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19 Interesting Tulip Facts

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I love spring, and I love flowers, good thing the two go hand in hand. The tulips haven’t bloomed yet, just the daffodils, but I’m anxiously awaiting  and while I wait I thought I would add some interesting facts about tulips. My 19 Facts About Daffodils is my highest viewed post on my blog and it stuns me every day to see how many people come to learn about daffodils.

I have photographed all of these flowers you see here, not all are in my garden, I’m a neighborhood stalker and can be found crouching on the ground in random yards. Good thing we live in a small town and people know me and my photography habits. I’m trying to see how many different varieties of tulips I can photograph.

19 Facts About Tulips
Interesting and fun facts about tulips

Fun and Interesting Facts About Tulips

1. Tulips are the 3rd most popular flower (roses are the most popular)
2. Originally from Turkey, tulips were brought to Europe during the 16th century and introduced into Holland.  Facts About Tulips

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Trowel and Error: Over 700 Organic Remedies, Shortcuts, and Tips for the GardenerTrowel and Error: Over 700 Organic Remedies, Shortcuts, and Tips for the GardenerGrowing Bulbs in Containers: A Season by Season Guide to Growing Bulbs in Containers (The Weekend Gardener Book 4)Growing Bulbs in Containers: A Season by Season Guide to Growing Bulbs in Containers (The Weekend Gardener Book 4)

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3. Over 100 species and 4000 varieties of cultivated tulips. Majority of tulips are grown and exported from Holland. Tulip Facts
4. Average height of a tulips is 10-70 centimeters, each flower has 6 petals,  and the flower life span is 3-7 days.

Yellow Tulips in spring
Interesting facts about tulips

5. National flower of Turkey and Iran is the tulip. (History of the Tulip)
6. Tulip flowers are supposed to be a token of passion, love, romance, and a perfect lover. (So why is the rose given at Valentines day?)
7. Tulips are classified into 15 different classes based on floral charateristics, time of blooming and other traits.
8. Tulips belong to the same botanical family as onions and lilies  (20 Tulip Facts)The most popular color of tulips is red, Red tulips mean “Declaration of Love”

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TULIPS: Best Tulips to GrowTULIPS: Best Tulips to GrowTulip: 70 Stunning Varieties of the World's Favorite FlowerTulip: 70 Stunning Varieties of the World’s Favorite Flower

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9. Tulips Should be planted in the fall
10. Although tulip flowers  are edible, and eaten during WWII, tulip bread is “…not very good…” according to a survivor of the war in the Netherlands (20 Tulip Facts)
11. Tulip wine, however is supposed to be very good and makes a lovely white wine Making Tulip Wine
12. Albany New York has one of the largest Tulip festivals with over 100,000 tulips in bloom

Interesting and Fun Facts about Tulips
Interesting and Fun Facts about Tulips

13. The largest Tulip grower in the United States is RoozenGaarde in Mount Vernon Washington. Owned by the Roozen family who has been growing tulips in Holland and the 14. United States since the early 1700’s
15. Tulips will bend and twist towards the light, even when placed in a vase (Interesting Tulip Facts)
16. When buying Tulips for planting the bigger the bulb the bigger the bloom. (The Flower Expert)
17. The origin of the word Tulip might be from the Turkish word “tulbend” for turban (The Flower Expert)
18. Tulip Mania occurred in the 1600’s and people have been known to trade livestock for tulips (History of the Tulip) Inflated prices caused the Tulip bubble to burst and left many Dutch bankrupt.
19. The tulip is the official symbol or the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. (Fun Tulip Facts)

I’m sure there are many other facts. Add your tulip fact below in the comment and please feel free to share this post or images on Pinterest. I LOVE Pinterest and find my biggest photography inspiration there. So stay tuned for some macro flower images once they start blooming here.

I have created a line of Tulip Greeting cards for birthdays, Mothers Day and other occasions. Each one can be customized with your message on the front and inside and are available at my Zazzle Store.

Pink Tulips in the Garden Birthday CardPink Tulips in the Garden Birthday CardPink Tulips Happy Birthday CardPink Tulips Happy Birthday Card

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Tulip Gift Ideas

For the gardener or someone who just loves tulips here are a few ideas for Mothers Day, a birthday, or just to bring a bit of spring into a cold winter day.

