For months I have eagerly waited for spring because I wanted to share the beauty of this tulip garden with you. In April and May it is a fantastical nook of color and fanciful clusters of tulips, tucked between two building on 89th Street. It is also my official bellwether for spring. When the tulips bloom in the West Side Community Garden, I know spring has officially arrived. The garden is designed and cared for by volunteer gardeners and artist; this garden is a true work of art.
I always thought tulips were native to Holland but they are native to the Middle East and Central Asia. The introduction of the tulip to Holland started in the Seventeenth Century where the Dutch immediately fell in love with the flower causing an outbreak of "tulip mania". Some really smart Dutchman sold them far and wide to other tulip lovers and today, I and others believe spring is not complete without tulips. I am sure one of the reasons the tulip is so beloved here in New York City is that the Dutch established New Amsterdam...now called New York City. But enough of the history lesson...tulips are about creating and enjoying a sensory feast.
What flowers mean spring to you? Or is there something else that says spring to you?
Hugs,
C
