These are real early birds: they bloom before any other tulips. They catch the eye not only because of their extra early flowering but also because of their inflorescence and cheery range of colors. In addition, the graceful way the flowers open and their pretty foliage make them attractive before, during and after flowering.

With their double row of petals, the Double Early Tulips look almost like peonies. Their bowl-shaped blooms reach 3 in. (8 cm) across and come in a wide range of colors ranging from red to yellow or white. They often exhibit a contrasting color, offering a striking display in the garden in early-mid spring. Some are even fragrant!

Tulipa fosteriana is a wild species found in the mountainous areas of Central Asia. Although no longer being cultivated, numerous beautiful cultivars developed from it are still marketed. They differ from one another in height, but all have solitary, bowl-shaped flowers, 5 in. wide (12 cm), with a slender shape and large, sometimes striped, leaves. These tulips generally naturalize easily and come back year after year in the garden. They are well-suited to mixed borders and create impressive bedding displays. Bloom in early-mid spring.

Greigii tulips produce single bowl-shaped flowers in early-mid spring. The principal colors are red, yellow, and white. Combined with their stunning spotted and striped leaves, these flower colors create an unforgettable visual impact. The flowers are large in proportion to the plant's total height, up to 4 in. wide (10 cm), and they open wide in the full sun. These qualities make Greigii tulips unsurpassed for use in borders, rock gardens, and pots.

Their flowers open into colorful stars and their grayish leaves are often mottled

Single Early Tulips are fabulous as bedding plants and for forcing in late winter. They are some of the earliest flowering tulips, blooming after Fosteriana or Kaufmanniana tulips in the early-mid spring garden

The Darwin Hybrid group includes a series of tulips that excel due to their flower size and sturdy, long stems that withstand wind and rain. Among the best for naturalizing, they provide blooms up to 5 years!

Quite elegant looking, easy to grow and weather resistant. More and more people are becoming interested in Fringed Tulips which enjoy all finely incised petals

Single and cup-shaped blooms in an endless assortment of colors atop sturdy stems

Showy, double, bowled shaped flowers that resemble roses or peonies. These tulips introduce charm and romance in the garden with their multi-petalled flowers!

What makes Lily-Flowered Tulips different from other tulip varieties are their slender flowers with often pointed, recurving petals. The flower stems are thin and not very sturdy, making them susceptible to wind damage. Most bloom in late spring, and a few in mid-spring. Some make good cut flowers, others are fragrant. But all are incredibly beautiful and should be considered in your seasonal plantings.

The flowers are green as buds, and as they grow it may seem as if the tulips will remain entirely green forever. But as the flower matures and opens, resembling a parrot's plumage, the brilliant colors are revealed. This is when their black, star-shaped center and their bright yellow stamens become apparent.

Single Late Tulips include cup- or goblet-shaped flowers and are among the tallest tulips with the Darwin Tulips. Blooming in late spring, after all other types of tulips have finished, they enjoy sturdy, long stems that withstand wind and rain.

Long lasting lily-shaped flowers with green tepals. Fascinating!

A sampling of top-performing bulbs that can be counted upon to perennialize -- and, if happy where you plant them, will most likely naturalize, too, to come back to bloom for years.

Although tulips look fabulous when planted in large drifts, they look even better when combined with other flowering bulbs, annuals, or perennials. Here are some lovely combination ideas that are easy to replicate in your garden.

Consider this: spring is really three seasons - early, mid and late. You will want to think about this when choosing what to plant each fall. Why?