Last month the New York Times published a Valentine’s Day article titled, “The Tulip’s Quiet War on Roses”.
It caught my attention because I usually don’t buy tulips, but I had just purchased a Valentine’s Day bouquet of these cheery flowers at my local Trader Joe’s for $12.99.
The writer spoke to experts who shared that tulips are giving roses a run for their money because they are more sustainable and grow more quickly. They are also less expensive.
One flower shop owner also shared that she like tulips because, “Unlike roses, tulips continue to change and grow after they’re cut.”
An online retailer added that “the choice of tulips in February is ‘catching on really fast.'”
When we’re talking outdoors, I adore tulips even though most types only live for a year or two in my yard. And the plants the DO return often get eaten by rabbits or vengeful squirrels before I can enjoy the blooms. And yet I keep trying.
They are so beautiful!
When it comes to using tulips as cut flowers I’m not as big of a fan.
What drives me nuts about cut tulips is that they lean toward the light. My vase sat in a bay window, and I had to rotate it several times a day to make sure the vase didn’t tip over.
And as they age and the flowers open wider, they start to splay out in every direction. I was tempted to compost my bouquet at that point, but I opted instead to tie up the flowers with twine. That little trick bought me another 3 days of enjoyment.
I still prefer cut tulips over roses. I’ve never understood the allure of cut roses. They are pricey and they just don’t last very long in a vase. Plus the best part of a rose is the delicious scent, and that feature has been bred out of florist roses.
So in the battle of tulips vs. roses, I come down on the side of tulips.
But if you’re going to buy me flowers, please save yourself even more money and get me carnations. I can make a $4.99 bouquet of beautiful carnations from Trader Joe’s last for more than a month in a vase!
