Monday, April 10, 2023

T is for Tulips

 

Orange Van Eijk

As I mentioned in my spring garden post, the tulips are gorgeous this year. Usually I don't have many repeat blooming tulips because our winters aren't cold enough. This past winter, though, had been different with many more frosty nights than we usually have. Tulip bulbs need the freeze to perform well - as do French lilacs and peonies, both of which are also doing well this year.

This white tulip is my oldest tulip. I planted it several years ago and there are still a few flowers coming every year. Last year I only had one, but this year I have three of them. There is a very subtle magenta stripe on the edge of the petals.

The gorgeous Mystik Van Eijk I planted two years ago. It didn't do particularly well last year, so I wasn't expecting anything. The more I was surprised to see how stunning they turned out this spring.


I love the subtle color changes in the flowers that occur every day.

This orange tulip I also planted several years ago and it faithfully comes back every year, sometimes more vigorous, sometimes not. They are small, but the color is stunning.

Slawa is one of my favorite tulips with its amazing color combination. Depending on the light, it looks different throughout the day. Planted three years ago, it didn't make an appearance at all last year and I had all but forgotten about them when they suddenly turned up this spring again. 


Dordogne is another favorite - I adore the combination of golden yellow and pink.

Pretty Princess, a small tulip with variegated leaves, is not quite ready yet to show all of its beauty.

With all this wonderful color, don't you feel like having a summery drink? What about a pineapple whip float? This is my "permit" for joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for their T Tuesday.

I started this post with Orange Van Eijk and I will finish it with these amazing tulips. Against my resolution not to plant any more tulips, I did put these bulbs in the ground late last fall (before I plant tulip bulbs I chill them in the fridge for six weeks) and they sure haven't disappointed me. Now I'm already thinking of putting more tulips in the ground this fall, because - you never know, what (and when) you get.



20 comments:

kathyinozarks said...

I loved seeing your tulips-so beautiful!! I miss not having tulips-the deer love to eat them here, but they do not like the daffodils so that is a good thing haha
Happy T wishes Kathy

kathyinozarks said...

PS your summery drink looks and sounds delicious

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I LOVE your tulips. I not only love them because they are all variegated, you also know the names of all of them.

I got mine from the Botanical Gardens one year when they had a sale. You had no idea what you were getting, because when the tulips were pulled they were all thrown into a huge pile. They told us at the Botanical Gardens to plant them right away. That would have been early to mid May, I believe. My tulips came up the next year and have never disappointed me. Yours are much prettier than mine, though.

Your pineapple whip float looks wonderful with the swirls of ice cream and the cute umbrellas.

Thanks for sharing these amazing tulips and your pineapple drinks with us for T this almost Tuesday.

Jeanie said...

These are exquisite, Carola. I miss my tulips. The deer destroyed them year after year and now I don't replant any tulip bulbs unless they came in a bulb garden and I'll give it a shot. These dazzle with joy!

My name is Erika. said...

Your tulips are so lovely Carola. I never have good luck with them coming back, even though our winters are definitely cold enough for them to freeze. I really like seeing yours. The colors are shapes are so pretty. And your pineapple whipped float looks pretty yummy too. I have never seen one of these before, which is not something you can get here in New Hampshire. Is it vanilla ice cream and pineapple juice? Have a lovely T day and week ahead. hugs-Erika

Elephant's Child said...

Simply glorious.
I 'may' not plant any more tulips this year, not least because I have a lot of work to do first. Or then again...

Valerie-Jael said...

I LOVE this post full of beautiful tulips, your garden must be gorgeous just now! Your pineapple whip float looks great, too, I've never had one of them. Happy T Day, enjoy your wonderful tulips, hugs, Valerie

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Your tulips are very beautiful, Carola. You are perhaps aware that in Ottawa, our nation's capital, there is a Tulip Festival each year where the whole city is ablaze with tulips. It has its origins in WWII when the queen of the Netherlands stayed in Ottawa and as a gesture of appreciation sent tulips when she returned home after the war, and so the festival began. It is a major tourist attraction these days. All the best - David

roentare said...

Beautiful tulips

Iris Flavia said...

So schön. Hier ist noch immer nichts. Also kann es nur besser werden! :-) Ich glaube ich habe sogar solche Schirmchen - vielleicht helfen die ja!

Barwitzki said...

Deine Tulpen sind wunderschön und so eine herrliche Vielfalt hast du. Die weiße mit dem rosa Rand ist wirklich besonders, genau so wie die Orange mit Pink würde ich sagen... ich muß noch etwas warten bei mir, aber ich kann schon zusehen wie sie wachsen, bei manchen Knospen erkenne ich schon die Farben... Ostern super wetter bei uns, heute Morgen Hagelschauer und Mittag Sonnenschein :-)) April, April, der macht was er will :-)))
Dein fantastisches Eisdessert nehme ich glatt - ich Süßmaul :-)
Ein fröhlicher Gruß zu dir. Viola

jinxxxygirl said...

Carola i LOVE that you collect Tulips! They are so beautiful!! I've never had them because where i lived in AR probably got cold enough long enough but the deer would have ate them in a heartbeat... And here in TX it does not get cold enough and theres no way i'm digging them up every year to put them in the frig... just not that dedicated.. I'd like to collect daffodils.. there are so many different varieties.. Loved your photos! Happy T day! Hugs! deb

Lisca said...

Tulips are my favorite flowers (they would be being Dutch). So you have made me a very happy bunny by showing me all this beauty. Thank you.
Happy T-Day,
Hug,
Lisca

CJ Kennedy said...

Your tulips are dazzling. We have planted lots of tulip bulbs over the years, but the chipmunks love them so eat them. Happy T Day

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow! This is a real treat! Tulips really do herald the true start of Spring. Crocus and Daffodils are a good start to Spring but it never warms up fully until the Tulips Put on their show! Your drinks look spectacular. Happy T Day, hugs, Chrisx

Sharon Madson said...

Thank you, yes, I will take a pineapple whip float. It looks delicious. Your tulips are beautiful, too. Happy T day.

Michelle said...

Tulips are a favorite of mine. They are like the perfect flower and these are gorgeous!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Carola, not only did I so enjoy seeing all the colorful tulips in your garden but more so reading that you included the names of all of them. And, here I was only referring to them by colors of yellow, red, orange, white and pink. The names are much nicer.

Lorrie said...

Beautiful tulips, Carola. How great that they are returning now after the colder winter you experienced. Ours are just beginning to form.

Lowcarb team member said...

Such beautiful tulips.

All the best Jan