Tulips are one of the great joys of spring at Perch Hill, where Sarah Raven grows hundreds of varieties each year to trial their colour, form, and reliability. From elegant classics to new discoveries, the flowers she returns to again and again are those that combine beauty with performance.
Here, Sarah shares ten of her favourite tulips. Some are long-standing favourites she has grown for decades, while others are varieties discovered on bulb-hunting trips or created through years of experimentation and breeding at Perch Hill.
Expert grower Sarah Raven selects her 10 favourite tulips for 2026
Tulip 'Menton'
"Tulip 'Menton' is not normally a colour I would pick out from a crowd, but I cannot describe the beauty of this tulip. It's twice the height of most and has marvellous coral pink flowers in a great goblet shape. They have a long garden and vase life too.”
Tulip 'Queen of Night'
Tulip ‘Queen of Night’ “Almost black in colour, this is one of the most dramatic tulips you can grow. Its deep plum petals create a wonderful contrast with fresh spring greens or softer pastel tulips, and it’s exceptional in arrangements.”
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Tulip 'Ballerina'
Tulip ‘Ballerina’ “A beautiful orange with a sweet scent, a little bit like freesias I think. ‘Ballerina’ is absolute must in my garden, and brilliant for cutting.”
Tulip 'Sarah Raven'
“It has a true, rich crimson colour, the most elegant flower shape, and is excellent for cutting. My parents had a tulip in their garden when I was a child and I had been looking for something very similar until I finally stumbled upon this one on a rainy day in a tulip trial field. It's also been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit.”
Tulip ‘La Belle Époque’
Tulip ‘La Belle Époque’ “The most incredible colour - coffee mousse, flushed with pink. It has double flowers which last for weeks (double varieties always flower longer because they are sterile).”
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Tulip 'Slawa'
“Deep rich crimson and apricot in one stunning flower. One of the all-time great tulips for picking and Josie's (Head Gardener at Perch Hill) favourite tulip, it goes with almost any colour combination and palette.”
Tulip 'White Valley' syn 'Exotic Emperor'
“Early, double, long flowering, great vase life and the tastiest tulip to eat in a spring garden fritto misto – it tastes like cucumber mixed with French bean.”
Tulip 'Queensday'
“It's planted in quite a shady spot in the Oast Garden at Perch Hill, under the shuttlecock fern and bamboo, and it performs year after year. You will either love it or hate it – it's big, showy and rich red with a little yellow-gold marking, but it's also a whopper and unbelievably perennial.”
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Tulip 'Spring Green'
“A classic green and ivory tulip which is reliably perennial - a longstanding cottage garden favourite. Wonderful driving through globe artichokes - where it’s been coming back here for 15 years. It’s also great for lightening up shade.”
Tulip 'Blue Heaven'
“Classically elegant multi-bloom tulip with a crazy, unusual colour. It opens kind of bronze and gradually morphs to lilac.”
