Old House Gardens Heirloom Flower Bulbs

Gone Forever or Back Soon?

From America’s Expert Source for Heirloom Flower Bulbs

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Heirloom Tulips We Hope to Offer Again

Though preservation is our mission, bulbs drop out of our catalog every year.
Sometimes it’s because the harvest was too small. Sometimes it’s because they’re widely available elsewhere and don’t need our help. And sometimes it’s because we’ve lost our only known source due to severe weather (cold, drought, etc.), health problems (a debilitating stroke), or economic woes (small farmers are always at risk).
The good news is that, in time, we’re often able to return these bulbs to our catalog. So here’s a list of many we’ve offered in the past. For an alert the moment they’re available again, subscribe to our free email newsletter. Or to find a similar bulb, try our easy Advanced Bulb Search.

Other heirloom bulbs we hope to offer again someday:

Daffodils Lilies, Hyacinths, Crocus, Etc. Spring-Planted Bulbs (Dahlias, Etc.)

AMIRAL DE CONSTANTINOPLE, 1665 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Only two parrot tulips from the 1600s survive, and now you can grow one! The jagged, billowing petals of this fabulous relic are a deep, fiery red embellished here and there with swirling brushstrokes of gold, green, and maroon. Tiny spurs and horns add to its wild allure. Its name is French (hence no D in Amiral), suggesting it got its start in quirky, flower-loving Flanders. Zones 4b-7a, from the Hortus Bulborum. We hope to offer a very few of this rare variety this fall. Please check back in August or sign up for our email newsletter.

#TU971

Currently Unavailable

ARISTOCRAT, 1935

Strong growing and richly colored, this powerful tulip wowed us when it first bloomed here. And when we saw how its flowers lasted and lasted, we liked it even better. Each petal is a blaze of deep rose with lavender undertones shading to soft pink at the edges. The effect is dramatic and full of energy. Darwin/Single Late, 28 inches, zones 3-7, from Holland. Last offered in 2005. We lost our grower and haven’t found another who offers authentic stock.

#TU84

Currently Unavailable

ARTUS, GARIBALDI, 1860 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Garibaldi was the fiery patriot whose Redshirts helped unify Italy in 1860, the year this famous tulip was introduced. “Deep bright scarlet,” it's “a fine, showy flower” that’s “particularly choice,” according to the LaPark catalog of 1922. Its original name, ‘Artus’, honors a 17th-century Dutch sculptor, but gardeners of the Romantic 19th century embraced it as ‘Garibaldi’. Single Early, 10 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB01

Currently Unavailable

BEAUTY OF BATH, 1906 RAREST

“One of the most enchanting of the Cottage tribe,” the Scheepers catalog gushed in 1929. A true broken tulip, it opens with “the most lovely flushes and pencilings of pale to deeper yellow and pinkish lavender to rose” and then matures to a lace-like tracery of purple on white. Our friend Betsy Ginsburg was so enchanted she wrote a time-travelling detective story exploring how it got its name. Late, 16-18”, zones 4b-7a. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#TU66

Currently Unavailable

BRIDESMAID, MAID OF HOLLAND, 1900 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Here’s a tulip to get your heart pounding! A close cousin to our ‘Zomerschoon’ and ‘Mabel’, it’s a true broken tulip of “brilliant cherry rose flushed and striped with scarlet, violet, and white, very distinct,” according to the Peter Henderson catalog of 1907. Its slender, elegant shape adds to its considerable appeal. Cottage/Single Late, 14-18 inches, zones 4b-7a, from the Hortus. Last offered “web-only” in 2005. If supplies permit, we'll offer it again in 2008. Check back in July or subscribe to our email newsletter.

