Tulips

Description
Of the family "Lilacées"’, the genus ‘’Tulipa’’ is composed of more than 125 sorts and thousands of more and more numerous "cultivars" (varieties of plants obtained by different selections). This bulb flower has the particularity to have identical petals and sepals which are called "tépales".
 
 
A little bit of history.
Originating from central Asia, tulips have travelled for a long time before they arrive from the feet of the Himalaya to fields in Holland, through Constantinople and Vienna. Since their introduction in Europe, in a few decades, they have become the queen of our gardens and bunches. According to the legend, tulip owns its name thanks to Prothée’s daughter, who was transformed in a spring flower by Diane the goddess, in order to escape from the eagerness of autumn’s God.…
 
 
Gardening:
In Giverny, thousands of tulips bulbs are planted at the beginning of winter. In order to space out blossoming, so that they can colour the garden the longest time as possible, different sorts are available:  early simple ones, early double ones, southern ones in April, ‘’Lenifolea’’ and ‘’Perroquet’’ in May, lily flowers in June…
 
Monet and tulips
Claude Monet has always loved simple flowers, with pure and brilliant colours. As early as in April, lawns of the ‘’Clos normand’’ were covered by corollas of all colours, used as so many paint spots made to create harmonies and contrasts. Depending on the clumps and on the periods, Monet also liked to associate Tulips with Aubrietias, forget-me-not or wall-flowers to affirm their colours. He often painted these floral harmonies in Giverny, but also in Holland where he had been captured by the beauty of tulips fields.
 
 
Where and when can we see some in Giverny ? 
From April till June, tulip is one of the queen flowers of Claude Monet’s garden. Some of all colours can be admired in the clumps of the ‘’Clos Normand’’ and all around the pond of the water garden.