Do you have squirrels around. Squirrels love to eat tulip bulbs and that could be why only half came up. When you plant make a bowl shape with chicken wire and put it over the bulbs, then cover them in. The shoots come up through the wire but the squirrels can't dig them out.

Other than that there are certain things you must do to grow them in warm climates. Check out this site

http://www.bulb.com/templates/dispatcher.asp?page_id=21597

If you look closely you will find some mixed ones in the catalogue or try some other bulbs like daffodils--they don't just come in yellow anymore, or hyacinths. I like to plant my tulips in clumps of 6 or so in a circle with a couple in the middle, so other things can come up between them. It takes away that boring feeling you talked about. I'd take a chance, you just might be happy you did