Have you noticed that the stores are already putting out Valentine’s Day gifts?  Hard to believe, since I’m still putting away Christmas lights, but it reminds me that florist shops will soon be bursting with gorgeous tulips in (almost) every shade of the rainbow.

a field of tulips blooming in Keukenhof, Holland

Sadly, I’ve never had any luck getting tulips to come back for a second year in my Southern garden.  Scott Kunst, who specializes in rare and antique flowers at his mail order company, Old House Gardens and Bulbs, has told me that the trick is to give tulips very little water during our hot summers.  Still, mine usually disappear.

But I love these romantic-looking flowers, and I plan to be there when Darryl Wiseman, of Darryl Wiseman Flowers, talks about them from the Home Depot Stage on Jan. 30 at 11 A.M.   Look for his presentation, called “Darryl’s Dutch Treat…A Celebration of Holland Flowers,” on the show brochure you’ll get with your admission ticket.

While I’m not successful enough with tulips to tell you how to grow them, I can give you a bit of advice about designing with them.  They look best when they’re planted in informal groups of 5 to 10 bulbs, so that you get blocks of color in the landscape.  They’re also stunning with combined with annuals and perennials like bleeding heart, pansies, alyssum, and columbines.

Speaking of complimentary, what goes together better than Valentine’s Day and passion, which is the theme of this year’s show?  If you’re passionate about flowers from Holland, don’t miss Darryl’s talk!

cheers,

Lynn

P.S.—-don’t forget to click on “comments” at the end of this post to enter our contest.  Just tell us about your garden passion.   What do you love most–a flower, a landscape, maybe even a special floral design? If you have a picture to send, that’s better still!   On Jan. 21, we’ll pick 3 winning names, and send those gardeners a gorgeous 2009 gardening calendar absolutely free!

Graceful purple tulips, silhouetted against the setting sun.