Tulipa 2010

[Ragged Robin]

Tulipa greigii SUNSET - all my stock on open bed eaten this winter by rodents, left few bulbs in pots. Lost some 15-20 stocks this winter.

You really have had your quota of rodent problems Janis, absolutely soul destroying, I do hope you can build up your stock of this lovely tulip again.

[Lesley Cox]

I really love the colour of 'Babushkiny Skaski.' Bright yet subtle and different from anything else. I'd love a dress that colour!

Yesterday I bought 3 bulbs (the last three) of a Darwin type called 'Black Diamond. In the picture they looked blacker then 'Queen of the Night.' I hope they are but then, we all know what the picture on the packet is worth

[Lvandelft]

Luit,
Thanks a lot for sharing those wonderful fosteriana tulip shots from Connoisseur Collection. All are nice, especially 'Intermezzo' and 'Yellow Empress'. Would be very happy to see more photos of rarities.
            

a few more pictures of the Tulipa fosteriana Group from the Connoisseur Collection:

Tulipa Mitella                   
Tulipa Ballet                       
Tulipa Pirand                   
Tulipa Ouverture 
Tulipa Gold Flash

[Lvandelft]

BTW Zhirair, your T. Grand Prix is a very elegant tulip!

[Lvandelft]

Some tulips of the Triumph Group in Keukenhof Show Garden:

Tulipa Hermitage 1                     
Tulipa Hermitage 2                     
Tulipa Royal Virgin         
Tulipa Talent
Tulipa Spring Surprise 1           
Tulipa Spring Surprise 2                   
Tulipa Veronique Sanson   

And one of the Single Late Group

Tulipa S.L.G. Dreamship 1                       
Tulipa S.L.G. Dreamship 2

[Gail]

Such cheerful flowers, thanks so much for posting Luit.

[TheOnionMan]

Enjoying all these lovely tulips.

A parting shot of T. bifloriformis, where the main plants are done flowering, but some of the 3-4 year old seedling plants are now extending the display.  It was very windy when I snapped the photo, so I held the stem, but it does give an idea about scale... notice in these the very dark anthers.

[Boyed]

I really love the colour of 'Babushkiny Skaski.' Bright yet subtle and different from anything else. I'd love a dress that colour!

Yesterday I bought 3 bulbs (the last three) of a Darwin type called 'Black Diamond. In the picture they looked blacker then 'Queen of the Night.' I hope they are but then, we all know what the picture on the packet is worth1

Lesley,
I very appreciate tulips with bronze, silver and gray shades, but, for example, my wife finds them not nice, saying that they have not bright dirty colours. I received some bulbs of 'Babushkiny Skazki' and impatiently wait for its blooming. Will show photos when they bloom.

'Black Diamond' is as dark as 'Queen of Night', but has more brown shades and slightly larger flower. 'Black Beauty' is significantly darker and has nicer shape of flower, but unfortunately nowadays it is commercially not available.

[Boyed]

Luit,

I also like 'Grand Prix' very much. Semi-lily shaped flowers give to it a special elegance. I also like another such shaped varieties as 'Easter Parad' and 'Hit Parade', which are bonused with colourful base.

Your photos are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am very impressed!
Among fosterianas I especially liked hybrids with kaufmanniana  'Mitella' and 'Overture' (dark stems are attractive). I have no words of SLG 'Dreamship'! It is just splendid! I am a great lover of Single Late tulips because of their vigour. Thanks a lot for showing this wonderful photos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Onion]

more photos

greigii 'Longfellow'
greigii 'Lovely Surprise'
greigii 'Royal Lovely Surprise'
greigii 'Melody d' Amour'

more shots to come soon

Zhirair,

wonderful pictures of these T. geigii-cultivars. Are they Dutch cultivars?
The 'Royal Lovely Surprise' is a extraordinary color-combination. Or is this the advantage of  your area?

[Lvandelft]

Here a picture of Black Beauty. Unfortunately not a good picture.
This is a cultivar bred in 1955.

[Boyed]

Uli,

I admire greigii tulips most of all, especially those bred by legendary Dutch breeder D.W. Lefeber. To my great respect to this breeder, I try to obtain and and grow all greigiis, fosterianas and many from other groups bred by him. All shown ones are Dutch cultivars, though I grow several non-Dutch greigiis as well, including some wild selections, which increase vegetatively and does very well in the garden.

From these, now only 'Royal Lovely Surprise' is commercially available and sold under the name 'Lovely Surprise' by Dutch companies and their retailers in other countries. True 'Lovely Surprise' is not offered for sale anymore. Though in Russia and Baltic States it is still grown by many tulip collectors.

[Boyed]

I also will show 2 pix of "Black Beauty' photographed by my Dutch colleague again from Connoisseur Collection . Hope that they will say more about this cultivar.

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you both for the information and pictures about the black tulips. I'll await mine the more eagerly. Boyed, I too, love those "odd" colours, the greys, browns, greeny, bronze and oyster shades.

[Janis Ruksans]

Back to wild species. Few more small blooming species.
Tulipa calieri is relative of T. biflora from Crimea
Tulipa sogdiana is one of most elegant by flower shape from turkrestanica/bifloriformis group
Tulipa dasystemon from Kashka-su in Kirghizstan and as last -
the most unusual tulip for its shape of leaves - Tulipa regelii - started to bloom today.
Janis