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
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.
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
Check out the link to the right for Rock Rose. Now THAT'S a garden (and she's English)!
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!