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Friday, February 3, 2012

dancing tulips...



I love tulips. 
I love this time of year when you start to see them at the market.   My favorite are the white, but orange tulips have been known to make my heart skip a beat too!

There are a lot of myths on how to keep fresh cut tulips alive longer - things like adding aspirin, or a penny, or bleach, or 7-Up to the water, but in reality all they want is lots of "fresh water!"  Tulips are known to dance as they continue to grow even after being cut and placed in a vase, and they twist and turn towards the light!   Their movement and spontaneity makes them not only beautiful, but charming too!

To get the most out of cut tulips, be sure to remove any leaves that will be below the water line.  Make diagonal cuts (preferable under water so no air enters the stem), and add the stem immediately to a vase of fresh water.  Tulips do not need cut flower food like other flowers.  
As a rule, I always rinse the entire stem under running water before I cut and place it in a vase; I do this with every type of cut flower I bring home.  I have found this one simple step helps to reduce bacteria growth and increases the length of time the flowers stay fresh.  I also rinse the stems each and every time I change the water- which I do every day or two.   
 By simply cutting an inch off the tulip stem every 3- 4 days and making sure they have lots of clean, fresh water you should be able to enjoy their beauty for a week to ten days!

Large Hotel Silver tray from The Biltmore is one of a pair- c.1913.  The tray holds:
old salt and pepper shakers, antique English white ironstone pitcher for the tulips, antique celery glasses for our collection of Hotel Silver forks and knives from various American hotels, an antique English white ironstone sugar for Hotel Silver spoons, a pair of small horns and two rattan-wrapped candle holders. 



For me, tulips in the house are a sign that Spring is just around the corner!
Here's to dreaming of Spring, and wishing you a wonderful weekend!

xojoan



63 comments:

  1. Oh gorgeous tray and vignette and I agree, tulips are fantastic. I love them all. Hugs, marty

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  2. To you, too, Joan! Your tulips are a breath of fresh air! :)

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  3. Thanks for the hints on prolonging the "life" of tulips; my local supermarket has white and pink ones for sale right now, and I was thinking of taking some pictures to do a blog post. Your picture is beautiful!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  4. JOAN!!!!

    My favorite flower is a tulip too! You just keep surprising me. ;)

    Megan

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  5. Thanks for the tips. I have bookmarked it as we are in the middle of summer and not a tulip in sight! Yours are beautiful.

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  6. Hi Joan
    I like tulips too. Most of all I love the colour ORANGE.
    Kind Regards
    Karen

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  7. Thanks for the tips on flowers! Putting an equal spoonful of vinegar, sugar and white bleach doubles the life of cut flowers too! Your method seems simpler. x

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  8. I love tulips in my home this time of year. They just say, "hello spring!"

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  9. Such a pretty table!! Tulips are gorgeous! Thanks for the advice on lengthening the 'vase' life!!

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  10. Beautiful flowers and beautiful vignette. I just posted on my white tulips yesterday. They truly are so cheery!

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  11. TULIPS (and peonies) ALL THE WAY! Very nice arrangement. Thanks for sharing - Spring is right around the corner. Enjoy your weekend.

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  12. I always grab a bouquet of tulips - usually orange - at the store! Just planted about 50 bulbs in our yard and can't wait for spring! Some of my favorites - old silver, ironstone and tulips.
    Kelly

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  13. I just stood and looked at a bunch of tulips yesterday...but didn't buy them....I should go back and get them...I love them too.
    Lorraine

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  14. The orange tulips are gorgeous! I've never bought that color before. The whole arrangement is so pretty. We are being teased with fabulous weather here~flowers popping up through the ground and trees budding. :) Hope we don't pay for it in March. ;)

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  15. Your display is so pretty. I will have to search for some tulips at our Trader Joe's on the way home. Nothing says spring like tulips...even though we may be rushing the season just a bit. :-)
    Karen

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  16. I agree...you know that when you can buy tulips at the grocery store, spring is on the way.

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  17. Great tips for keeping fresh flowers alive. I love that vignette on the silver tray!!
    Camille

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  18. I too was excited this week when I walked into the grocery store and saw Tulips, just bought some for my husbands birthday, yes, men like flowers also! They just make me smile when I see them on the kitchen table. Happy Spring! ;)

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  19. I too adore tulips....a definate favorite! Your photography is utter magic. I want to just stare at it and take in the beauty of your home and the flowers =)

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  20. I just found your blog, and it is stunning!!!!!!!

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  21. I LOVE tulips. I'd take a bouquet of tulips over roses anyday!

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  22. I'm new to your blog, and I must say, it's as charming and beautiful as your lovely home.

    I also love tulips, and the way they dance and move daily. Thank you for the wonderful tips on making these charming flowers last longer.

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  23. Thanks for the tulip tips! I love them especially Angelique tulips. Sometimes hubby travels to Amsterdam on business and brings me back a bunch!
    Sharon

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  24. I love tulips too. As a florist I see that the biggest mistake people make is NOT cutting off leaves that will be below the water. That is a HAVEN for bacteria. Love your hotel silver!!!! XO, Pinky

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  25. Thanks for the tips. Tulips are a favorite of mine too. Question: How do you polish your silver?

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  26. Joan, I am with you, I love tulips but pink and white are my favs. I learned something from the flower lady at Costco last year, She told me to only put a little bit of water in the bottom of the vase, just enough so all the stems can get a drink. If you fill it up they will continue drinking and growing, same with daffodils. Sure enough I did what she said and they lasted twice as long. Happy Weekend, Kathysue

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  27. You hit two of my favorites...tulips and silver. Tomorrow morning I'm going to buy a fresh bunch for my winter table. Thanks for sharing.

