I have to say that while I had been feeling a bit extravagant in my fall bulb purchases, I don’t have an ounce of regret now that spring has come and I am able to enjoy them in bloom. It’s been a joyful surprise watching each bud emerge from the soil and open. In many cases I had forgotten what was planted and it’s been like an adult version of a surprise inside bag. What will bloom next?

Of everything that has come up so far, I like these short, orange tulips, Tulipa praestans ‘Shogun’ best. Orange is my favorite color, but it can be garish in the garden. I planted another taller, darker orange tulip hybrid, but it doesn’t hold a candle to this one.

It’s beautiful whether open with the sun or closed on an overcast day. I love the purple parts inside and the very thin red line that borders each leaf. The best part is that it will naturalize and spread in the garden, whereas the other taller tulip will probably fizzle out after a few years.