Tulip Fever

An Easter Treat:

There’s only one flower which makes me catch my breath on sight.

Well, at least that’s as far as I can remember at this time of year. And last night it was this:

Tulip Pastel Parrot Cabanna (I think)

It looked quite boring in bud then – turned into this! Wonderful. 

Now, let’s be clear – I do not, generally grow tulips outside. I am not keen on seeing them used as dramatic sheets of colour, though it can work sometimes, maybe:

Tulips at Ford Abbey – thanks to Charles Hawes.

Think of the effort, the bending down, (kneeling?!), the worry – I understand tulip fire, a nasty disease, is currently rampant. And the sheer blobbiness of it. No, I prefer them up close and personal and indoors. Though I confess, Charles does grow some in his bit of the garden –

Which are OK.

But not a patch on these!

Tulip ‘Princess Irene’ along with Tulip ‘Pretty Princess’ and Tulip ‘Ravana’

So I love then indoors, in the warmth and the dry. I over indulge in ones that look smashing, put them in pots wrapped in chicken wire with very small holes, to keep out squirrels and mice. This ravages my hands, which kind of means I’ve earned my subsequent delight. And then they begin to pop up and I bring them into the conservatory to watch over them. 

We used to have a different conservatory – sort of midway between greenhouse and conservatory in style. For a time I went all metallic with it:

Looking cool….

then hotter…

The new(ish) conservatory is more of a sitting and dining room – 

and tulips glow in here in the evening.

But look cool during the day:

Better when they came out?

‘Red Foxtrot’ and ‘Showcase’.

Black Parrot – are the parrots my favourites???

They are such beautiful flowers:

Definitely a Parrot…

Sometimes they come as a gift, nameless:

nn

Looking fabulous even when they’re going over..

Wish we could go over so beautifully

When they’ve all gone over, we do have this sweet inheritance from Charles’s mother:

A joyful reminder.

This post has not been much use, except as, perhaps, some pleasure. BUT – here’s the thing: make a note in your diary for next August, to get your tulip order in!

Pastel Parrot – the parrots have it. This year….

Happy Easter, everyone.