variation on a theme

 

Tulip parrots were one of the very first tulips I ever grew in our first garden, quite a few years ago now. That was in the days when we used to go to the Chelsea Flower Show where my favourite part was the huge, old tent where all the growers displayed their various speciality plants. We don't go any more because of the terrible crowds, but it used to be the most remarkable and useful place to see beautiful tulips (and all sorts of bulbs, iris, peonies, roses and spectacular fruit and veg) and to plan our dream garden.

 

Well, we are still dreaming, but ever since those glorious displays convinced me to make lists of tulips seen and admired, and then to grow them, we have had parrot tulips in the garden every spring. I love all parrots, but this year chose 'Blue Parrot' (the least curly and bizarre of the lot, not actually blue but a lovely lilac, late, and very strong) and these, 'Apricot Parrot' which have quite magical colouring, changing from the palest peachy apricot with limey streaks to a rich mix of salmon, coral, rose, primrose, and emerald as they open up and turn into enormous twirling, swirling beauties.

 

I don't have many things with tulips on them (eg fabrics, pictures, textiles) but I have just bought a couple of Susie Cooper 'Parrot Tulip' plates for next to nothing on eBay, liking the pattern and design. Phoebe baked banana bread from Rachel Allen's Bake but instead of making a single loaf, she made little heart-shaped cakes in a silicone mould (first time we'd used one - very impressed). 

 

Like the parrot tulips, they were good while they lasted, which wasn't very long at all.

[The new book we have is British Baking which looks fabulous - beautiful photography - but the first thing Phoebe tried at the weekend, honeycomb (aka cinder toffee), was a sticky disaster. We are hoping for better results next time.]

 

Comments

[knittingoutloud]

Beautiful tulips!

[Jennifer]

These are amazing. I love the splashes of green in the flowers.

[Sue]

I had a disaster with that book too - jumbles. The teacakes turned out well though.

Love your parrots, I have a few red and yellow ones.

[Clare]

They are incredible colours! I made honeycomb from Rachel Allen's Home Cooking recently, and it was brilliant, the nicest I've had. I've been wondering about silicon trays too, so thanks for that comment.

[Emma]

Those tulips are astonishing. They look as though they're lifted straight from a Dutch painting. Aren't these similar to the ones that caused the tulip bubble?

[Tanya]

Those flowers are stunningly gorgeous!!

Tanya

[Pauline]

Your tulip posts have brought sunshine to my cold, overcast, wet day. Thank you for sharing the sunshine.

[Tales from the Village]

Honeycomb is really tricky. I've had all sorts of disasters with it. I remember the last time I tried to make it there was fizzing and overflowing and terrible sticky mess everywhere. And it tasted of soap. Bleargh.

[LoriAngela]

You may post pictures of tulips every day, but each is so especially beautiful

[Chloe]

My favourites so far. And I didn't know that Susie Cooper bargains existed these days, really encouraged by that

I've got British Baking on my birthday list, part of the attraction was the honeycomb recipe so perhaps I'll downgrade it

[caroline auckland]

I love the way tulips carry on growing- even when cut and put in a vase .

Jane, you are making me wish the year away to next year's bulb brochures.

[Nicky Eglinton]

You continually amaze me with a succession of tulips - but these parrots are just gorgeous.

Your blog has inspired me to blog about the flowers in my neighbourhood and I have been enjoying the wild flowers growing in our lane. Smaller and simpler but lovely nonetheless...

[Juti]

I love your blog at this time of year.

[Becky]

I have 2 sets of three oven tins designed for bread; they are designed in a flower, star, and heart. The dough goes in 1/2 or 3/4 the way, and rises in the shape. Sometimes the lids pop off, so you have to keep watch. It's wonderful, it comes in tube shape so I slice, and the hearts look similar to the ones in your picture above.

The only problem I've had (in oven tins, granted) is with the elasticity of the dough, it doesn't seem to want to "ooze" into place, and I think I overfill with dough so when the buns come out the oven, the shape is warped, and it grows over the sides. How much did you use in the silicone, and does silicone help with this?

Those tulips are INCREDIBLE! And if those were the kind grown in the Netherlands so long ago, I can see why people sought after, and paid incredible prices for them. Lovely.

[Marianne Wille]

I'm enjoying all the tulip photos! Just gorgeous. I'm envious of you. Tulips do not hold up to Kansas winds in the springtime or live to bloom because of the voles who nibble on the bulbs in the winter. Thank you for sharing.

[Angela Bickerton]

Just LOVE these parrot tulips. The first year I grew them I
put lots in a big tub and they were gorgeous - blowsy and over the top but they didn't do much the following year. I think I just have to accept the fact that with most tulips you need to buy new every year.

[adele geras]

I love the tulip photos too! And I've just ordered the British Baking book as a birthday present for my daughter so I hope some of the recipes come out fine. I pre-ordered Gentle Art of Knitting at the same time. Can't wait for that and the results of your patterns will not be putting any added inches on the hips, either!

[Lisa]

That last tulip ohoto is fabulous!
I was just looking at my silicone muffin "pan" which someone gave me, and thinking I should try it - it's been gathering dust long enough.

[sewa mobil]

Very nice, thanks.

[Patricia G]

Beautiful tulips! They do look like balls of sock wool. Socks to match the tulips?