While working on the path yesterday, I discovered that an apricot-coloured tulip was about to bloom. This morning, it looked quite perky amid the mauve and white tulips which have been blooming for what seems like weeks.
The thing is – I never planted apricot tulips.
in the autumn light 
Don’t you just LOVE those sorts of surprises? In our case, I tend to lose the labels/tags of those bulbs I plant, and until they flower, I don’t know what’s there. Except the Apricot Parrots, which I have been eagerly awaiting. Delicious flowers that they are!
The surprises you get while gardening! Never a dull moment, don’t you think? 😉
The rogue tulip is lovely – I feel I ought to know its name but can’t bring it to mind – it looks as though it might be a viridiflora of some kind. Would guess somebody mixed things up a bit at the nursery that they came from.
I love those kinds of surprises! I had foxglove just appear a few years ago.
Hi Kate! This is so gorgeous! What a treat to go out and find a surprise like that. Very cool.:)
Hello, I stumbled across this blog, with the navbar. The rogue tulips is amazing as is your garden. Perhaps it floated in from a neighboring yard. Unless tulips come from bulbs, in which case that would take a powerful wind. I don’t know a whole lot about gardening, so I’m just guessing here. I look forward to your next post.
Hi Kate, Tulips are always a guessing game. Will they come up again? Which ones will live? Will there be a strange sport this year? Did someone throw an “odd duck” in the mix? What fun! Alyssa
beautiful. Thanks for sharing your delight.
Oh lovely!! I think that’s a viridiflora tulip. One of my favorite types of tulip. They have those green stripes, plus whatever other color. I would love a surprise like that myself, of several viridis!
Isn’t plant genetics fun!! That is a beautiful tulip.tcS
That is a beautiful tulip! I love your flowers. :-)Take care!
Must of got a surprise in the bulb bin. I love to get those kind of surprises. Thanks for sharing.
What a nice surprise for you Kate, apricot tulip showing up in your garden. I think no gardener can resist its beauty. Lucky you!
That’s a lovely flower. I love surprise flowers and plants. I don’t get them ( desirable kinds) too often where I live here-but one of my friends has a beautiful palm tree in his garden-obviously “planted” by a bird- that’s now 60 feet tall!
Ah yes, You and I both suffer from that “where did you come from” disease.
Jodi – I do like these surprises, though I sometimes wonder how I can so totally forget. Yolanda – there is never a dull moment in the garden … there are always surprises!!Rowan – I think it must be a viridiflora although I’m sure I never bought one!! Pam – You are lucky – I’d love for a foxglove to appear here. It is really hard to grow them in this climate, I find. Clare – It really is a gorgeous bloom. With hot weather yesterday, the tulips look pretty bedraggled. I’m glad that I got to enjoy them for so long though. Tulips are a guessing game – so true Alyssa. I often find them where I planted two seasons ago and sometimes there is foliage without bloom. Bindi – You are welcome. I just made some more oatmeal muffins. Salix Tree – I think it is a Viridiflora. Thank you for noting that. Faldwin – I hope you come back and visit again. Simon – Plant genetics are fascinating – I agree!Laura – It is good to see you again!!Curtis – That was definitely a surprise in the tulip bin!LadySeashells – The apricot shade is really pretty especially with the mauve and white tulips and the new growth of the Bittersweet vines.Nicole – I imagine the surprises there are so very different from here. Thank you for visiting!Chigiy – Yes, I think we both have the same disease although for the life of me, I can’t remember what it is!!!