The genus Tulipa has been captivating growers and flower appreciators for generations. I remain charmed by their colorful, if brief, showing every May, and their slightly spicy scent that has yet to be accurately embodied in a perfume. It’s for the best. Treasures like that are more beloved for their elusive and temporal nature. That said, fragrance is secondary to the visual impact these bulbs produce, which is usually best the first year after they are planted. Some reliably perennial varieties have been produced, but I still enjoy these in other gardens rather than my own. Too many rodents would feast on them if I were to put them into the ground, and I couldn’t do that to a bulb that once caused a world frenzy.
