Darwins are considered the best for returning.

This link looks good for very early early blooming bulbs.

http://www.weekendgardener.net/flower-bulbs/firstspring-010901.htm

The species tulips naturalize best. The larger types must either be dug and cured properly and then replanted in revitalized beds yearly or very carefully fed while in growth with the foliage left to cure naturally instead of being removed when it becomes unsightly.

Be sure to plant deeply enough especially if you plan to dig them yearly or you will get significant increase of smaller bulbs. My bag of 30 red Appeldoorns from 4 years ago planted a bit too shallow has multiplied into hundreds if not over a thousand in the interval. Resultant bulbs are smaller than I would like as well, but still over a hundred are blooming size.

The key will be to feed them properly while they are growing and then again at least once right after blooming, whether you dig them yearly or not.

In z.4b, I can recommend blue chionodoxa, iris reticulata 'Harmony', winter aconites, and single snowdrops as great early, small bulbs for sun to part shade. All except the iris will seed around after a few years to make large patches. For larger bulbs, narcissus are easily more perennial than the larger, showy tulips. Species tulips like tarda, yellow and white, quite short, are very perennial, but cannot be compared to the taller hybrid varieties.

more or less any tulips will naturalise if you have the right conditions - ie, a hot, dry, sunbaked free draining scree or gravel area which, like bearded iris, allows the bulbs, even though under the soil, to be baked all summer. Winter rains will start the bulbs into root growth and temperature and light will initiate bud formation. It is, however, all in the conditions - no tulip, even the fabled darwins or species, enjoy being swamped by grass and they certainly will not respond to lack of sun. FWIW, I grow thousands of tulips on my open, free draining allotment although if I am less than circumspect about removing surface competitors, the bulbs will dwindle and finally fail.

If you can replicate their natural growth conditions, they will prove reliably perennial (although I appreciate that many tulip lovers cannot provide neither the heat not light and often, not the soil. Pot grown tulips are often deeply unhappy since the light potting soils encourage early splitting so the tulips are already diminished in their second year.

In England, at least, because they are so closely associated with other spring bulbs such as narcissus, they are frequently planted around deciduous trees (or in pots) where they will, indeed, flower...once.

Unfortunately (for me) I am beginning to battle with that other issue relating to great numbers of single species plants - virus. The first streaks of tulip fire appeared last year so suspect the April displays on the allotment are numbered.

we are in the same zone. i think that tulips have to be divided and pet avery 3 years. I love them. But, you can have much easier succes with Daddifolds that last year after year with no problem if you control weeds after july to have a clean flower bed in the spring. daddifolds and narcisses as I see in the second picture, are tought ones. others types of bulds can grow too as they say.

have a good winter. Where are you ?