You may be surprised to know that the tulip has a glorious if not somewhat checkered past. Tulips arent originally from Holland like many people believe. They were first grown in Persia before they made there way into Turkey. They didnt make it into Western Europe until the last half of the 16th century. We can thank a man named Augerius Busbequius for bring them west into Europe. He was the Viennese ambassador to Turkey and was an admirer of the beautiful flowers. He sent the first tulips back to Vienna and that was the beginning of a phenomenon known by many as Tulipmania.

In 1591 a botanist by the name of Carolus Clusius displayed a large collection of tulips that he had been developing for some time. He had finally amassed enough bulbs to offer some of them for sale for outrageous prices. It isnt known if anyone was willing to pay the high prices at this time or not. Some people believe that the bulbs were stolen from his garden and were passed along to other gardens by that mean.

Whether they were purchased or stolen people somehow acquired the bulbs and developed the tulip growing industry which is still an important crop today. By 1629 the tulip had taken its place in English gardens as a must have. It was said that at that time one hundred and forty named varieties were in existence.

England wasnt the only country were Tulipmania was spreading. Germany and France caught the fever by 1632. The wealthy were more than willing to purchase the bulbs at the very high prices. The women of the French court wore there tulips on there dresses as an expression of status and wealth. It caused frenzy as potential husbands spent enourmous amounts of money buying rare tulips to try to catch the eye of a noble lady. This was the start of the Tulipmania of Holland which ran rampant from 1634 until it passed in 1637.

It all started as a legitimate business but it quickly turned into a game of speculation much like a stock market but with less reliable results. Each week the prices increased and at the height of the madness people were willing to give there farmlands as well as mortgage there houses for the flowers. The frenzy was brought to end as the government stepped in sometime in 1637 and appointed a commission to handle the sale of tulips

Fortunately we dont have to go to such great lengths to enjoy tulips today. We need only order an arrangement or grow them at home.

Tulips: Understated Elegance

If you think of roses as king then tulips would surely be queen. They have a understated elegance few other flowers can match. From the beginning tulips have been loved. They are also one of the first flowers of spring.

Tulips today come in a dizzying array of colors and forms. They truly are almost every color you can think of. They range from the purest snow white to pastels all the way to dark, rich reds and a couple varieties are even black. Tulips can be slender and sleek as well as wild and frilly.

A stunning tulip arrangement can be found to suit any taste. They can be sent alone or in a beautiful mixture of other flowers. Tulips are suitable for most any occasion from birthdays and anniversaries to Easter and Mothers Day.