Parrot tulips never tiptoe their way into blooming big, bright and brassy, they deserve a centerpiece all their own

A centerpiece incorporating tulips should have a place on every table. They're colorful,
they're fun and they're great performers. They come in an impressive range of flower
forms - from simple upright goblets to the double blooms of peony-flowered forms -
and every color you could think of - except blue.



However, the frilliest, fluffiest and most flamboyant tulips of all are the parrot tulips.
They are a riot of multi-colored blooms with fringed, feathered or wavy edges. They are
actually "moving" flowers; they stretch and turn in response to the light.



Carolyne Roehm acknowledges an extreme love for parrot tulips. ``I'm drawn to their
odd streaks of craziness and their individuality - no two are the same. Looking at a
bundle of parrot tulips is like staring into a pool of the fantastic. I wonder: How did
nature decide to follow such an eccentric course?''



Roehm's fascination with these fancy flowers is demonstrated in the first photo with
the centerpiece she created.



For longest enjoyment, buy cut tulips when the buds are still closed but are beginning to
show the flower color. Before arranging tulips, prep the stems by re-cutting the stem tips.
A fresh cut opens the stems' water uptake channels. Unlike most cut flowers, tulips keep
growing in a vase. Plus, as they grow taller-often up to an inch-they tend to bend and move
toward sources of light. The fact that tulips dance in the vase is part of their charm. Don't
bother with flower food. Add fresh cool water to the vase every two days so they won't
drain the vase dry. Place tulips in a cool spot.

sources: Carloyn Roehm, A Passion for Flowers; Martha Stewart and Country Living magazine