The Type of Filler to Put With Tulips

Breathe in Springtime

• Tulips herald spring's arrival with early-blooming types, then stick around with mid- and late-season blooms until spring is over. If forced into early bloom indoors, tulips provide flowers for stunning winter bouquets. Depending on variety, tulips can be hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 3 through 8. Their shapes, colors and flowering times vary tremendously, but they all share crispness in foliage and bloom. The best fillers for tulip bouquets augment that clarity with springlike freshness of their own. Use fillers sparingly, so tulips can shine through.

Consider Companion Bulbs

• Spring-blooming bulbs that flower with tulips in nature pair perfectly with tulips indoors. Many force easily to use in bulb gardens or as winter cut flowers. The white blooms of pheasant's eye daffodil (Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus), which grows in USDA zones 3 through 7, complement all tulip colors, but especially reds and yellows that accentuate its red-rimmed yellow cup. For shorter tulip arrangements, try grape hyacinth (Muscari latifolium) as filler. It grows in USDA zones 3 through 8, and its violet-blue racemes add a dainty, natural touch.

Pair Early Perennials

• While tulips bloom in the garden, many perennials reach their peak. The traditional bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis), which grows in USDA zones 2 through 9, is a spectacular filler when its heart-shaped blooms arch among pink and white tulips. From the woodland, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) lend a soft, gentle flavor as filler in tulips bouquet. Hardy in USDA zones 2 through 9, the bright blue bells begin as tight pink buds to highlight every shade of tulip pink. A few choice stems are all your tulip bouquet needs.

Accent Flowering Shrubs

• Spring-flowering branches stand well alone. With tulips, they add strength and height. Many early-blooming shrubs force easily when stems are cut and brought inside. "Sunrise" forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia "Sunrise"), one of the earliest bloomers, grows in USDA zones 5 through 8. For tulips saturated with color, this vibrant yellow filler makes the cheeriest spring bouquet. Pussy willow stems (Salix caprea), which grow in USDA zones 4 through 8, combine with white tulips for a stunning early-spring vase. The silvery pink catkins and rich brown stems prove the perfect filler for an elegant tulip bouquet.