Tulips

Later it was spotted in Turkey itself, where it became a popular spring flower, for the Turks a symbol of life and fertility. In 1562 the tulip entered Europe via Antwerp. Around 1593, the first flowers turned up in the Netherlands. The first documented specimen were planted by Carolus Clusius in the Botanical garden of Leiden, founded and lead by him since 1593. The forest tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) is the only specimen to be found as wild plants and has become established since the 19th century.

Ottoman sultans wore a tulip on their turban as a symbol. The name tulip stems from the Persian word ‘tulipan’ which means turban.

Tulip bulbs can be bought in virtually all colors, including a purple so deep that it looks black. And by planting a selection of varieties of this perennial, we can enjoy their beauty from early spring through early summer.

Tulips do best in areas with dry summers and cold winters. The brightly colored, upright flowers may be single or double, and vary in shape from simple cups, bowls, and goblets to more complex forms. They are excellent in beds and borders; many types are good for forcing into bloom indoors, and most are excellent for cut flowers.

Although tulips are a perennial, many gardeners treat them as annuals, to be planted anew each year. The North American climate and soil can’t replicate the ancient Anatolian and southern Russian conditions of their birth. Gardeners in our western mountain regions come closest to this climate.

The Tulip in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands are famous for their cultivated tulips and is one of the most dominating countries in export of tulips and tulip bulbs. Traditionally, in spring, the Keukenhof in Lisse organises an exhibition of millions of tulips. This is visited very well by mainly tourists.

Furthermore, busloads of tourists come to the Netherlands every year to see the tulip fields in bloom. Most visited are the more traditional fields along the dunes of Zuid-Holland and the West- Frisian polders.

However, most tulips can be found in the Noordoostpolder, the Flevo polder and the Northern sand area (surroundings Breezand, Anna Paulowna and Julianadorp) . Also on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee and in Eastern and Southern Flevoland tulip fields can be found.

In the village of Limmen (North-Holland), you find the Hortus Bulborum. The biggest gene bank for bulbous plants. In this garden there are more than 3.500 different kinds of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other mostly historical spring bulbous plants.