Griffins Floral Designs

Griffins Floral Designs

Posted by Russ Griffin on March 20, 2015 Uncategorized

Surprising Facts About Tulips

shutterstock_248293039If you’ve had enough of Ohio winters, you certainly aren’t alone. This winter doesn’t seem to want to give way to spring anytime soon – regardless of what the date on the calendar is. Thankfully, you can always count on Griffin’s Floral Designs – either to come to your rescue or cheer you up.

When it comes to spring, few flowers capture that feeling the way tulips do. When we think of quintessential spring flowers, the first thing that comes to mind is the tulip. Did you know that tulips are the second most popular flower in America? The rose is the number one flower.

Most people think of tulips and other spring bulbs in connection with The Netherlands. That makes sense since Holland produces more tulips (and other spring bulbs,) than practically any other place in the world. In reality, however, tulips originated in Hungary. Once Hungary became part of the Ottoman Empire, the bulbs wound up in Turkey. They didn’t first appear in Holland until about 1593. The famous botanist Carolus Clusius planted tulip bulbs in the Leden Botanical Garden that year.

Tulips became so popular that by the 1600’s, there was an almost manic frenzy for the bulbs throughout Holland. People were so taken with the flowers that they traded their livestock for a few bulbs. When inflated prices busted the tulip bubble, many Dutch families were bankrupted.

Throughout World War II, food shortages forced people in Holland to eat tulip flowers, despite their rather unpleasant taste. The flowers may taste terrible on their own, but tulip wine is a very tasty type of white wine.

About Growing Tulips

If you didn’t plant your tulip bulbs last fall, you’re too late to enjoy back or front yard blooms this spring. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some flowering bulbs indoors instead.

Blooming Bulb Garden

Blooming Bulb Garden

Our delightful Blooming Bulb Garden is filled with an assortment of bulbs in full bloom. You’ll find daffodils, tulips and hyacinth bulbs that are in full bloom. Once they finish blooming, simply save the bulbs so you can replant them in Autumn. Then you’ll enjoy the colorful blooms year after year, as these lovely spring bulbs come to life after a long winter slee