by Dorothy Meyer

Created on: January 15, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Tulips have been loved for ages, introduced to Europe in the mid 1500's, they quickly became the true heralds of Spring. In fact, a century later they became so popular and in demand that they were literally worth more than their weight in gold...making and breaking family fortunes across the globe. This "Tulip Mania" finally ended but the frenzy continued, and luckily the bulbs became affordable. Still a luxury in gardener's hearts, which is where the tulips's true importance lies; to give us a sense of reawakening and a jump start into a new season. Think about the terms, "breaking new ground" or "a new love blossoming" and you can see the correlation between tulips and how our everyday lives have become intertwined.

There are thousands of tulip varieties and they come in many forms. Tiny little beacons of brightness breaking through the snow are the species tulips whose perennial nature keeps multiplying to create jeweled colonies. People everywhere adore the single tulips, the most easily recognizable form for their simplicity and stately shape. Flamboyant Parrot Tulips make our hearts go all aflutter, with the exotic coloring of their feathery plumed petals. Greigii Tulips are little gems perfect for a rock garden, and their pinstriped burgundy and green leaves keep things interesting long after the flowers fade. The much-adored Double Tulips, peony look-alikes, have layers and layers of petals that unfold day after day just for your pleasure. Lily flowering, Viridiflora, Fringed, and a host of others are available for you to plant.

You can find Tulips at your local nurseries, in catalogs, and from reputable companies online. Friends can even divide their own for you to share in their bounty. Sometimes Garden Clubs have an exchange program of some sorts, as do Farmer's Markets. Buy the best bulbs you can find, the bigger and healthier looking the better. Steer clear of mushy feeling bulbs or those with mold growing on them. Tulips should be planted in the Fall, in decent soil that doesn't stay water-logged so rot does not happen. Dig a hole twice as deep as the height of the bulbs and keep the pointed end toward the sky when planting. Adding a little bone meal or bulb fertilizer is a good idea at this time. Do pick up any of the transparent onion-like skin that sloughs off here and there so critters do not know where your little treasures are buried. They have a knack for rooting them out and ruining the long awaited appearance of green shoots bursting out of your soil. Come Spring, the Crocus will bring you promise of a new season, the Daffodils and Muscari, with their cheery sunny yellow and bright blue colors bring smiles to long Winter faces; but it's the arrival of the Tulip blooms that really lifts our spirits and lets us welcome growth and renewal and adds a "Spring" in our steps.

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