The extraordinary journey of tulips to our gardens
By Thea Steinmetz
happenings
Published March 23, 2005

Where can one go to escape all the talk about the weather? Even on a quick trip to the bank one is reminded of how winter keeps on going. One upbeat, happy teller reminds us that the smell of spring is already in the air. And, so it is. Caught right there between the rays of welcome sunshine and the short gusts of promising winds.

Easter is upon us and many a holiday table will have the smiling breath of spring with tulips as the centerpiece. Of course, these are florist tulips and we have several weeks to go before we can cut our own garden varieties.

Since we can not even see them under the mountain of snow piled on top of them, let's consider where they have come from. The original species tulips by now have had such a plethora of cultivated varieties that we do not take into account that somewhere in the world they had to be native to the region.

Tulips make a statement in any garden and what indeed would spring be without them. By today's standards, the bulbs are relatively inexpensive and we tend to forget that once upon a time they were worth a king's ransom. Tulips have a long and fabled history. Once upon a time, fortunes have been made and lost on the speculative market. No other flower can lay claim to such a checkered history.

Taxonomists believe that the first tulips sprung from the scrubby slopes where China and Tibet meet Russia and Afghanistan, one of the less hospitable environments on earth. It was a long journey, with many stops along the way, before the flamboyant flower arrived in Holland. By the year 1050 the tulip was already venerated in the gardens of old Persia. The first shipment arrived in the port at Antwerp in 1562 with a shipment of cloth ordered from Istanbul. The merchant must have been puzzled but assumed the bulbs to be some new Turkish onion and planted them with his vegetables.

By 1633 rare tulips became a desired and speculative commodity. That was the beginning of Tulipomania. Lurid tales of fortunes to be made were the talk of Holland. The profits from the sale of rare bulbs were fabulous. People gambled their savings and mortgaged their homes to invest in tulip bulbs. By 1638 the boom was a bust. As the availability of bulbs increased, the insanity of the speculators could no longer promote the lunacy of market.

A grab bag full of information useful this spring: When making plans to re-do flower and vegetable beds, remember the Westlake humus and woodchips program. Leaf humus is an excellent soil conditioner and should not be used in place of soil, but rather be added to improve the quality of garden soil.

As of now, the piles might still be frozen but it is not too early to estimate how many yards you wish to purchase from the City of Westlake. In addition to the cost of the leaf humus, there is a delivery fee and it is not too early to estimate how much to order from the Westlake service department. The product must be paid for at city hall. Small quantities, be it a bushel or a 30 gallon container may be picked up, after pre-payment, at the service department.

The Hilliard Road flower boxes will be overseen by Marge Emblom this year. Marlene Parker, president of Westlake Garden Club, due to family health problems, has passed the supervision on to another Westlake garden Club member. Also, Gale's of Westlake has offered to inspire all box holders with a seminar. As Emeril would say, 'kick it up a notch' and make the boxes more exiting. All parties that signed on to plant and maintain a box are welcome to participate in this program.

The new list for America in Bloom was released and it showed Westlake and Hudson, Ohio competing in the same size population category. Olmsted Falls and Oberlin are entered in the 5,000 to 10,000 population category. Oberlin College also entered in the College in Bloom competition.

Our West Shore communities have their spring clean up days in April. Check with your own city service department for the date. It is the perfect time to gather your yard waste, leaves and just plain stuff that has accumulated over the winter and be put on the curve for a special city pick-up date.

At a recent visit to Cahoon Nursery, when I needed my springtime plant talk fix with Rich Bartsche, I spotted a brochure behind the counter that just might be the answer to many first time gardeners. Most likely the majority of our readers are do-it-yourself gardeners. For first time and seasoned gardeners alike, the DIY program offered by this nursery might be the answer to turn your landscaping fantasy into reality. Robert Kaiser III, the Cahoon Nursery designer, for a fee of $50 will assist you with a plan, the outlining of new beds, the placement of trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. You will have a drawing of your site and understand how to proceed with a workable plan.

By doing it yourself it may well become an ongoing project, one that will develop even better in years to come. For first time home owners and the serious would be gardener, this program is an affordable and well envisioned first step toward a beautiful landscape and the garden of your dreams.