Planting Purple Tulip Bulbs in Your Hope Patch Garden

Purple tulip bulbs and purple tulip petals take on a special meaning in the Hope Patch of the inspiring family story, The Rainbow Chronicles. In the book, purple is a symbol of the divine presence in the world. In the Kingdom of Eregon, purple flowers had been everywhere. In the land of Neer'stazone, however, purple tulips were outlawed from growing. Only Kellin, the woman heroine gardener, grew purple tulips in her Hope Patch. Eventually, Bilnot discovered the purple tulips and planted them in a prize meadow that started a surprising transformation in Neer'stazone.

There are several varieties of purple tulips and purple tulip bulbs that are available from leading nurseries. Each has a slightly different hue, shape, size and blooming season. Let's review a few of the different tulip types, the various blooming seasons and different sources where you may purchase purple tulip bulbs for your Hope Patch garden. Mixing purple with white tulips provides a stunning combination.

The different shapes of purple tulip bulbs include the parrot tulip, the fringe tulip, the double tulip, the single tulip, the lily tulip and the triumph tulip.

The most common tulip shape is the single tulip. There are normally six petals in a cup shape which are smooth and pointed. Single tulips have strong stems to withstand inclement weather. Varieties of single tulips are early or late blooming. Plant size is 8" to 20" tall. Purple Prince (dark purple) and Van der Neer (mauve-purple) are examples of single purple tulips.

Double late tulips (often called peony tulips) are similar in shape to the single tulip, except that there are twice the number of tulip petals. Blooming season is late spring. Plant height is 12" to 24" high. The Lilac Perfection is an example of a double late purple tulip.The lily tulip has blossoms with petals that are narrow, pointed at the top, and bend outward to look like the petals of a lily. Lily tulips blossom in late spring. Plant height ranges from 9" to 32" high. The Maytime variety is violet red with white edges.

A parrot tulip has petals that look like feathers, that is they are curled, twisted, or waved. The blooming season for parrot tulips is mid-to-late spring. Purple colors include Blue Parrot (mauve-blue) and Black Parrot (purple-black.)

Darwin hybrid tulips have pyramid shaped blossoms that can measure up to 6" in diameter. Plant height ranges from 12" to 34." Darwin hybrid tulips bloom in mid-to-late spring. The Queen of the Night variety is a very dark purple (almost black).

Triumph tulips are the largest class of tulips and are hybrids of the single tulip and other later varieties. Triumph tulips bloom in mid-spring. Plant size ranges from 8" to 26." Famous purple triumph tulips include the Negrita (dark purple), Atila (violet purple), the Shirley (white with purple edges), and Barcelona (fuschia purple). Note: the Purple Star is actually dark red.)

Viridiflora tulips are tulips that have a green stripe in each petal. These tulips are known for their long flowering period, which is often in late spring. Plant height ranges from 10" to 30" tall. Two varieties have purple petals: the Green Wave (a purple parrot tulip with green streaks) and the Violet Bird (mauve petals with green streaks.)

Names of other purple tulips that are available through various nurseries include: Christmas Dream, Negrita, Purple Flag, Passionale Triumph Tulip, Recreado, Atlantis (purple & gold), Dreaming Maid (purple and white), Muriel Parrot Tulip, Royal Acres Tulip, Blue Beauty Tulip, Zurel Tulip (purple base, with white upper petals), Andre Rieu Tulip, Caravelle, Arabian Mystery Triumph Tulips, Blue Ribbon, Cummins Fringe Tulip, Milka Tulips.