Dreaming of Tulips in New York

Today we’re visiting with Lee, who gardens in central New York State. We’ve visited Lee’s garden before (Early Spring Blooms from the Mohawk Valley).

Greetings from the Mohawk Valley. We’re in our winter lull, as most of us are in the top half of the country. It has been a mellow winter thus far, and I’m looking for that to continue, though one storm can change the entire ballgame. Here are some pics of beautiful tulips I put together—nothing really special but lots of color.

I wish everyone an early transition into spring so we all can get going.

The color of this classic, brilliant red tulip and the distinctive blotch at the center of the bloom are thought to have developed to promote pollination by beetles around the Mediterranean where wild tulips are native.

As wonderful as brightly colored, bold tulips are, the soft tones have their own subtler attraction. This white tulip with dew on it is an elegant beauty.

Double-flowered tulips boast extra layers of petals that totally change the look of the flower. This one also adds dramatic flames of red to the bright yellow petals. Just what you need after a long winter!

Not fully double, a few extra petals add interest to this lovely pink tulip.

This double is so full it almost doesn’t look like a tulip anymore. No wonder such flowers are sometimes called peony-flowered tulips.

Here are two different red-and-yellow tulips. The ones in the back are called fringed tulips because each petal edge is lined with a delicate fringe. The intricacies of these blooms beg to be looked at up close, so site them near the edge of a path or cut some to enjoy in a vase.

Fringed AND double, this pink variety is a frothy spring confection.

Parrot tulips have unusual petals that look a