I think they may be my favourite flower, they make me smile (thats a bit lame, but they do!). They are just so perfect, with their little cup bulb and all the pretty colours they come in.
Wellington Botanical Gardens just celebrated Tulip Sunday for the Spring Festival. I didn't go on Sunday, but ventured up today and there were tulips everywhere!
Tulips are associated with Holland, but I learnt that they are indigenous to Turkey, Iran, Afganistan and other parts of Central Asia. One of the main centres of diversity is in the Steppes of Kazakhstan (didn't mention that in Borat..) They do best in climates with long cool springs and early summers.
They come in all colours except blue! And there are so many types of tulips that they are seperated into 15 different catagories!
They are best planted in Autumn, in clusters at the front of the garden as the stems are quite short. Put them in a sunny, well drained position, and plant them at twice the depth of the height of the bulb. Their prefered meal is bulb fertiliser.
Pretty, pretty, sweet tulip things.
