APRIL FLOWERS WITH CELEBRITY FLORIST NIKKI TIBBLES OF WILD AT HEART
There are so many brilliant things about April but for me, the most exciting is welcoming the abundance of spring flowering bulbs into my garden.
Tulips are one of my favourites, mainly because there are so many different varieties and colours to choose from.
Tulips represent perfect and deep love. They originate from Turkey (not Holland as many people think) and date back to 1000AD. The name 'tulip' derived from the Turkish word for turban.
Tulips didn’t become popular in the West until the sixteenth century and then in the 17th century 'Tulip Mania' began, when they became one of the most sought after and expensive flowers of the Dutch Golden Age.
To create warmth, I love tulips with jeweled tones. You can find them in shades of purple, red, orange and pink. Look out for parrot tulips and double fringed tulips if you want something a little different. When the petals open out they are truly spectacular.
It’s best where possible to buy seasonally and right now, we are not only spoiled for choice when it comes to tulips but we have the most amazing anemones, hyacinths, fritillaries and daffodils to choose from.
When displaying spring flowers at home I like to keep it simple. A vase full of white parrot tulips is always a joy but on a cold spring day, I opt for something brighter to cheer up the room. And of course I always use a beautiful vase, because the vase should look beautiful with or without flowers in it.
It’s worth noting that tulips sometimes take on a mind of their own in a vase. I quite like that they have a strong personality and almost arrange themselves. However, if you want straight stems a good tip is to wrap them in paper overnight and store somewhere cool. As always, make sure the water is clean and there is no excess foliage in the vase.
