Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sunday Stroll - A Parade of Tulips


It is cold and windy on our hilltop this afternoon, but blue skies lured me outside. Walking the garden at this time of year is a veritable parade of tulips... some just opening to the light of May, some already on the wane.








As the tulips blaze with color in the gardens, delicate blossoms are appearing our tiny orchard. Like the little bee (in the second photo below), I think it would be wonderful to nestle inside a pear blossom savoring the sweet nectar... but I guess I will savor instead the beauty of the days between first bloom and autumn harvest.






all photos by Aisling, May 17, 2009 1) double cheerfulness daffodils 2) Red Impression tulips on the wane 2) Black Hero Tulip 3) Appledoorn Tulip 4) Daydream Tulip 5) Angelique Tulips 6)Red Haven Peach blossoms 7) Pear Blossoms and pollinator 8) Pear Blossoms and blue sky!

20 comments:

Joyce said...

I'm very jealous of your tulips, Aisling; they're just lovely!

I've tried to grow them several times, but apparently our soil doesn't drain well enough for them to survive. If I ever get raised beds going, I'm going to try them again.

Farmer's Daughter said...

All of my Angelique tulips got nibbled down by deer this spring. I've found I'll have to focus on daffodils instead, since the deer stay away from them. At least I can live vicariously through your stroll.

Marcie said...

Joyce, Good luck with tulips when you try them again. I've just gotten lucky. I'm sure there are other things that thrive in your garden, but barely survive in mine!

Abbie, As I've written, deer nibbled some of my tulips this year too. In the future, I will concentrate most of my new tulips in the garden that is right outside the front door... the deer seem to ignore that garden completely.

The Angeliques are a favorite, because they are so feminine and almost rose-like.

Thank you both for visiting!

Jessica Monte said...

A beautiful arrangement of flowers from your walk today; the peach blossom photos are just lovely. Thank you for labeling your stroll; this is so helpful to me as I am still learning the different varieties of flowers and plants.

Margaret Porter said...

Simply lovely! So many varieties and colours. All the photos are sublime.

Green Bean said...

Ohhh, love the picture of the bee. How wonderful.

L'Adelaide said...

oh aisling, everything's so beautiful! wishing my tulips would even COME UP!
xo

Marcie said...

Jessica, I'm glad my labels are helpful to you. It helps me remember the cultivars if I "talk about them" with other gardeners once in a while!

Margaret, Thank you so much!

Green Bean, I liked that one a lot too... and what a cooperative little bee that was. I actually got several nice photos and had to pick the one I liked the best!

Linda, Thank you. I would really miss my tulips if I couldn't grow them here! I think I'd have to buy the potted varieties and have them in the house while I could. They really say "spring" to me... just like the crocus and daffodils.

Thank you all for visiting!

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

Aisling, I'm glad the skies lured you outdoors. It is warm here in Oklahoma finally, and I've been working hard in the garden.~~Dee

Marcie said...

Dee,

I'll have to come by soon and see what you've been up too out there in the warm west!

Thanks for coming by!

Blessed With Four said...

beautiful flowers/pics as always - how do you know all the names of your plants? I have soooo much to learn, guess I need a book or something. Thank your for strolling and sharing Aisling

Diana Z said...

I really do love the tulips and their promise of warmer days. I have none in my garden. Sorry...maybe one day again. I just do not like the mess they leave once they are done blooming.

Marcie said...

Blessed, Well, despite what it seems, I do not know all of the names... Sometimes you will see me write "unknown cultivar" on a plant that was given to me by a friend. And then there are a few that I bought so long ago I just don't remember the cultivar (but hopefully remember the species!) I have purchased most of my plants myself, a little at a time, over the last (almost)13 years. I always learn the names when I buy them. I think of it as part of their "story" and somehow it is meaningul and stays with me.

Marcie said...

Diana, In a way I know what you mean about the mess of tulips, but I sort of like it. I like the curled petals fallen on the slate trail, and the one petal hanging on the plant waving in the breeze. The empty stalks aren't very lovely, but by the time we're down to that, something is blooming nearby and I hardly notice the bare tulip stems. I'm afraid I'm not the most tidy gardener... Things are always a little wild and free in my garden patches. I envy a well-manicured plot, but it doesn't seem to be my skill.

Thanks for coming by to see my stroll! It was so nice to have you stroll again!

Michele said...

I so love tulips! It's too hot for us to grow them here. *pout*

Marcie said...

Do you ever buy them in a pot or as cut flowers, to enjoy if only for a while? I sure would if I couldn't grow them!

Thanks for visiting!

hugs,
Aisling

Michele said...

Aisling, I sure do! They appear in My Town in late Jan/Feb and stay until just past Easter, I grab them up every chance I get during that short period of time!

Marcie said...

Rapunzel,

Oh good! That's a great way to enjoy them too!

Tabbie said...

The Angelique Tulips are especially beautiful.

Marcie said...

Tabbie,

I really love them. I am down to just a couple, so I'll be looking for fresh bulbs of this variety in the fall.

Thank you for visiting!