Tulip time: a celebration!

Tulip season is here! This popular flower symbolises hope and positivity and is also a feast for the eyes. Which tulip is your favourite?

Fan

Tulip time is a real celebration every year. Many of us have caught the tulip virus. It only takes one experience with tulips to become hooked. Tulips are available everywhere from December to May. Buy them locally, so your flowers are fresh, and to support local flowers growers.

Spring flower

Tulips bring a cheerful spring atmosphere to your home. The ultimate spring flower comes in many different shapes and colours, each with its own appeal. Use them as part of a large bouquet or enjoy them as a gorgeous eye-catcher on their own.

Good to know

If your tulips have gone limp when you get home, not to worry! Tightly wrap the flowers in a newspaper and leave them upright in water overnight. Tulips combine beautifully and easily with all kinds of flowers. Daffodils are the exception to the rule: this flower gives off a certain mucus, which tulips cannot stand.

Cell elongation

Tulips will continue to grow in the vase, because of ‘cell elongation’ in the stems. This makes the growth and flowering of these harbingers of spring even more magical. If you don’t want your tulips to grow, you can stop the growing process by piercing them with a needle just below the bud.Beautiful for longer

If you want to enjoy your tulips for as long as possible, follow these tips to get the most out of your bouquet of spring delight:

• Buy fresh tulips. The deeper the flower bud is still in the leaf, the fresher they are.
• Make sure your tulips are properly wrapped before taking them home, to avoid damage or exposure to temperature fluctuations.
• Cut off the bottom of the stems diagonally with a clean, sharp knife, to allow the tulips to soak up as much water as possible.
• Start by putting the tulips in a dark place in water, so that they can fill up with water and acclimatise.
• Give your vase a good clean before use, so that bacteria do not get a chance to contaminate the tulips.
• Fill the vase with fresh room temperature tap water and change it daily.
• Add cut flower food or a scoop of sugar to the water to make sure the water stays clean for longer.
• Use a vase with plenty of room for the stems.