Tulipa Monsella- Double Early Tulip

The 'Monsella' Early Double Tulip awakens spring with its large, very double flower in stunning colors! With a dominant canary yellow, the petals are adorned with bright red flames, creating a particularly attractive and resplendent contrast. The slightly glaucous green foliage creates an ideal uniform background to showcase the vibrant flowers when this variety is planted in mass. Of medium height, it can be grown both in the ground in the garden and in a pot or container on a terrace. Its subtle fragrance also allows it to be used indoors to create beautiful bouquets. 

The 'Monsella' Tulip belongs to the botanical family of Liliaceae, which was once rich in genera that have been reclassified into other families. Today, there are just over 400 species distributed among a dozen genera, the most well-known outside the large group of tulips being the lily and the fritillary. Wild tulips are found from Western Europe (including France: for example, the tulip of Agen) to China and Japan, passing through Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution area also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

Nevertheless, much more frequently found in parks and gardens are horticultural varieties such as 'Monsella', representative of the group of Early Double Tulips. The main characteristic of this category is that they all flower at the same height, which is appreciated by enthusiasts of well-regulated flower beds. The 'Monsella' variety is remarkable for its early flowers, which appear from the end of March and bloom in April. Very large, they reach 12 cm (5in) and even up to 15 cm (6in) in diameter when fully open. Unlike single tulips, which have only 6 tepals (sepals and petals with almost the same morphology), they are very double, with the corollas formed by numerous tepals. Their appearance can even evoke certain peonies, as the flowers are full. More than their size, it is their combination of colours that attracts all attention in the garden. Their bright yellow is adorned with equally vibrant red flames, spreading joy at a time when the days are still short and sometimes quite grey.
These bright bicolored flowers stand out particularly well against the glaucous green foliage, composed of large lanceolate leaves, 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10in) long, which turn yellow and then dry out a few weeks after flowering, when the bulb enters its dormant phase.

Suitable for most well-drained soils, in sunny or even semi-shaded locations, this bulbous plant can also be grown in pots to embellish a terrace or in the ground at the edge of a flower bed.

This unique Monsella tulip will appeal to enthusiasts of strong contrasts. To further emphasise this, it can be paired with the Muscari azureum, a small perennial bulbous plant with intense blue flower clusters. A few white blooms, such as those of the Curlew Narcissus, scattered here and there, will make it easier to coexist with these vibrant colours. Also, consider planting flowers with staggered blooming periods to enjoy flowers for several consecutive months. A few clumps of peonies will take over from your bulbs in May and June, while shrubby cinquefoils (Potentilla fruticosa) will delight you with their flowers during the summer. Whether single or double, they offer many other colours than the classic gold yellow: white, pink, shades of orange from salmon to mandarin, red, and more.