We continue our Washington-in-bloom series right where we left off: with the tulip. With their bold color and spicy fragrance, it’s no wonder these magical bulbs fostered such a hysteria in Holland all those years ago. Today, they are mass-bred and quite common, but no less beautiful for it. With such a short season of bloom, and generally such a short life, the tulip is always gone too soon. For that reason, I rarely grow them, but I very much enjoy it when others do.
The only other entry for this brief yellow post is the Trout lily (also commonly known as the dog tooth violet). I’ve pined for this plant since I was a child, captivated by its delicate floating blossoms, yet for some reason I’ve not yet tried my hand with them in the garden. As you can see, they are exquisite beauties, perfect for a woodland garden. It may be time to cast that spell and plant some of my own.
