Tulips: Facts and Folklore About the World's Most Planted Flower

Arriving from Turkey and taking Western Europe by storm, tulips have endured and are a mainstay for gardeners and collectors alike, with varieties still grown today that originated in the seventeenth century. Tulips also represent the deep friendship between the Netherlands and Canada, forged by the vagaries of World War II and the role this country played in liberating the Netherlands. Any visitor to Ottawa will marvel at the assortment of tulips adorning the grounds surrounding the Parliament Buildings.

Included are numerous photographs that reveal the cast bulb fields of Holland, home of the tulip. Readers will discover many little-known facts about tulips, including that they can be eaten and that there are more than 3,000 varieties grown all over the world in every shade of the rainbow-and black varieties as well. Master gardener Sonia Day combines tulip lore with practical tips for growing tulips in your own garden. She shares her extensive knowledge of the subject with readers and offers many ideas and suggestions for successfully and easily cultivating tulips at home.