Main content

Jim’s tulip experiment has turned from a daydream into a nightmare filled with apricot parrots and an odd honeymoon

25 May 2018

Christmas Dream, Princess Irene, Honeymoon, Red Georgette, Westpoint, Apricot Parrot, and Daydream — sounds like the line-up for the Grand National.

In fact, these are the names of the tulips involved in a gardening experiment dreamed up by Jim McColl — legendary presenter of The Beechgrove Garden.

Jim’s experiment

Jim planted a range of tulips in order from those that would flower earliest in the season to those that would flower later. He recorded the height and for how long each variant of tulip flowered.

He hoped to see a steady flow from the earliest flowering to the latest flowering, but Mother Nature had other plans!

The tulips grew in almost all at the same time, which Jim said ‘scuppered’ his experiment.

All was not lost, however: Jim still managed to share his opinions of the flowers.

Tulip variety What Jim thought
Christmas Dream “What’s that got to do with Christmas?â€
Princess Irene “A stunner! I think that is fabulous. I’d definitely grow that again in my own garden.â€
Honeymoon “Flower arranging people might like that sort of thing... I think it’s a bit odd.â€
Red Georgette “Absolutely stunning thing.â€
Westpoint “Very lovely.â€
Apricot Parrot “I don’t like them.â€
Daydream “...it’s a bit of a nightmare...â€

Framing (Tu)lips

Christmas Dream, Princess Irene and Foxtrot
Honeymoon, Red Georgette, Westpoint and Apricot Parrot
Christmas Dream, Princess Irene and Foxtrot

Latest features from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Scotland