Tulips

Many people think of Holland as the home of the tulip. In fact tulips were unknown there until about the 16th century. Many cultivated varieties were widely grown in Turkey long before they were introduced to European gardens. The botanist Clusius is credited with first growing tulips from seed sent from Turkey. In 1593 he became Professor of Botany at the University of Leiden and planted tulips in his garden there. They were soon widely distributed throughout Holland and began appearing elsewhere in Europe.

So popular did these bulbs become in Holland that "tulipomania" developed early in the 17th century. People began speculating in bulbs of new colors and unusual shapes and paying extravagant prices for them. For one bulb, the seller was reported to receive two loads of wheat, four fat oxen, eight fat pigs, twelve fat sheep, two hogsheads of wine, four barrels of beer, two barrels of butter, 1000 pounds of cheese, a bed, a suit of clothes and a silver beaker.

With the wide range of colours available, tulips are often useful for formal displays in public places. They make a real impact when planted in large numbers. Densely planted, single colour displays intensify the effect of the colour and shape of the flowers, although they can also be effective when planted in smaller groups and work well in containers. And, beloved of florists, tulips make a wonderful display when used as cut flowers.