Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Top 5 Tulips


It's that time of the week again, readers. Time for me to list my top five favorite flowers. And today I'm going to list tulips. I know what you're saying - but Piper, isn't it past tulip planting season? The first hard freeze has already come and gone. Shouldn't we be talking about tulips in the coming Spring? Worry not my readers, I haven't gone silly, I'm just trying to give you a head start.

So here they are.

1. Fusilier This is called a showstopper every year in the Better Homes and Gardens test garden, so if you want BHG to start calling, better start planting.

2. Estella Rijnevld Called a parrot tulip, it's often referred to as the perfect tulip with its bold red and white stripes. Perfect for cutting and placing around the house.

3. Montreaux This is a risky call for the top 5 I know because it looks more like a peonie than a tulip but I am always hypnotized by its ivory-yellow flowers.

4. Prinses Irene These tulips offer up the strangest color combination of orange and purple. I call these my little step children and often get a laugh at tea parties. Feel free to use my joke.

5. Big Smile Plant these and know why they got their name. They bloom later in Spring and are a perfect way to end tulip season.

Those are my top 5 tulips, what are yours?

8 comments:

Adam Ross said...

I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't express my love for Lady Tulips (tulipa clusiana).

Anonymous said...

Around Kansas City, make sure to treat the soil with gypsum before planting. Your tulips will come up much nicer.

Happy 1 year!

* (asterisk) said...

I like the two lips my wife plants on me when I've been a good boy.

PIPER said...

Very untraditional Adam.

tulipa clusiana is more of a pointy tulip and it opens up more like a traditional flower. I myself am more of a traditionalist as it refers to tulips - the exception being of course the Montreaux.

jeremy,

thanks for the tips and well wishes.

asterisk,

always a good idea to give the wife a kiss. Flowers are a nice treat as well.

TALKING MOVIEzzz said...

Here is what P. Allen Smith has to say about the "Pink Impression" tulip.

http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php?option=com_plantindex&task=view&PlantID=65

Garrett Sorrels said...

Montreaux as a top five?
Give me a physical break.

IMO, this flower doesnt even belong in the same Genus as the others. My favorite is the Clusiana

PIPER said...

garrett,

I knew I was risking the flower wrath by including Montreaux. But if loving Montreaux is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Megan said...

Thank you for that breath of springtime.

I still prefer begonias, however. They make good houseplants, which is key for the renter with little or no lawn & garden to work with.