#HB05

Currently Unavailable

CHRYSOLORA, 1872 RAREST & WEB ONLY

The finest yellow tulip of the late Victorian age, ‘Chrysolora’ was offered in virtually every catalog from Rochester’s Briggs and Bros. of 1872 through the 1920s – and for good reason! C.L. Allen in his 1893 Bulbs and Tuberous-Rooted Plants included it on his short list of a dozen best Single Early tulips and praised it as “one of the earliest, deep yellow, large [for way back then!] and handsome.” Single Early, 10 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#TU78

Currently Unavailable

CLARA BUTT, 1889 RAREST

Once the world’s most popular tulip, gracing hundreds of catalog covers, this tall, willowy, shell-pink beauty is now “commercially extinct” in the Netherlands and grown by just one last US farmer. A landmark bulb, it was the very first of the Darwins, an important class bred originally from antique Flemish tulips. Our Fall 2001 Heirloom Bulb of the Year, Darwin/Single Late, 22 inches, zones 3-7, from Washington. Offered in our 2008 catalog, but there was an unexpected total crop failure. We hope to offer it again in the near future.

#TU05

Currently Unavailable

CRAMOISI BRILLANT, SPARKLER, 1785? 1860? RAREST & WEB ONLY

This slender, sweet-scented tulip is both brillant and cramoisi – a brilliant, sparkling, radiant crimson. In Victorian days when pattern-bedding was all the rage and people weren’t afraid of vibrant colors, it ruled! Think of it as a vintage jolt of expresso for your spring garden or a chance to look at beauty through a magic pair of spectacles from 144 years ago – or 219 years ago, if the Hortus’s alternate date is correct. Single Early, 12-15 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB07

Currently Unavailable

DUC DE BERLIN, 1854 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Some of the very earliest tulips in Western gardens were red edged with yellow, and this classic color combination has been popular ever since. To us, these tulips recall Renaissance pagentry and the shields of heraldry. All-but-lost, 150-year-old ‘Duc de Berlin’ has a wonderfully rounded shape, and its gilt-edged crimson flowers glow against its blue-green leaves. Single Early, 8-10 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

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Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL COCHINEAL, 1700 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Once the New World’s second most valuable export, cochineal is a brilliant red dye brought to Europe from Mexico in the late 1500s. “Brilliant” is the key word, and tiny ‘Duc van Tol Cochineal’ well deserves its name. Extra-early, the Ducs were a fabled group of pixie-like tulips that grew in every stylish garden from about 1600-1900. Then as the tide of fashion turned against them, they all but vanished. Perfect little miniatures, they’re the earliest traditional garden tulips to bloom each spring. It’s a zinger! 5-7 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB10

Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL DOUBLE, SCARLET KING, 1830 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Tiny, cheery red ‘Double Duc’, also known as ‘Scarlet King’, was a favorite for Victorian pattern bedding and was often forced for Christmas bloom. Very early, 5-7 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB11

Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL MAX CRAMOISI, 1700 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Slightly bigger than the other Ducs and a wonderfully bright red, ‘Max Cramoisi’ starred in thousands of 18th-century parterres and 19th-century carpet-beds. Very early, 5-7 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB12

Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL ORANGE, 1700 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Tiny, 304-year-old ‘Duc Orange’ is a radiant red-orange that opens wide in the sun to reveal a heart of brightest gold. Extra-early, the Ducs were a fabled group of pixie-like tulips that grew in every stylish garden from about 1600-1900, but now have all but vanished. Very early, 5-7 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB13

Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL PRIMROSE, 1921 RAREST & WEB ONLY

This tiny tulip is a soft, luminous yellow, as fresh and delightful as spring itself. Our photo was taken in the quaint old parterre garden at Keukenhof, Holland’s spring showcase of bulbs. 5-7 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB14

Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL SALMON, 1914 RAREST & WEB ONLY

This tiny, red-salmon tulip is highlighted by a fine, feathery edge of gold. Extra-early, the Ducs were a fabled group of pixie-like tulips that grew in every stylish garden from about 1600-1900 but now have all but vanished. Very early, 5-7 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB15

Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL SCARLET, 1850 RAREST

Short, bright, and extra-early, these fairy tulips grew in every stylish garden from about 1600-1900. But when gardeners went crazy for tall, late, pastel tulips, the ‘Ducs’ all but vanished. A perfect little miniature at 5-7 inches tall, ‘Scarlet’ is classic and sublime. Very early, zones 5(4?)-7, from the Hortus. Last offered in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

