Tulips are beautiful spring flowers.
When they light up the gardens we know that winter has passed.

Use and history

Tulip painting by RedoutéThe tulip is the national flower of Iran and Turkey, and tulip motifs feature prominently in Persian and Turkish folk arts. The European name for the flower is a misuse of the Persian word for turban, a mistake probably originating in the common Turkish custom of wearing flowers in the folds of the turban. Or because this eastern flower resembled a turban when not in full bloom.

Unofficially, the flower is also emblematic of Netherlands. For instance, in an annual gesture of gratitude to Canada for liberating the nation from Nazi German tyranny in World War II, a supply of tulips is sent to be planted in Canada's national capital in Ottawa.

In both the Ottoman Empire and Netherlands, separate episodes of tulip mania struck both countries which both led to damaging speculation crashes which also contributed to the Ottoman Empire's financial decline.

Numerous cultivars have been bred for garden use. It is often considered one of humanity's "canonical flowers", along with the rose, lily, orchid, and peony (see Pollan)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip

Tulips cannot be grown in the open in tropical climates, as they require a cold winter season to grow successfully. Manipulation of the tulip's growing temperature can, however, allow growers to "force" tulips to flower earlier than they normally would.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip

Amy Lowell - A Tulip Garden

Guarded within the old red wall's embrace,
Marshalled like soldiers in gay company,
The tulips stand arrayed. Here infantry
Wheels out into the sunlight. What bold grace
Sets off their tunics, white with crimson lace!
Here are platoons of gold-frocked cavalry,
With scarlet sabres tossing in the eye
Of purple batteries, every gun in place.
Forward they come, with flaunting colours spread,
With torches burning, stepping out in time
To some quick, unheard march. Our ears are dead,
We cannot catch the tune. In pantomime
Parades that army. With our utmost powers
We hear the wind stream through a bed of flowers.

The Tulip

SHE slept beneath a tree
Remembered but by me.
I touched her cradle mute;
She recognized the foot,
Put on her carmine suit, --
And see!

Emily Dicinson

Amy Lowell

A Tulip Garden

Guarded within the old red wall's embrace,
Marshalled like soldiers in gay company,
The tulips stand arrayed. Here infantry
Wheels out into the sunlight. What bold grace
Sets off their tunics, white with crimson lace!
Here are platoons of gold-frocked cavalry,
With scarlet sabres tossing in the eye
Of purple batteries, every gun in place.
Forward they come, with flaunting colours spread,
With torches burning, stepping out in time
To some quick, unheard march. Our ears are dead,
We cannot catch the tune. In pantomime
Parades that army. With our utmost powers
We hear the wind stream through a bed of flowers.

Tulips are among the most popular spring flowers of all time.
They are not blooming here yet,except for the very early varieties, but the leaves and buds are out, and so the flowers will open any day.
Thank you for this post.

Thank you yoko.

The tulips here are as in your city. Only the very early ones are in bloom, and the rest are just basking in the warmth of the sun, ready to open.
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When the cloud washes the tulip's face in spring
Arise merrily and the red goblet bring;
For this meadow which you look with joy
Shall mold a rose from your dust in the spring.

Khayam

The Tulip


Tossing turban style contours, with an aloofness as one passes by,
Utilizing every charm it possesses, under a lupin blue cloudless sky,
Like a guardsman, gallantly standing, holding up his noble head high,
It's rainbow colours, brilliant and stately, a vision to surely yield a sigh,
Ponder thus upon the regal tulip, it has pure beauty, you cannot deny.

Ernestine Northover

Robert Herrick

From:A Meditation for his Mistress


YOU are a tulip seen to-day,
But, dearest, of so short a stay
That where you grew scarce man can say.

Thank you Inda.

These little red tulips are the only ones blooming right now in a protected sunny area of the garden.

Thank you yoko.

That little red tulip is exactly what is blooming in my garden,
but soon it will be this:

"The tulip-down the years it comes,...
a turncoat, a chameleon
-butter in the hands of its lovers."
Louise Beebe Wilder

Artist: Arleta Pech

Thank you Inda and yoko for the wonderful images. It puts spring right into my heart.

I will be back later.

Love,
Sue

I love this thread. It does bring spring right to Givnology.

Love
Vicky

Thank you for this beautiful thread.
It has been warm and sunny and many of the various tulips are beginning to open; a sure sign that spring is here.

Sincerely,
Gisele

It has been warm and sunny and all kinds of tulips are in bloom.

Some more tulips in bloom.

Thank you everyone for your beautiful images.
The tulips are all opening now. I love these welcoming spring flowers.

Even Monet painted a canvas of spring in his garden.

We don't see too many tulips open yet,
but soon.

Love,
yoko

Libit