Country Life | Choices, Choices

September 9, 2026

Polly Nicholson

I will be ordering a handful of Tulipa ‘Absalon’ to supplement the National Collection of Tulipa (historical) that I hold with Plant Heritage. ‘Absalon’ is a true Rembrandt (Division 9) tulip dating from 1780, with flames and feathers of the richest mahogany red over a base of primrose yellow. With a real aura of antiquity, it stands apart from modern cultivars, but is surprisingly robust and produces good-sized offsets. It should be lifted once the foliage has died back in July and stored carefully before being planted back in a pot again in the depths of winter. The investment and effort are well worth it. Polly Nicholson is curating an exhibition on tulips at the Garden Museum, London SE1, opening March 2027

September 9, 2026 | Country Life