Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Tulipa ‘Acuminata’

It’s tulip time! Last year I tried a small order from Old House Gardens which specializes in heirloom bulbs. I opted for some unusual tulips that harken back to the Ottoman Empire and its fascination with stiletto petals.

Tulipa ‘Elegans Rubra’

I’m so in love! Planted with nifty daffodils in an attempt to keep the critters at bay, these two tulips are deeply elegant and going strong despite the yo-yo of temperatures and rain. The daffodils are quite lovely, too. I have planted pockets of tulips from fancy frilly ones to small species to classic Dutch hybrids over the years. Except for the classic red ones that came with the house, the tulip population ebbs and flows. I swear the chipmunks eat the fanciest ones. I’m hoping these new darlings are here to stay.

Narcissus ‘Geranium"‘

I tuck bulbs in all over and then promptly forget where I planted them. I’ve been known to shove them in the ground on a warm Thanksgiving morning (really far later than they should be planted) or layered into pots for wintering in the garage when I run out of time. In 2020, well, we all had a bit more time on our hands. Plus, I was scheduled for outpatient back surgery, so they had to get planted!

Spring has been a lovely surprise as I vaguely remember where the dwarf iris, winter aconite, snowdrops, tulips, daffodils, and crocus all got jammed in beds. I made some good decisions and I’m hoping the tiny patch of snowdrops right next to the flagstone path settles in for good.

We’ve enjoyed vases of daffodils, letting their slightly spicy fragrance perfume the kitchen and dining room. So easy, so pretty, and so powerfully cheerful on a grey spring day. Maye today I’ll cut some tulips to enjoy.