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  28. Love your tulips in that ironstone pitcher surrounded by the hotel silver. Gorgeous!

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  29. Thanks for the tulip care tips Joan! I love your table top display. Have a great weekend! Pamela

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  30. Lovely vignette on your table. Thanks for the great advice on caring for tulips. I love them too.
    Best...Victoria

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  31. I love your setting. I also love the orange tulips, they are amazing!

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  32. Tulips are my very favorite too. They're so pretty! Thanks for sharing the tips :-)

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  33. Julie- I use Wright's silver cream (and wear gloves as it really dries out your fingers;)

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  34. I'm an orange tulip girl myself. Think I'll get some this weekend! It's been in the 70s and 80s here in Houston lately, so I'm really feeling like spring has sprung!

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  35. I LOVE them too! I love all the colors they come on!
    Stacy

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  36. Joan they look beautiful, tulips are my favorite flower! Beautiful vignette! Funny I just did a post that is so similar come on by for a look. Martina

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  37. white tulips are one of my favorite flowers too {a close contender with the pink ranunculus}but these orange tulips are bee-ooh-ti-ful! the color makes the silver tray pop. wishing you a fabulous weekend.

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  38. I was feeling very "Joan-ish" today and picked up 2 silver trays at a thrift store and about 10 minutes ago arranged all my kitchen utensils in silver & ironstone pitchers. You'd be proud, Joan;) Then I visit your blog and see your beautiful arrangement:) Love it!! Happy weekend:)

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  39. I love tulips - they just make me happy! We have a whole bunch that bloom in the spring, and with all of the warm weather, some of my daffodils are starting to poke up through the ground already!

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  40. I love orange tulips combined with deep pink tulips - it's a happy combo.
    The silver tray and beautiful things looks very pretty.

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  41. Beautiful vignette....I just adore any color of tulips :o)
    ~Des

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  42. *** Such a beautifully simple, TIMELESS and elegantly welcoming vignette... I always LOVE coming here, and I THANK YOU for BEING here to always share "lovelies" with us!!!!!!

    (BTW, WHITE TULIPS have been MY FAVES for the last "gazillion years"!!! Smiles!)...

    Blessings,
    Linda in AZ *
    bellesmom1234@comcast.net

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  43. Very pretty and interesting vignette.Orange and silver look really good together!

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  44. White tulips (and orchids) are my favorites, too! And, how coincidental that I just bought orange tulips at the grocer yesterday. Thanks for the tips on how to keep them fresher longer. Love your vignette.

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  45. Tulips are high on my list of purchases to be made today - along with a hyacinth with a fabulous perfume.

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  46. A great mix of collectibles in this vignette, and the colorful tulips really enliven the whole. That one on the left really does look like it's reaching for the sun.

    Not all tulip stories are so happy. In one of my mother's rare forays into gardening, she planted some bulbs. All that came up was a single mutant tulip: a dirty-white color, it was monstrously large, deformed and misshapen. Non-susceptible of eradication, it returned every year.
    --Road to Parnassus

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  47. Tulips make me smile, because I love Spring so much! Your post and vignette is lovely!

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  48. Hi Joan, Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. It makes me think, years ago I found a marvelous candle called French Tulip from... hold on a second... senior moment-I need to go look it up... from Seda that really smells true to me. Fab picture! Your house looks so warm and fresh and wonderful!

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  49. Those tulips are lovely indeed, and my heart skipped a beat when i saw them also! Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. (For me, the special love is for the white and the pink.) :) I also adore daffodils and lilacs. I must have a special attachment to spring blooms. Spring comes early to OR, and for that i'm thankful after the long, rainy winter! Happy Weekend to you also.

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  50. ooo the orange tulips are to die for! thanks for the tips! ;)

    ashley over @
    {hookedonhickory}

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  51. Great tulip tips Joan... They also flourish with little water... the less water in the vase the straighter they stand... A full vase and they fall downwards in a more loose fashion... Love them any way... Sadly I haven't had as much luck with the bulbs in my garden! I don't think they like the soil ... but they are always scrappy...xv

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  52. sigh- tulips are so lovely. i can't wait until spring!

    thank goodness it's just around the corner.

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  53. Gorgeous! We had red tulips in our kitchen this past week. Fresh flowers just make life happier!

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  54. They are such graceful dancers!
    xoTrina

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  55. Joan those are gorgeous. Tulips are my favorite flowers. Thank you for all your tips.

    xo

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  56. I love how tulips "grow". :) They are such dainty little things, aren't they? Orange flowers are among my favorite too!

    Hugs,
    Gail

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  57. My favorite flower! I appreciate the advice to rinse the entire stem.

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  58. I adore tulips too, We have them all year long here so they have lost some of that "Spring" like quality for me but I still love them.

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  59. Joan,
    This post SO speaks to me!!! Every time I'm at the grocery and I see pretty tulips, I have to have some. When my pink tulips come up in my yard, it is such fun. But, love having some indoors, too.

    I have a soft spot for silver, so love your tray and entire vignette!

    xo Elizabeth

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  60. Just bought some tulips to try out your method. I of course pinned it and A LOT of other people pinned it, so you hit the nail on the head with this little trick. Thanks!

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Welcome! Thank you for leaving a comment; you have no idea how much your comments inspire me to keep writing- I appreciate each and every one. Comments are moderated by me prior to publishing on the blog, so if you don't see your comment post immediately it will be posted as soon as I receive and read it. joan