Tulips provide a wider palette of colours

Later flowers can provide a wider, more adventurous palette of colour than earlier spring blooms, according to a leading gardening writer.

In a piece in the Telegraph, gardening expert, photographer and lecturer Val Bourne suggests that late-flowering tulips offer a vast range of colours that are perfect for injecting a little colour without the overpowering bright primary colours of early spring.

One such tulip highlighted is the Recreado, a "sultry doge-purple late". With sturdy stems at the prospect of growing no larger than what Ms Bourne refers to as a "sensible size", the tulips are unlikely to take over the garden.

"I also like Recreado because the petals have a shot-silk sheen of mixed colours. The cool violet overtones allow you to use it with blues like Bleu Aimable or Blue Champion," she added in her piece for the Telegraph.

Ms Bourne advises buying such bulbs in August or September due to the wide selection available, with November a good time to plant them.

Tulip fire or tulip grey bulb rot are two of the potential problems associated with growing the flowers, according to the BBC website.