Tulip Tips from Chicago Gardeners

The better you treat bulbs, the longer they’ll repay your investment. Don’t cut the foliage too soon; yellowing leaves power next year’s bloom. Most bulbs need sun and well-drained soil. Bulbs rot if kept wet during summer. Plant them next to dry-loving plants, such as ornamental grasses or black-eyed Susans. After 3–5 years, dig up bulbs and divide them. “It cuts down on disease and allows you to improve the soil,” Boyce says. If deer or rabbits nibble on your garden, plant bad-tasting daffodils and allium around tulips to discourage pests. To ensure bulbs arrive at the optimum planting time in the fall, place orders in the summer.

Click ahead for more photos from this garden.