Sunday, April 19, 2009

Jewels

Tulips are appearing all over the blogosphere (see VP and James' posts, for example). Having come back to the garden after a week away, these jewelled bowls are glowing in the April sun here, too.

Most people have heard of tulip mania. I wouldn't go as far as saying I had an obsession but tulips appeal to the child in me. I do like the sophisticated, elegant lily-shaped flowers but to be truthful, I have an equal love of the pillar box red and sunshine yellow flowers of the municipal plantings. I even love them as their silken petals are shucked to the ground as they go over.

My tulips get no special treatment. They don't get dug up and stored after the leaves have withered. And some seem to have changed colour since planting - probably due to viruses, which means I should dig them up and dispose of them. Perhaps next year...

8 comments:

chaiselongue said...

I love tulips too, especially purple ones. I'd heard that whatever colour they are they revert to red or yellow eventually, but our purple ones are still purple.

Unknown said...

I also love tulips, though it will be still some weeks before I see any of them except possibly the small species tulips in my front garden. They're definitely jewels!

Helen/patientgardener said...

I love tulips more and more each year. Mine dont get special treatment either.

James A-S said...

Wahey for tulips.
Especially the smell of tulips.It was pointed out to me the other day that Tulip Ballerina smell of orange boiled sweets.

Lia Leendertz said...

I am jealous of your long-lived tulips. Mine are slowly but surely losing the will to live in my clay soil. I do have some 'Ballerina' coming up, how have i never noticed the smell? Will pray they flower one more year.

LittleGreenFingers said...

Tulips are fantastic although I seem to have purchased some last year which are such a garish shade of pink that I feel quite queasy whenever I look at them.

I guess I'm fortunate in that tulips not only survive, but increase in my soil. However, this doesn't stop me purchasing more each year so one day my garden may simply house tulips and nothing else...

HappyMouffetard said...

Chaiselongue - yes, our purple ones seem to stay prurple, but the yellow ones which had a edge to the petal now have a red flame from the base. Pretty, but different to how they were!
Jodi - I hope your tulips bring you joy when they do arrive.
Patientgardener - glad I'm not the only one!
James - I will have to go a-sniffing. I can't say I've noticed before.
Lia - what a shame. I suppose I don't expect them to survive/flower another year, but luckily they generally fdo. It doesn't stop me from planting more though!
LGF - I like your thinking!

VP said...

I've been out for a sniff - James is right!