This list of sweet-smelling tulip cultivars was developed by Brent Heath of Brent and Becky's Bulbs. Fragrant tulips, he says, often taste good, too. He suggests using their flower petals to decorate spring salads. That's why lots of gardeners treat tulips like annuals, and pull them out of the ground once they've finished flowering. They find it easier to plant new bulbs each fall than to watch a planting decline over the years.
Some varieties are a little more tenacious.
With ideal conditions, some Darwins may flower every spring for 5 or 6 years. Most hybrid tulips, however, are relatively short-lived no matter what the conditions. Whatever type you're planting, a few simple steps will increase the chance of repeat blooms in the years to come. First of all, the cooler and drier the bulbs are in summer, the better they will do. You can also keep bulbs cool in the summer by overplanting them with large-leaved perennials.