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Tervis Tea for Tulips Wrap Bottle with Lime Green Lid, 24-Ounce, Garden PartyTervis Tea for Tulips Wrap Bottle with Lime Green Lid, 24-Ounce, Garden PartyPink Tulip Wreath Door Decor With Burlap BowPink Tulip Wreath Door Decor With Burlap BowSENFAI Red Tulip Flower with Cat Eyes Opal Stone Crystal Pendant Necklace Woman Summer Flower Rose Gold Chain NecklacesSENFAI Red Tulip Flower with Cat Eyes Opal Stone Crystal Pendant Necklace Woman Summer Flower Rose Gold Chain NecklacesEsky Waterproof Tulip Solar Powered LED Garden Lights, Solar Path Lights for Path Patio Deck Driveway Garden Christmas Party WeddingEsky Waterproof Tulip Solar Powered LED Garden Lights, Solar Path Lights for Path Patio Deck Driveway Garden Christmas Party WeddingEverbling Tulip Flower with Red and Green Austrian Crystal 925 Sterling Silver Bead Fits Pandora Charm BraceletEverbling Tulip Flower with Red and Green Austrian Crystal 925 Sterling Silver Bead Fits Pandora Charm BraceletMulticolor Tulips Table Linens RunnerMulticolor Tulips Table Linens RunnerTulip Love: Picture Book (30 Days of Aspirations & Words Series)Tulip Love: Picture Book (30 Days of Aspirations & Words Series)20 Ways to Draw a Tulip and 44 Other Fabulous Flowers: A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers20 Ways to Draw a Tulip and 44 Other Fabulous Flowers: A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers

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More Facts About Tulips

15 Things You Never Knew About Tulips

It’s not Spring until the first tulip blossoms make their much-anticipated appearance. To celebrate these lovely perennials, we’ve gathered the most bizarre, historic, and all around interesting facts we could find on them. Check them out below and …

Singing praises, telling facts about tulips

Dear Readers: Tulips are beautiful and such an amazing flower. I love them, even though they may not last as long as hardier flowers. Here is an interesting fact you might not know: Tulips will continue to grow even after they’ve been cut. Yes! They …

12 Fascinating Facts About Tulips

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. I love their elegant lines, rich waxy colors and intriguing history. I also find great delight in the spring when winter’s snow and chill finally gives way to these early blooming beauties. Read below for an …

Fun Tulip Facts for Kids – Interesting Information about Tulips

Tulip Facts for Kids. Check out our fun tulip facts for kids. Learn how many species of tulip there are, how the tulip has been used throughout history, find out  …

10 Weird Facts About Tulips | Teleflora blog

10 Weird Facts About Tulips. Apr 10, 2015 | 2 comments. Tulips are one of the most quintessential spring flowers. They’re seen often in flower beds, fields and …

20 facts about tulips | All Over Albany

May 6, 2011 … They’re all over the Capital Region. We even have a festival for them (you may have heard). So, here are 20 facts about tulips. 1. Tulips belong …

12 Fascinating Facts About Tulips

Apr 10, 2013 … Tulips are edible. Tulips once crashed an economy. Read below for an interesting overview of the beguiling tulip, an ephemeral flower that …

Making Tulips “Pop” With Photoshop

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Photoshop is a powerful photography tool when used properly. My goal for most photo editing is to create an image that doesn’t look like it’s been edited. So let’s render an image of a tulip into something that pops just a little, but doesn’t take it over the edge.

See how subtle editing can improve a photograph without going over the top, as I have a tendency to do sometimes, according to my daughter.

Tulip SOOC (straight out of the camera)
Tulip SOOC (straight out of the camera)

This edit first involved adding a levels adjustment layer and darkening the whole image.  I selected the pink color in Image/Adjustment/Selective Color and added more magenta, which brightened the color in the petals.

The white portion of the petals seemed washed out so I then used the Burn tool and stroked over the creases in the bottom of the petal, which brought out the fine streaks.  I then used the sponge tool and desaturated the background.

I tried some special effects with this image, but I was never quite happy with them, so I settled on realism.

Learn How to Edit in Photoshop

120 Easy Tips And Tricks For Photoshop: LearningAdobe Photoshop CS6 Revealed (Adobe CS6)Adobe Photoshop CS6 Classroom in a BookAdobe Photoshop Elements 13Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan (Photoshop CC +

#12/52: Flower Porn and More

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Oops, did I really say that? Flower porn? Oh, I said it again. I’m really into Flower porn (not human kind so stop there if you are and just leave), which is very close up shots of naked reproductive parts of flowers, the stamen and pistils or macro photography. I just can’t help it, I have to not only look but point my camera at those intimate detailed parts.

Tulip flower porn
Week 12: Tulip flower porn

Some of my favorite flowers to expose are Irises, check out my shots from last year.

Summer Day Lily

The secret to good macro photography is plenty of light and a fast shutter speed. With flower photography wind is your enemy and some days you may just need to bring the blooms inside. Expose for the petals to get the texture and details. Try different angles, different lighting, back-lit sun streaming through the petals. Get on the ground and shoot up against the sky. Break out of the boring and stereotypical flower photos.

