April 5, 2017 – The surprising charm of a lone tulip.

        These last few weeks have held unusual, delightful surprises. 

Near the back property line in amongst the carpet of brown fallen leaves and thicket of briars I noticed a single, perfect pink tulip in bloom. All by its lonesome it has bloomed and it is more breathtaking to me than a display of a dozen tulips because of it being so poetically alone. It blooms in such an inhospitable location. It simply arrests me. Oh, what a joy!

It is near a compost pile area no longer used. I guess it must be one of those tiny bulbs that were too small to flower the next year so it was tossed into the compost bin and must have rolled out the back side to nestle in the leaf litter. For several years it has managed to grow a larger bulb each year and this year it has flowered in solitude.

But, again, this year has held more surprises. There is also a single large purple tulip in bloom near the base of the snow ball bush at the end of the old vegetable garden. The last time I planted tulips in that garden was seven or eight years ago. A little sliver of a leftover bulb has grown secretly underground for several seasons and suddenly this year it has bloomed simply alone and simply gorgeous. Did it do so only because it knew I needed the joy of it?

The next week I notice we have a stray bright yellow tulip in the patio garden under the birch tree.  It is a grand 18 inches tall and in full glorious bloom and it too, is a loner. It is a stunning surprise. I haven’t had tulips planted there in four or five years.  Again, when I pulled up the bulbs and dried them for replanting in the fall I must have missed an offset bulb that was too small to bloom and it has taken time to come to maturity.  What a joyful delight!

And today as I am walking to the mailbox, there is a single red tulip out near the driveway high up on the banking. It is diminutive in stature, less than 8 inches tall with its pair of graceful leaves looking like a Dutch painting against the dark soil. I am mesmerized by the large raindrops clinging to the tips of the leaves. I haven’t had red tulips along the drive in over 20 years.  How is it possible that I am enjoying this charming delight now?

Why, suddenly is a single tulip so much more arresting than a clump? Is it because we take in the entire tulip, the long stem, the full egg shape bloom, the pair of offset leaves, one always larger than the other, the central stem so round and straight coming out of the soil?

Single tulips are a joy to this gardener’s heart.

NOTE:  This is a writing exercise for my Writer’s Class.  We are to keep a Joy Journal and then write about something from that journal.  No more than 500 words – Due April 17^th – I am ahead of schedule.