“Sometime in the year 1637, a Dutch farmer was in the market for a tulip. Upon finding a bloemist who carried the specific variety of flower that he desired, the farmer entered into negotiations with the flower-seller. When an agreement had been reached, the farmer acquired his flower-bulb. The purchase price that the farmer apparently deemed reasonable for a single tulip-bulb of the Viceroy variety included “two [loads] of wheat and four of rye, four fat oxen, eight pigs, a dozen sheep, two oxheads of wine, four tons of butter, a thousand pounds of cheese, a bed, some clothing and a silver beaker.”…Tulips by Barbara Schulman

The days of tulipmania are gone - but the love of tulips remains. Today we can buy these same bulbs by the hundreds and plant them in our yards. What is more beautiful than a bed of tulips in the Spring.

What a delightful little flower!  From such a small bulb springs such an immense amount of pleasure.  One of the very first heralds of spring - blooming even before the late winter snows have left - cheery faces to bring smiles and a lightening of our hearts.