Tulips
Tulipa hybrids
Tulips provide concentrated spring color and clean vertical form, making them especially useful as seasonal punctuation among emerging perennials.
Tulips are often at their best when used for timing as much as for color. They rise early, make a crisp statement, and then let the rest of the planting take over once their foliage starts to decline.
In gardens with summer irrigation they may behave more like short-term display bulbs than permanent residents. Good drainage and a reasonably dry summer rest usually improve return, though many gardeners still treat them as refreshed accents.
Microclimate
Tulips appreciate bright winter and spring light but generally benefit from dry summer conditions more than from intense reflected heat.
Neighborhood observations
In neighborhood gardens they work best where later perennials can hide the fading leaves without trapping the bulbs in wet summer soil.