can you successfully plant magnolias and tulips side by side?

Answer 1

Tulips look beautiful planted near Magnolia trees!

Holland's Keukenhof Gardens offer a vibrant display of color come April and May.
Look at slide 7 on this site:
http://away.com/travel_photo_gallery/gardens/gallery07.html?thisSpeed=9000

You can grow tulips under deciduous trees where it's too shady for bloom later.
http://www.backyardgardener.com/plants/tulip.html

Here's a good site about planting tulips:
http://www.tulipworld.com/info.asp?contentloc=/info/bulbcare/FAQ.shtml

Good luck! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

There are many different species of magnolia. Some, like the evergreen Southern Magnolia prefer to keep their branches all the way to the ground, and their large leaves prevent other plants from doing well beneath them. It's not worth trying.

Others, such as Saucer Magnolia, are smaller, deciduous trees that bloom in early spring. This type seems adaptable for combining with bulbs.

Answer 3

You may need to experiment planting the bulbs in a few locations to get adequate sun for them to return so it is worth buying the bulbs wholesale. Since magnolias flower before they leaf out tulips may do well. As long as the bulbs get enough sun to feed the foliage for a few weeks they may even return.
http://www.vanengelen.com/

Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is a small deciduous shrub growing to 10-15 feet. This magnolia blooms in March-April before the leaves appear and before most other magnolias. This would only allow very early bulbs to develop and bloom before the tree leafs out. Zone 4-8. Plant them out from the trunk so they get the best sun possible.
Fosteriana also called Emperor tulips are among the first to bloom and would be the best choice for size. They will be very late March or early April so in bloom with the magnolia. Later bulbs would get to little sun unless planted out beyond the shade line.

Magnolia x soulangiana - Saucer Magnolia's blooms appear April-May.

Magnolia sieboldii - Oyama Magnolia flowers in May-June.

Magnolia grandiflora is known as the Southern Magnolia with flowers in May-June.

Waterlily (Kaufmanniana) are very small and open mid-March. These need to be planted in very large groups to be visible at a distance since they are only 6 inches tall. They do very well inter-planted with Emperor tulips to precede them and complement the taller blooms.
Single Early tulips flower just behind or with Emperor tulips.
Other early bulbs include Double Early but these are touchier about getting enough sun to grow all the petals.

Later tulips might not get enough sun with a star magnolia but the Single Late tulips blooming in May would complement the other magnolias as would any of the early tulips.

Answer 4

I'm sure you can; but you are aware that magnolia is a tree and tulips are flowers right? I don't have any experience with tulips but I had a magnolia tree at a previous home and they are very slow growers. Good Luck!