What they’re like: Like parrots, these tulips come in brilliant hues (some are striped and flamed in various colors); petals have ruffled or feathery edges. Big flowers are easily animated in the wind.

Our favorites: ‘Blue Parrot’ (pictured) has mauve-blue flowers on 18-inch stems. ‘Estella Rijnveld’ is even more flamboyant, with red-and-white flowers on 20-inch stems. For red splashed with green, try the 20-inch-tall ‘Rococo’.

How to display: Plant bulbs shoulder to shoulder in a 16- or 18-inch-diameter pot, or in drifts behind white or purple violas. Before planting in mild-winter climates, chill the bulbs for six weeks.