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Currently Unavailable

DUC VAN TOL YELLOW, 1830 RAREST & WEB ONLY

This bright, sunny little tulip is deep yellow, and to our eye it’s the most elegantly shaped of all the Ducs. Try it combined with deep purple johnny-jump-ups – spring perfection! 5-7 inches, zones 5-7, from the Hortus Bulborum. Last offered in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

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Currently Unavailable

DUCHESSE DE PARMA, 1820 RAREST & WEB ONLY

“Splendid,” enthused the Vick’s catalog of Rochester, NY, back in 1865 when catalogs rarely said anything about a bulb other than its color. Though its official, modern description may sound ho-hum – “red and yellow” – old catalogs paint a more nuanced picture. “Brown red,” said Thorburn in 1872, and Rawson in 1889 described it as “bronze crimson bordered with orange.” Grow it yourself and you’ll see exactly what gardeners have been enjoying for the past 184 years! Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB16

Currently Unavailable

ELECTRA, 1905

We're crazy about this passionate double. Neither words nor film can quite capture its unique beauty. It’s NOT red. It’s a rose so deep it’s almost red, an intense purplish-crimson, like crushed raspberries. It can really kick your garden up a notch — but only if you try a few! Double Early, 12 inches, zones 3-7, from Holland. Last offered in 2003. We lost our grower and haven't found another who offers authentic stock.

#TU10

Currently Unavailable

FANTASY, 1910

Exotically ruffled and frilled, parrot tulips date to the 1600s. But weak stems limited their use until sturdy ‘Fantasy’ (now the oldest available) sparked a renaissance. A sport of the great ‘Clara Butt’, it’s pink brushed with cream and apple-green. Parrot, 21”, zones 3-7.

#TU11

Currently Unavailable

GLORIA SOLIS, 1854 RAREST

A bonfire of “bronze, orange, and crimson” (Vick catalog, 1865), gold-edged ‘Glory of the Sun’ was offered by hundreds of US catalogs from the Linnaean Botanic Garden in 1860 to the mid-1900s. But doubles have fallen so far out of fashion that today they’re the most endangered tulips – a good reason for a big-hearted gardener like you to give one a try? Save the Doubles! 12-14 inches, zones 5-7, from the Hortus. Last offered in 2005. If supplies permit, we’ll offer it again in 2008. Check back in July or subscribe to our email newsletter.

#TU85

Currently Unavailable

INVASION, 1944 RAREST

It’s a lot prettier than its name — but in Holland in 1944 “invasion” meant hope and life and everything good. In the garden, its unique coloring sets it apart. Words and photos fail it, but “warm, sandstone red with a gilt edging of cream” is close. Even if it’s “just” red and white, it gave us 31 blooms from seven bulbs its first spring here, and everyone who saw it wanted it. Triumph, 16”, zones 3-7, Holland. Last offered in 2006. We lost our grower and haven’t found another who offers authentic stock.

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Currently Unavailable

JULIET, 1845 RAREST

An unusually old English florist tulip, ‘Juliet’ is a lovely teacup-shaped flower from North Yorkshire with rosy-red flames on snow-white petals. Though by the Tulip Society’s rigorous show standards its patterning is less than perfect, you’re still going to gasp at its beauty! Late-blooming, about 14 inches. If supplies permit, we’ll offer it in 2008. Check back in July or subscribe to our email newsletter.

