gift of tulips!

While I wait for the tulips in our garden, James surprised me with a bouquet of parrot tulips!

We grow parrot tulips, along with Rembrandt and fringed tulips in the garden, not only for their beauty but to cut and paint. Tulips have been a favorite of painters for centuries.

A gift of tulips..............how thoughful and sweet!

Meanwhile, we wait for the tulips in the garden. In the peony walk we plant 'French tulips' also known as single late tulips.

French tulips are tall and elegant. My favorites include, Menton (pictured above), Dordogne and Maureen.

Once the tulips just begin to show color and flower heads are ready to open I will head out to the garden with a bucket of cool water and some sheets newspaper or newsprint . After cutting the tulip I immediately put the stem into water. Once I have 8-10 stems cut I wrap the bunch of tulips in the paper, fairly snug, then quickly return them to water. I will put the tulip filled bucket in a cool place, out of sunlight, for several hours ( or overnight). Unwrap tulips, re-cut stems , and arrange in a vase. Did you know that tulip stems continue to grow for 24 hours after being cut!!

It will be some time before the tulips in the garden are flowering,

but the daffodils will soon be showing their color!

Can't wait!

(never combine tulips & daffodils , or anything from the narcissus genus, together in a vase)