors that You Love

Gardeners tend to have favorite colors. This means that their gardens typically have many flowers in a similar color scheme. If you love reds, go with red tulips. If you prefer pinks, you will find that there are many great pink tulips as well. Look at what you already have growing and ask yourself what colors will work best. Remember, tulips are available in almost any color under the sun. You can use many colors, many varieties or just a single color. It really is up to you and what you think looks the most beautiful. If you choose tulips that you love, odds are they will work well with the other plants you have previously selected.

Cluster or Group Tulips While Planting

Tulips are stunning flowers on their own, but are especially beautiful when paired in groups. As you plant tulips try to avoid straight rows as this can lead to a very structured unnatural look. Instead, plant your tulips in clusters of 3 or more. By clustering the tulips, you will get a softer, more dramatic final look.
Visualize the Final Look

Since tulips are planted as bulbs, you can’t really good a good visual until the next spring when they bloom. As you plant, try to imagine what the final look will be come spring. Think about heights, colors and size of flowers. Remember, taller tulips should be planted in the back and shorter ones will work best near the front.

Also take the height of your other plants into consideration as you plant. By taking time to visualize the final look in your head, you will better be able to plan your bulb placement.

Tulips make a great complement to any spring garden. If you want your flowerbeds to be the talk of the neighborhood next spring, prepare now by planting some tulip bulbs today.

You have all certainly seen signs in lawns that read “keep off the grass.”

And I can bet many of you have wondered “what’s the point?”

Well, here is a good reason to read and heed those signs during the cold winter months.

Crushed Grass Crowns

During the deep freeze of winter, grass goes dormant. Nothing new there, of course, but let’s look a little deeper. The thing is, dormancy is your lawn’s way of keeping safe during harsh conditions. It happens in the hottest, driest days of July and August, and during the freezing seasons of December, January and February.

When grass is dormant, it it vulnerable to damage. This is never more true than when it is frozen stiff under snow pack.

Just like most living things, when frozen, grass plants become brittle and can literally snap off. This wouldn’t be so bad if just the grass blades were broken, as often happens, but when you walk on frozen grass, you are literally crushing the “guts” or crown. Think of the grass crown just like the crown of your head. If you break your head crown, you will be in a lot of trouble! Same goes for the crown of the grass plant.

A crushed crown can no longer support grass blades and will not recover in spring.

The main place I see homeowners walking on grass during winter is along the edges of driveways. This is because you guys step in and out of your cars onto your lawn. I recommend you back into your driveway so that you step into the middle and not along the edges.

Pretty simple advice, I know, but it will go a long way to preserving your future lawn in 2011.