#TU74

Currently Unavailable

LADY BOREEL, 1874 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Looking for a perfect antique tulip? Try ‘Lady Boreel’, also known as ‘Joost van den Vondel White’. In 1906 the Dreer catalog called it flat out “the finest of all white tulips, perfect in every way.” Its lovely form – long and slender – and snowy whiteness made it a favorite for generations. It’s a sport of the great ‘Joost van den Vondel’ (see above), and though the International Register says it was introduced in 1850 – when ‘Joost’ was – we’re inclined to believe John Wister who dated it to 1874. Single Early, 16 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB19

Currently Unavailable

MRS. KEIGHTLEY, 1902 RAREST & WEB ONLY

This “indispensable” old Irish tulip was lauded for its “exquisite scent, a delicate elusive perfume” by A.D. Hall in his 1928 masterpiece, The Book of the Tulip. One of a fabulous assortment of old tulips collected from Irish cottage gardens by W.B. Hartland in the late 1800s, it’s also known as Gesneriana lutea pallida and ‘Bird of Paradise’ – and there is something delightfully bird-like about its graceful shape. With good care, it increases happily. Single Late, 18-20", zones 4b-7a, from the Hortus. Last offered web-only in 2005. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB79

Currently Unavailable

MURILLO, 1860 RAREST & WEB ONLY

One of history’s most famous tulips, ‘Murillo’ was wildly popular during Victorian days, and even as late as 1912 The Garden reported that “ladies simply rave over it.” It’s also wildly prolific, having produced over 130 “sports,” including most of today’s Double Earlies. Think what it might produce for you! Double Early, 10-12 inches, zones 4-7, from the Hortus. We hope to offer this rare variety again in the future. Please check back in July 2009 or sign up for our email newsletter.

#TU976

Currently Unavailable

PLUVIA D’ORO, 1925 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Nurture your garden with a glorious shower of “Golden Rain” this spring. Its early, golden yellow flowers are classically elegant in form, simple and radiant. Though a superb tulip, through a fluke of history it has never been widely grown. A few years after its introduction in 1925 by Zocher and Co., that venerable Dutch bulb-house closed, leaving ‘Pluvia d’Oro’ an orphan. Time to adopt? Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB24

Currently Unavailable

POTTEBAKKER WHITE, 1840 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Every Victorian gardener would have recognized the name ‘Pottebakker White’. Though tulips come and go, this “pure white, bold flower” (Rawson, 1889) was the best-selling white tulip from the mid-1800s well into the early 1900s. Sturdy and luminous in the garden, it was also, according to the 1887 Prairie Farmer, “a great favorite with the cut-flower men.” Now you can try one in a bud vase yourself! Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB25

Currently Unavailable

PRINCE DE LIGNE, 1830? RAREST & WEB ONLY

Deep, golden yellow with wonderfully old-fashioned, leaf-shaped petals, ‘Prince de Ligne’ is earlier-blooming and taller than most Single Earlies – and a bit of a mystery. The International Register says it dates from 1875, but we’ve found it offered in both the Vick’s catalog of 1865 and Prince’s of 1830! It was still popular a hundred years later, a testament to its vigor and excellence. Its namesake, Charles Joseph of Luxembourg, was a confidante of Emperor Joseph II and Catherine the Great. Single Early, 12-15 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

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Currently Unavailable

PRINCESS ELIZABETH, 1898 RAREST

Beautiful enough to be featured full-page in a Garden Design article about us, this ‘Princess’ is “rose-pink with topaz lights and hints of fuchsia shadowings” (Scheepers, 1931) or “soft warm pink shading to silver” (Kunst, 2002). Either way she’s lovely — and too close to extinction. Single Late/Darwin, zones 3-7, from Holland. Last offered in 2002. We lost our grower and haven't found another who offers authentic stock.

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Currently Unavailable

QUEEN OF NIGHT, 1944

Love for our deep dark ‘Greuze’ and ‘Philippe de Comines’ made us spurn ‘Queen of Night’ for years. But we couldn’t resist her beauty forever, and now we grow all three — to universal raves. (Try it and see for yourself!) Darkest of all, she’s maroon black and oh-so sophisticated. 24 inches. Pictured with ‘Philippe de Comines’, top, and ‘Greuze’, middle. Darwin/Single Late, zones 4-7.

