Marc and I visited Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Sunday, April 28, to see
the cherry trees in bloom. They were beautiful, every tree fat with blossoms
just starting to release their petals in the breeze.
Lilacs and tree peonies were also blooming. And the azaleas, oh my.
But the Spring Tulip Display stole the show—so many astonishing colors
and varieties, all blooming at the same time.
A few tulip facts from BBG: Most natural varieties (aka heirloom tulips)
come from the mountains of Central and Western Asia. They were introduced
to the Netherlands, now the world’s top grower, in the late 16th century.
Botanists sort all tulips, natural and bred, into 15 divisions based on flower shape,
bloom time and origin—and BBG has tulips from most of these divisions on display.
Did we get lucky or what? We had no idea BBG puts on an annual spring tulip display
and certainly didn’t expect to catch it at peak bloom. But we did, so I have to share.
Here’s a look at some of the beauties we saw,
with identification provided where we could find it.
Tulipa saxatilis (Bakeri Group), “Lilac Wonder”
Tulipa “Don Quixote,” Triumph Tulip
Tulipa “Don Quixote,” Triumph Tulip
Tulipa “Bourbon Street,” Triumph Tulip
Tulipa “Bourbon Street,” Triumph Tulip
Tulipa “Mariette,” Lily-Flowered Tulip
Tulipa “Purple Dream,” Lily-Flowered Tulip
Tulipa “Purple Dream,” Lily-Flowered Tulip
Tulipa “Yellow Pomponette,” Double Late Tulip
Tulipa “White Emperor,” Fosteriana Tulip
Tulipa “Purissima,” Fosteriana Tulip
Tulipa “Estella Rijnveld,” Parrot Tulip
Tulipa “Flaming Parrot,” Parrot Tulip
Tulipa “Olympic Flame,” Darwin Hybrid Tulip
Tulipa “Mount Tacoma” 1924, Double Late Tulip
Tulipa “Blue Parrot” 1935, Parrot Tulip
Tulipa “Maureen” 1950, Single Late Tulip
Tulipa “Kingsblood” 1952, Single Late Tulip
Tulipa “Flaming Flag,” Triumph Tulip
Tulipa “White Triumphator” 1942, Lily-Flowered Tulip
Tulipa “Ballade” 1953, Lily-Flowered Tulip
Tulipa “Marilyn” 1976, Lily-Flowered Tulip
Tulipa “Tiramisu,” Triumph Tulip
Happy Spring!
Gini's Nature News 