I just got an e-mail from a pal and he said that one of the garden centre's here are helping the farmers out by letting them sell their tulips on their property at one euro / 10. There was a queue waiting to be served...it sort of looked like the drive-through at McDonalds. One can only see yellow ones, but there were tulips of all colours. My mate bought five bundles of purple ones.
Tulips always remind me of the very first time I saw the plant with a flower when I was in UK. They are so beautiful.
Cheers CAYU, Thanks KK (Birthday Boy)--you are right they are beautiful...and there are so many different ones.
The purple tulips are gorgeous. I love tulips and have tried and tried over the years to grow them but they just can't make it through a winter here between mice and being super wet. Seem about every 3 to 4 years I forget they don't make it and I plant a bunch and try again and first year they'll appear (maybe) but after that they're gone.
ISLAND--You know, Island--if you just can't grow them in the ground outside, why not grow them in large flower pots and then plant them pot and all at various places in your garden once the green foliage begins to come up. After the foliage has died off, take the bulbs out and store them dry and dark until the following spring? Lots of people here do just that.
Thanks CAYU. We do it here because it is a wet country and if you just leave them in they could rot. Fancy bulbs can be too expensive to take chances, y'know wadda mean Vern?
@Sjoerd I actually used to do that and typically kept 3 to 4 pots going. Got away from it and now that you've mentioned and brought it back to mind I might think to get some this winter. Bulbs here are sold in packages of 5 or 6 and typically average $1+/bulb which is ok IF you can get flowers but kinda pricey when they rot away.
I hear that, Island--they can really be pricey...but there are less expensive sorts. I hope that you can grow some when you find the right ones.