#TU62

Currently Unavailable

REX RUBRORUM, 1830 RAREST & WEB ONLY

“Perfect,” raved the Childs catalog of 1908. “The best double scarlet,” socialite garden writer Neltje Blanchan added in 1909. And both were echoing many, many gardeners before them. ‘Rex’ is listed in one of America’s first garden books, Edward Sayers’ American Flower Garden Companion of 1838, and it appears in virtually every 19th-century catalog we own. No collection of Victorian garden flowers can be considered complete without the ‘Red King’. Set aside any prejudices you may have against double tulips and try this treasure! Double Early, 14 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2006. If supplies permit, we'll offer it again in 2008. Check back in July or subscribe to our email newsletter.

#HB29

Currently Unavailable

ROI CRAMOISI, 1860 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Sweetly scented, with long, pointed petals of Santa-Claus red, this brilliant tulip kicked it up a notch in many, many Victorian carpet-beds. Bam! We know Midwestern farm wives were enjoying its fragrance and bold color shortly after the end of the Civil War because it was offered in 1868 by the Phoenix Nursery of Bloomington, Illinois. Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB31

Currently Unavailable

ROLAND, 1934 RAREST

Named for the brave knight-hero of one of the greatest troubadour-songs of the Middle Ages, ‘Roland’ is a majestic, antique-velvety red edged with ivory. What’s more, its extra vigor often gives it a few extra petals, making for single blooms that are exuberantly full — and unique! Triumph, 20 inches, zones 3-7, from Holland. Last offered in 2003. We lost our grower and haven’t found another who offers authentic stock.

#TU65

Currently Unavailable

ROOS VAN DEKAMA, 1895 RAREST & WEB ONLY

“Rose of Dekama” is named for a wildly popular historical novel written by Jacob van Lennep, the Sir Walter Scott of Victorian Holland. It’s a “most beautiful” tulip (Elliott catalog, 1911) of lovely rose-pink with a broad white blaze up the middle of each petal. Try a few in your perennial garden mixed with forget-me-nots and see if you don’t think it’s spring perfection. Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB32

Currently Unavailable

ROSE DE LA MONTAGNE, 1893 RAREST & WEB ONLY

This charming tulip really does look like a wild ‘Mountain Rose’, or maybe a blushing waterlily. Unlike most doubles it has just a handful of extra petals and they open wide to reveal a sunny golden center. It’s snow-white with delicate touches of pink and rose, gracefully au naturel. Double Early, 10-12 inches, zones 4b-7a, from the Hortus. Last offered web-only in 2005. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB34

Currently Unavailable

ROSE DES DAMES, 1863 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Lovely and vigorous, this rose-colored tulip is delicately highlighted with shadings of silver. Introduced by the illustrious Vincent van der Vinne of Haarlem in 1863, it’s rare and unusual in part because it’s an unbroken, late-blooming tulip from an age when fashion dictated just the opposite. We consider that a sign of its great excellence! Dutch Breeder/Single Late, 16-18 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB36

Currently Unavailable

RUBRA MAXIMA, 1879 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Why is this tulip endangered? Quite simply, because it’s double and red. And though that’s exactly what made it a popular favorite in Victorian gardens, today only a brave, independent, clear-sighted gardener will give it a try – and a refuge. Yes, we’re hoping that might be you! Short and early, it’s exuberantly stuffed with glossy red petals with a bit of sunny yellow peeping through in the center. Dazzling! Double Early, 6-10 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB37

Currently Unavailable

SAM BARLOW, 1860 RAREST

Perhaps the most famous of the English broken tulips, ‘Sam Barlow’ is richly flamed with deep red-brown on yellow. According to A.D. Hall in the 1920s, it was “invariably the leading flamed flower” in show collections. Bred by “railway man and florist, Tom Storer, who grew his tulips along the embankments of Derby’s railways” (Pavord), it’s named for the owner of Victorian England’s greatest tulip collection, a man who once offered to buy of all the bulbs of an especially fine broken tulip for their weight in gold — and ended up paying even more! Late-blooming, 18 inches. Last offered “web-only” in 2005. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#TU77

