• This and that about flower bulbs
• Transporting flower bulbs
• The history of the bulb
• Growth and Flowering
  • Where are flower bulbs grown?
  • Producing flower bulbs
  • Spring’s coming!
  • Harvesting
  • New colours and shapes
  • How to create a new tulip variety?
• Flower bulb project
• Fun with bulbs
• Classroom/house decorating
• Decorate your playground

New colours and shapes

Tulips are available in a very wide range of colours and shapes. And more are still being developed. Each new tulip is given its own name. This might be a made-up name, but tulips are also named after famous singers, princesses and other celebrities.

The first questions to be asked are which plant breeder has developed the new bulb flower and whether he wants to name it after a well-known person. This could mean extra money in his pocket, because a lot of publicity, and perhaps even a TV appearance, might generate a high demand for the new tulip. Before a name is given, the new tulip gets a number and is reserved at the Royal General Bulb Growers’ Association (KAVB), where they check to see if the name is still available.

Subsequently, a real ‘christening certificate’ is made; the plant breeder and the person after whom the tulip is being named sign this certificate during the ‘christening’.