Iris Garden in Nebraska
Iris’s Galore

Use an open aperture under 5.0 and focus on the itty bitty flower sexual parts, you know the ones, deep inside the flower that few people look dare peek when no one is looking.

Macro Peony
Macro Peony

Macro Photography Tools

Macro Extension Tube Ring for Canon EOS DSLR / SLR4-In-1 Lens Attachment – For iPhone 6, Telephoto/Macro/Fish Eye +CowboyStudio One Way Macro Focusing Rail Slider Macro Bellows forNeewer FC100 32 Super Bright LED Macro Ring Flash For77mm Macro Reverse Ring Adapter for Nikon AI MountUnderstanding Close-Up Photography: Creative Close Encounters with Or Without aClose-Up and Macro Photography: Art and TechniquesCloseup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography

Flower Photography Tips

How to master the art of flower photography

Spring has finally arrived, and with it some of nature’s most stunning artistry: flowers. A favorite of nature photographers around the world, flowers can be a surprisingly finicky photo subject. Simply snapping a photo in passing doesn’t quite do the …

How does your garden grow? – OCL series offers something for all garderners

“The basics of flower photography will teach how simple changes can make a big difference in personal photographs. Equipment needs from the very basic to more sophisticated camera equipment, including lenses, props, etc., will be covered.” Participants …

Put a spin on flower photography

Spring is only a couple weeks away and that means flowers will be springing up all over the place. For the camera buff the splashes of colors break the monotony of gray days and generates an eagerness to venture out and capture their long-awaited blooms.

25 flower photography tips for beginners | Digital Camera …

Improve your spring photography with these 25 flower photography tips that show you everything from how to compose to how to set your camera.

Spring is Here: Beautiful Flower Photography – PictureCorrect

Just step out of your door and turn around. Someone has planted flowers in front of the building? That could be the perfect place to trigger a few photos! For some unusual and interesting flower photography, take a trip to nature, maybe to park …

31 Incredibly Captivating Flower Photos by Wei-San Ooi

Here are 31 of my absolute favorites from her expansive collection — photographs of flowers that somehow kick the crap out of (a scientific term) 90% of the flower photography we’ve seen — broken down by type of flower for …

 

 

Day 199/365:Weeding the Vegetable Garden

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One of the things I really dislike about gardening is weeding. Seriously, I’ve tried weeding to music, weeding when I’m mad, you know the whole therapeutic vision of yanking someone out of the ground by their head, doesn’t matter, I don’t like the task and I never will.

Weeding the Vegetable Garden

In order to raise a bumper crop of vegetables, weeding must be done. My favorite method of weed prevention is smothering them with grass clippings. I bag up my lawn grass (I don’t spray with chemicals) from the lawnmower and it not only helps to prevent weeds but the are rows nice and soft to sit while harvesting. It decomposes and adds organic material to the soil for the next year.

Weeding the Vegetable Garden

My friend Beth (pictured above) raises a large variety of vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, beans, spinach, chard, kale, romaine lettuce, spring greens. broccoli, watermelon, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, and a few others I know I forgot.

Tools To Make Weeding Easier

I have the diamond headed hoe and love how it easily pushes and pulls through the soil, even the hard concrete-like soil during the heat of summer. It actually makes weeding the vegetable garden fun, ok, maybe not fun, but less of a chore. I also really like the claw gardening gloves.

Flexrake 500W Hula-Ho Mini Flexrake Hula-Ho with 14-Inch Wood HandleAsano Japanese Ninja Claw Rake and CultivatorGarden Weasel Long Handled Garden ClawBadger Garden Digging Gloves, Durable Gray Claws on Both Hands – No More Worn Out Fingertips or Broken Fingernails!Nejiri Gama HoeCorona Clipper SH61000 Diamond Hoe

When I was younger I NEVER wore gardening gloves, I was tough, didn’t need any stinking gloves, just wash my hands afterward.

With age comes wisdom and it’s so much easier to just pull them off and not have mud and dirt under your nails. Plus with gardening gloves, you don’t get poked with sticker weeds.

My small handled tools stay in my rolling garden seat, yes, another concession to age, I can’t believe I said that.

Taking Extra Produce to Farmers Market

If you have extra produce, as I do, you can take it to your local farmer’s market. In Elmwood Nebraska, we have a small group of small but mighty vendors. It’s a great way to earn some extra money from your labors and socialize with other gardening friends.

Day 124/365: Spring Daffodils

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Day 124: My daffodils are blooming!

My garden is starting to bloom, I’m so excited! These were the first daffodils of the season and I thought they deserved a special highlight. I’m going to see how many flowers I can take photographs of this season, most will probably not be in my yard, but around town, ahhh, I can smell the fragrance of lilacs already.  So if anyone from Elmwood see’s me crouched around your bushes it’s just me and my photography addition.

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