Currently Unavailable

SCHRENKII, 1585 RAREST

No taller than a crocus and almost as early, this wild tulip is a cheery little flame of spring. When it bloomed in a display of our historic tulips on Park Avenue, it inspired Verlyn Klinkenborg of The New York Times to write a terrific editorial-page column about it. Parent of the whole ‘Duc van Tol’ clan, it’s a good stand-in for colonial ‘Duc van Tol Red and Yellow’ — and wonderful in its own right! 4-6”, zones 4-7, from Holland. Last offered in 2006. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#TU22

Currently Unavailable

URSA MINOR, 1929 RAREST

Named for the “Little Bear” constellation, this bright, early tulip is a deep yellow with an impossibly thin, all but invisible outline of red, as if the edges were glowing from inner heat. Tulips are grown on more than 26,000 acres in the Netherlands, but this endangered gem accounts for little more than one thousandth of one percent of the total crop! Single Early, 12 inches, zones 4-7, from Holland. Last offered in 2002. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#TU63

Currently Unavailable

VERMILION BRILLIANT, 1845 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Nineteenth-century catalogs are filled with praise for this very early, deliciously fragrant tulip. It’s “extra fine” (Prince, 1860), “glittering red” (Vick’s, 1865), “splendid” (Thorburn, 1882), and “dazzling” (Roozen, 1895), to quote a few. Even 70 years after its introduction it was one of just a handful of tulips that the legendary Dutch bulb-house of Krelage offered per-1000 – because it was still so popular. Plant a few and see what all the excitement was about! Single Early, 10 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB43

Currently Unavailable

VUURVLAAM, 1897 RAREST

If you’re bored with red tulips, try this unique beauty from the Hortus Bulborum. Its radiant color will draw your eye, but what really sets it apart is its antique, goblet-like shape with its elegantly curling, flame-like petals (in Dutch its name means “fire-flame”). Though a favorite in stylized Victorian carpet-bedding, it’s full of the purity and grace of a wildflower. Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 3-7. from Holland. Last offered in 2005. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#TU82

Currently Unavailable

WOUWERMAN, 1860 RAREST & WEB ONLY

This jewel-toned Victorian classic is a “rich claret purple, a beautiful and distinct color,” according to the celebrated Peter Henderson who offered hundreds of tulips in his 1907 catalog. Rated “extra fine” in the 1880s and a top choice for pattern-bedding – adding a dusky note of counterpoint – it’s named for a well-loved 17th-century Dutch painter whose countryside scenes hang today in famous art museums around the globe. Single Early, 10-12 inches, zones 4b-7a, from the Hortus. Last offered web-only in 2005. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB45

Currently Unavailable

YELLOW PRINCE, GELE PRINS, 1780 RAREST & WEB ONLY

Mozart, William Blake, and Betsy Ross all could have grown this 224-year-old tulip, and now you can, too! Its sweet fragrance is just one of its many virtues. As late as the 1920s it was still being forced in “enormous numbers” because “the flower lasts a long time and retains its splendid form and perfect color” (LaPark catalog, 1922). Its cheery yellow is often misted with bronze, “giving it an old-gold effect.” Aka ‘Gele Prins’, Single Early, 9-12 inches, zones 5-7. Last offered web-only in 2004. We may offer it again periodically, or we could special order it for you.

#HB46

Currently Unavailable

ZOMERSCHOON, 1620 RAREST

A true survivor from the days of Tulipomania, ‘Zomerschoon’ is an authentic broken tulip. It’s also, quite simply, the most beautiful tulip I’ve ever grown. Its long, pointed petals are exquisitely patterned with shades of strawberry on cream. Try one yourself and you’ll understand how people could once have traded fortunes for tulips like this — in fact, for this very tulip. 16-18 inches, zones 4-7, from the Hortus Bulborum. Last offered in 2006. If supplies permit, we’ll offer it again in 2008. Check back in July or subscribe to our email newsletter.

#TU03

Currently Unavailable

Other heirloom bulbs we hope to offer again someday:

Daffodils Lilies, Hyacinths, Crocus, Etc. Spring-Planted Bulbs (Dahlias, Etc.)

Spring-Planted Bulbs

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