What's Blooming on April 16th, 2013

Just thought I'd post what's blooming to maybe lift a few spirits! Photos are not from this year, but they are blooming. It's raining today so current photos are not going to happen.

Chionodoxa

Chionodoxa

Kaufmanniana Tulip Hearts Delight

Kaufmanniana Tulip Hearts Delight

Dutchmaster Daffodil

What's in a Name?

I just spent three days traveling the mid-west visiting customers old and hopefully new, and loved talking plants and business with all of them. Most were upbeat despite the weather, economy and whatever else business or life throws at them. I even found a customer in Kansas who's numbers were up from last year (there's hope yet).

One of the more astonishing things I came across was a tulip blend called "Red, White and Blue". Who knew there was a blue tulip? There had top be because the picture on the package had a blue tulip. Well as soon as I got back to the office I had to do a search to see for myself since I knew I could sell one, lot's of them if this was true. What did I find? Lot's of things, a company named "The Blue Tulip", a website espousing the virtues of blue dyed tulips for floral designs, but most notably a website/blog with quite a few rather upset consumers who were as excited as I was to see blue tulips in a package but were upset when they found out the color was not even close to true blue.

Yes, I am being rather facetious with the last paragraph as I know that right now there is not a blue tulip, that doesn't mean it can never happen, but only time will tell. Misleading as some of these names are though is something that frosts even me to no end. Creating a package that shows a blue colored tulip REALLY frosts me. One way to bring about real distrust is to try and deceive a consumer with advertising, yes to me even naming something that isn't a reality is deceipt as well. There are times when in the color world there can be differing opinions as in fuscia, mauve and teal. In fact if you do a search on the internet of "Shades of blue" you will find that there are, according to one, 65536 that the eye can see. With at least 52 shades with given names. And if you think there is a pink daffodil, just ask me and I will tell you, it doesn't look pink to me. I'll just leave it at that.

Keep it simple!

I often advise both consumers and landscape contractors that when putting together bulb combinations that if you are not sure, to always keep it simple. Here is a great example of the basic tulip colors red, yellow and purple. I happen to think that this simple combination can be the most striking from a distance.

At DeVroomen we named our red, yellow and purple blend "Royal Oxford". We even have it in retail packages this year.

Michigan Ave., Chicago

Simple yet vibrant

One of My Favorite Tulips

Photo taken in 2007 of T. Princes Irene

Photo taken in 2006

A lot of times people are always asking me "what's new". Each year we are always able to bring on some new variety of tulip or daffodil and don't get me wrong there are a lot of nice new varieties, but I also say let me show you some older varieties that are my favorites. One in particular is the Triumph tulip 'Princes Irene'. This tulip color of orange and I would call wine red, on a dark stem  is fabulous. Excellent color combination within the same flower, bright but very warm and inviting. Later blooming but not too tall about 12" to 15" Here are a couple of my photos, and you might think they were propped but this is a very strong stemmed plant, and should be spaced tightly but not too tight.

Insect eating Monarda

Insect eating Monarda

Anyone know what this little guy is?

First Dwarf Iris Opening Up.

Standard Dwarf Iris 'Quicken'

Iris 'Quicken'

Although a couple of my dwarf Iris have opened a bloom or two this one 'Quicken' opened up the full planting. This photo taken on April 15th. I also have several more that are in good bud stage development. Love the early blooms on these plants, tulips are almost done, peonies still in bud. Great color timing for the garden.

New Introduction for Landscape Contractors Tulip 'Giant Orange Sunset'

Giant Orange Sunset bed in Pella, IA

My Daughter Margie

Massive Blooms

We have added to our Fall 2012 Landscape catalog a Gregii tulip called 'Giant Orange Sunset'. My people in Holland claimed that it was the "Worlds Largest Tulip Bloom", hearing this type of thing before I approached this with a degree of skepticism. Well this past Saturday I stopped in at Pella, IA and saw it for myself and I am thrilled to say, "Holland was right" it is the largest tulip flower I have ever seen. It is massive. In searching for it I asked the kind older gentleman in the information booth if he knew where it was and he said, "Not sure, but try the far side of the square because there is a brilliant orange flower over there". Some 20 yards away from it I saw it, brilliant orange and big 6-8" flower heads. I quickly got my camera out and started taking photos, but unfortunately it was cold and starting to rain so I did the best I could, here are a few shots and one with my daughter so you can get an idea of the size.

Also interesting is the reddish mottling on the gray-green leaves, the contrast really makes the orange blooms brighter.