Description
Tulip Neper is a refined Triumph tulip, celebrated for its unusual and softly luminous pale salmon-pink colouring. Its cup-shaped flowers glow with a warm, peachy undertone that shifts gently under different light conditions — sometimes leaning toward blush-pink in cool mornings, and at other times showing a hint of apricot warmth as the day brightens. This subtle play of colour makes Neper one of the more elegant mid-spring tulips, bringing a sense of delicacy and sophistication to borders and containers.
Flowering at around 40–50 cm, Neper is well-proportioned for both garden and civic planting schemes, where its understated tones provide a perfect foil to bolder varieties. In the Irish climate, Neper shows strong weather resilience, with sturdy stems that hold their blooms against wind and showers without flopping. Though not strongly fragrant, it occasionally gives off a soft, sweet floral note in sheltered, sunny sites. Biodiversity value is moderate, with blooms opening wide enough on bright days to allow limited pollinator access — a welcome but secondary role compared to simpler, open tulip species.
From a design perspective, Neper is invaluable as a blending tulip. Its soft salmon-pink tones harmonises seamlessly with whites such as Maureen or Northcap, as well as soft lilacs and blues from Muscari armeniacum or Hyacinth Delft Blue. It also provides a pleasing contrast when combined with deeper pinks like Menton or rich burgundies such as Negrita. In public plantings, sweeps of Neper soften harder edges, while in private gardens it creates an atmosphere of warmth and calm, especially in cottage-style borders or romantic planting schemes.
As a cut flower, Neper is particularly prized for its gentle colouring and graceful shape, which blends easily with both pastels and stronger shades in floral arrangements. Its long vase life and sturdy stems make it reliable for florists seeking subtle sophistication, while in the garden it offers that rare combination of resilience, elegance, and quiet impact.