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Tulipa Clusiana is Back!

Just had to share these with you. There's a lot happening in my garden, but I'm saving most of it for Bloom Day. These old friends surprised me on Sunday, March 8th, but I'm just getting around to showing them off.
I didn't know you could get a tulip to naturalize in our heat and horrible excuse for soil until a friend at Barton Springs Nursery introduced me to Tulipa clusiana "Cynthia" several years ago. I was charmed by the idea of having these delicate beauties popping up each spring, and even happier they share the name of my oldest stepdaughter. Even if there were other tulips that could be happy here, I'd still grow these for the dark pink on the outsides of their sunny lemon yellow petals. I'm told they're originally from Uzbekistan - who'd have thought our climate would support their natives?! But, they happily signal spring each year just at that time Austin gardeners are trying to guess if it's going to be in the 80's or freezing tomorrow.
I'm also a sucker for their grey foliage which is completely hidden in this picture because they're peeking up through the foliage of a Peggy Martin rose. The bladelike foliage you see is narcissus tazetta.
Be sure to pop back by on the 15th for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - I've got a lot of plants promising to put on a show.

Comments

Cindy, MCOK said…
OK, you've got me wondering if my alleged Tinka tulips are actually Cynthias. Tinka is supposed to have white petals with pink reverse; my tulips are a very pale yellow like yours. I must do some research!
vbdb said…
They actually aren't as pale as they appear in this picture. Buried in my blog archive on March 11, 2008 is a better picture that shows the intense yellow of most of the blooms. See if that's what your Tinkas look like.
Rock rose said…
The tulips look very much like my Tulipa clusiana"Lady Jane" which I purchased just a few weeks ago at Zilker bulb sale. I am amazed that they are already blooming. They have the pink outside and pale yellow inside. I'll post them on my blog on GBBD on Saturday.
They are species tulips which require no chilling and will naturalize in well drained soil. I just bought 10 but they are so easy I wish I had bought more.
vbdb said…
I'll be sure to check your GBBD post for your pictures. I've had mine several years, so maybe they've since found out that Cynthia is really Lady Jane. The true yellow is so hard to capture.
joco said…
The more I read about the Texas gardens, the more envious I become ;-)
Veering between 32F and 80F may be a bit of a challenge, but look what you have got out at the moment...
Tulips and roses at the same time: that only happens at Chelsea over here.

Those lovely dainty tulips in such a friendly cream with red and right in the middle of immaculate rose foliage.
jo
vbdb said…
I'm actually blushing, Jo. I can't believe my garden and Chelsea were mentioned in the same sentence. If you could only see what a modest effort it is, you'd be amused. However, it brings me a lot of happiness and I'm delighted you stopped by.

Check out the link to the right for Rock Rose. Now THAT'S a garden (and she's English)!
Diana said…
Ok, vdbd - now I have tulip envy. I just have to have some of these. I miss tulips in the garden and was surprised to learn for blogs last year that many of my Austin friends had them. Yours are just beautiful. Now, where can I find them?
vbdb said…
Diana - Get the bulbs in the fall at Barton Springs Nursery (in Austin for you out-of-towners), or the blooming plants in the spring. Bulbs run about 1/5th the price last time I checked, but sometimes the immediate satisfaction of a blooming plant is worth it. They're usually sold in peat pots that can be planted directly in your garden.
Diana said…
vdbd - I'm heading over there tomorrow for plants! I also have to buy a garden gift to thank my friend for the commercial nursery tour I posted about when I went to Indiana. How fun - I HAVE to buy something pretty at Barton Springs Nursery ... that won't be hard! Tulips, here I come... Thanks for the tip.
vbdb said…
Hope they have them! Saw them growing in the Mediterranean (mostly lavender) bed at Festival Hill when I was there for Madalene Hill's memorial on Sunday. They and the service were both beautiful.
Hi there!

Your flowers are gorgeous! I'm collecting beautiful Texas gardening blogs for my own blog and adding yours! I'll be back to read often!

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