Eden lays ground for dazzling springtime burst of colour

The Eden Project in Cornwall is preparing for its biggest-ever explosion of colour with a mass planting of tulip bulbs set to bloom next March.

A team of 20 gardeners spent a day hand-planting 25,000 bulbs in raised beds in the Mediterranean Biome. That is twice as many bulbs as last year. 

Around 100 varieties of tulip have been planted in the Biome, including Angelique, an exquisite double tulip with pale pink petals, changing to apple-blossom pink at the edges. 

The world’s first blue-fringed variety, Blue Heron, will also be part of the display as well as Queen of Night, a classic black tulip. Rounding off the season will be the late-flowering scarlet variety Red Georgette. 

The tulips in the Biome will add to a site-wide display of around a million bulbs, including daffodils, crocuses and others, which will ensure Eden is swathed in vibrant colour throughout the season. 

In winter and early spring, Eden’s outdoor landscape will celebrate Cornwall as one of the world’s premier daffodil producers. Many of the cultivars on show have been bred in Cornwall for their early flowering and disease resistance. Look out for Trelawney Gold, Warleggon and Rosemoor Gold and the highly scented dwarf varieties, Minnow and Jack Snipe. 

Catherine Cutler, Eden’s Mediterranean Biome Supervisor, said: “It was a fantastic effort by the team to plant so many bulbs in a day and the Mediterranean Biome tulip display is set to be the jewel in the crown of Eden’s spectacular site-wide show of bulbs next spring. 

“We’ve planted our bulbs quite late but they will be protected by the Mediterranean Biome. Gardeners at home can still put their bulbs in the ground in December, provided conditions aren’t frosty.”