I can never resist the allure of the supermarket tulip. It seems that although the house is filled with the scent and colour of hyacinth and narcissus, it’s just not enough. I still need my tulip fix. Of course the garden is filled with them, but the thought of waiting patiently through the next two months before they come up and I can have tulips in the house is just too depressing. I am, and always will be, an impatient gardener. Greedy too.
Last week it was Joe’s birthday and we had some friends over for the evening – the perfect excuse to indulge myself. The tulips are now a week old, but still going strong.
I’ve changed the water and cut the stems several times, which seems to have kept them looking good. I imagine that the final, flamboyant collapse, which I love as much as the initial opening of the flowers, will occur some time next week. Not bad at £2 a bunch.
Although I’ve managed to extract a little bit of homegrown something from the garden throughout the last couple of months, the pleasure of lone blooms, artfully arranged twigs and bunches of ivy snaffled from various derelict plots in the neighbourhood is wearing thin. This need for a colour-fix and some substantial cut stems is proof to me, if it were needed, that our garden is sorely lacking at this time of year. Naomi’s excellent post relating to scent as well as colour in the garden throughout the year has got me thinking about how I might rectify the situation for next year. Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’is on my list – my sister has it in her garden, and she and I cut some branches back in January which not only looked wonderful but filled her house with delicious perfume.
In the meantime, I’m grateful for the supermarket and street market bunches.
I love tulips too. I have a vase that are really on their way out but I love their faded glory so they will stay put for another couple of days. can’t touch them because I know that they will fall apart x
I love tulips – superb photographs and such a lovely post
So agree about tulips. Lovely when fresh and upright, gorgeous as they keel over and drop petals on the mantelpiece. They create wonderful shadows too with the low light at this time of year.
I love tulips as much when they are dying as when they are newly opened too, the changes in the colour fascinates me.
Charlotte-Thanks so much for mention. Off to the RHS spring show in London next week, so will keep on the lookout for more ideas for gorgeous winter colour and scent. V.best Naomi
Not at all – I always enjoy reading your posts, and often find them really useful. Have fun at the show!
I am trying so hard to keep, for a year, to only have flowers in the house that I’ve grown myself or scavenged from the hedgerows, but I’m three winter months in and I am desperate for some tulips! Yours are totally gorgeous, and these photographs are stunning
Sucah value adn beayuty I can’t resist them either. That pink bunch is fabulous. For some reason I’ve never got aroundt planting tuilps myself until this last autumn. When our boys were smaller I could manage to get around to potting up daffs and crocus but by late Autumn I was distracted and forgot all about tulips.
I am hysterically excited at the thought of them emerging (pinks, dark reds and purples are my favourite shades although the rusty/butterscoth ones Sarah Raven had in may find their way here next year). Although I must say the tendency of one of my hens to use the pots for a dustbath is a bit worrying!
Looking forward to seeing your garden full of tulips.
Stephx
Sorry, unforgiveable typing as ever. Sorry!
So beautiful… thank you for sharing.
Charlotte – I just discovered your web site today in search for a source of leaf mold in Bristol… it is lovely! What beautiful pictures you take and lovely commentary too. :^) See you in a whole new light! Lovely lady becomes lovelier.
I’m finding the grey distressing too – and wanting buy things and put them but as I’m in major upheaval mode in the garden (new fence, new patio, new riased beds, new pond!!!! YIKES!)
I am having to restrain myself.
Beautiful tulips! I planted some bulbs in the garden in the autumn and I’m hoping that the squirrels have left a few.