World of TULIPS - Tribute to the Netherlands Blogging People

As I was looking at the beautiful Tulips in my garden I wondered if others would like to see them.  I also know that people from the Netherlands have looked at my blog.  So this blog is especially for them although I hope others will like the photos too.  The Tulip, one of the most accurate and beautiful signs of the arrival of Spring and is the national flower of the Netherlands.

Though these flowers are coveted world wide for their eloquent beauty, one of the more unique and delightful features of these Dutch ladies is that they keep growing after they are cut - growing up to 5-6 inches more while in the vase! When placed near a window, they will turn themselves towards the sun, opening more when it is warm and closing when the temperature drops.  

The word Tulip is thought to be a corruption of the Turkish word 'tulbend' for turban. The Tulip was introduced by a famous Austrian biologist Carolus Clusius. Tulip plants belong to the genus Tulipa, in the lily family, Liliaceae. Tulips bloom on bulbous plants, with large, showy flowers with six petals. There are around 100 species of Tulips, which actually came from the Central Asia where they grew wild. Turkish growers first cultivated tulips as early as 1,000 AD. 

Close up of Tulip

Tulips come in an incredible variety of colours, height, and flower shapes. Some Tulips are even fragrant.  Do we often look right into the centre of a Tulip to see the depth of its beauty? (see above)

Tulips are very popular to an extent that during the 17th century, most of Europe particularly Holland, was gripped in a craze for Tulips that as a result, many had to even sell off their fortunes just to buy a Tulip bulb.  It was popularly known as the Tulipomania.  

There are now over 3,000 different registered varieties of cultivated Tulips. 

They symbolize imagination, dreaminess, perfect lover and a declaration of love.

Tulips grow wild over a great territory in Asia Minor through Siberia to China and were first cultivated and hybridized by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire.

Every year billions of Tulips are cultivated, a majority of which are grown and exported from Holland. 

These photos are a very small snap shot of the many different varieties of Tulips, however I hope at this time of the year when these beautiful flowers are brightening up our country, you will take a moment to look at them more closely.  I will leave you with a tip!

 Tulip bulbs are a good replacement for onions in cooking!