Tulips and Tibbs

This has been a terrible spring for my garden. First of all, I’ve spent very little time in it. I gave Vanities, my final show of the season, every bit of my free time. Then, we had that nasty cold spell in early April. I watched in horror as my magnolia buds were reduced to mush. Finally, my baby, and beloved gardening companion, Mr. Tibbs passed away. The only time I braved the terrible weather this spring was to bury him in the Heart Bed. I haven’t wanted to go back out since.

If it weren’t for the tulips, I don’t know if I could have revived my gardening spirits. They haven’t minded my inattention or the cold. Despite my heartache, they’ve been bravely, gaily blooming. The colorful cups have been silkily bouncing in the breeze, calling me back to the garden. I am thankful for that.

I made plans to plant the tulips last April. At that time, following the initial blooms of the crocus, hyacinth, and daffodils, I found myself faced with a flowerless garden as I awaited the June flush. I vowed then to plant more tulips, along with moss phlox and candytuft. I’m so glad I did.

The “Apple Blossom” mix from Home Depot is pictured here. The blooms were supposed to be in shades of pink and white, but, someone got their bulbs mixed up. I still like the effect. In the rose bed, I planted all red tulips within view the dining room window (perfect for a shot of color on dreary days). I also experimented with species tulips around the pond, green tulips in the SE border, and “fire” tulips in the heart bed. Finally, I buried Mr. Tibbs with a bouquet of pink tulips.

The flowers will forever be bittersweet to me; they represent both death and life. I miss Mr. Tibbs terribly and there isn’t a spot in the garden without a memory of him. I am ready, though, to begin put the loss behind me and celebrate the beauty of growing, living things. Thank goodness for the tulips.