Tulip Time

Tulips are emblematic.  There are few other flowers that conjure so many images.  Holland.  Windmills.  Spring.  They are bulbs, and I'm a sucker for bulbs.  I think that even if I didn't garden, I might buy bulbs just to look at them, feel the smoothness of the papery tunic on the bulb, marvel at the bumps at the base waiting for cool, moist soil.  I planted some Ixia bulbs I got at the grocery store Sunday.  I was mesmerized by the silky feel of their reticulate (net-like) tunics and was delighted at the tactile experience of planting them. 

Although my brother effortlessly multiplies tulips in his South Dakota garden, they are notoriously hard to keep going here in Maryland.  Some are more reliable than others, and I happened to pick up some bulbs last fall of 'Apeldoorn'.  It is probably the most reliable of those I have grown.  I thought about planting them in the ground in one of the small front beds (more garden space is under development), but I thought better of that and planted them in pots on the deck instead.  Although I wasn't thinking about color when I planted them, they harmonize perfectly with the Heuchera 'Vienna' that I planted in the pot last spring.  As an aside, I have learned the hard way that Heuchera is best in pots in my area, and is very useful for bringing color to drab winter pots. 

I think the bulbs might be infected with tulip break virus, since pigment is missing in parts of the petal tissue.  

I also tried some 'Silverstream' bulbs in large pot that has hosted mostly failed attempts at tomatoes.  The tulips were much more worthwhile.  Although they seem to be different colors, they are indeed one cultivar with a wonderful habit of producing flowers with varying ratios of red and creamy yellow pigment.  The leaves have pinkish white edges, too.  It's a stately tulip.  I planted pansies in the pots, too, but they were hardly needed, given the show the tulips have put on.  I will plant more pots of tulips next fall.