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EnglishA life as a flower bulb lover
I can still remember the first time I came into contact with flower bulbs. It was a somewhat drizzly day in November 1993, and I was in the garden with my mother. We were planting tulips. I was six years old.
Now, thirty years later, the flower bulb as I came to know it then is an enormous part of my daily life. My knowledge of the world of flower bulbs has reached a level that I did not even know existed at that time. From miniature flower bulbs to enormous stems that are larger than adult people, from the most normal varieties that can be obtained on sale at the supermarket to the rarest rarities for which large amounts are charged per single bulb, and from bright colours to soothing pastel shades: the world of flower bulbs continues to surprise me time and time again, and I have the idea that there is never a day that goes by without me seeing something that I did not know before.
But enough about the past. You are reading a newsletter from a new undersigned, someone you don’t know yet, and I would like to use this week’s letter to introduce myself to our regular readers. Good morning, my name is Vlad, and I started at Fluwel earlier this year. I met Carlos many years ago, and he told me about his company and what he finds important. I visited the Fluwel barn a few times and saw how things work at the company, and in the summer of 2023 I officially joined the team. I will be honest: for me this is a bit of a dream come true. I have had a number of enjoyable jobs in the ICT world over the past seven years that have always given me satisfaction, but I have always kept flower bulbs in my mind, even though it had to remain a hobby all that time. This year I managed to turn that hobby into my job, and I am very grateful for that opportunity.
Carlos and I enjoying some Japanese sake in one of my favorite restaurants in Berlin
To give you a further insight into my history with flower bulbs, I would like to tell you about one of my favorite things that I have planted in my garden in Berlin, where I currently live. The main reason that I enjoy these flowers so much is that I really like the mixture of tulips and crocuses. The mixture is called “ The First & Flower Record ”. I also think this mixture is a suitable product to highlight because it is so versatile: it works well as a border planting, but it can also be spread through the grass in the garden to promote soil diversity. It is also certainly beautiful enough for a prominent spot in the front garden, where all your neighbors can enjoy it while they walk the dog. The deep purple color goes beautifully with the red and creamy white of the tulip, and of course the flowers bloom at the same time: usually around the second week of March.
The mixture “The First & Flower Record”
Of course, I can also recommend a mix that consists of tulips only. In that category, I would like to draw your attention to the Tulipa clusiana mix . This is an easy mix that can conjure up a beautiful scene in all types of soil and with all sun intensities. These types of tulips are really the easiest to plant in your garden or on your balcony or terrace: they will not disappoint you just because they were not completely satisfied with their conditions, so to speak. And the best part is of course that the warm colours that this mix brings provide a little counterbalance to the changeable weather of spring: here the sun shines every day. Clusiana tulips usually flower from April onwards, so you can enjoy them quickly, long before the really nice weather arrives.
This T. clusiana mixture grows in any soil
If you are more of a daffodil person, I also have a recommendation: Fragrant Spring . I think this is one of the most beautiful double daffodils from the Fluwel webshop. In my opinion, the best feature is the scent: this tulip has a sweet aroma, very fresh and extremely suitable for spring. A real must-have (or must-try!) for people who already love the scent of daffodils. Other good features of this daffodil are a sturdy, more robust stem: even in a place where the wind blows hard, this daffodil can hold its own. In the Dutch weather, that is of course never an unnecessary luxury.
Beautiful and strong: Narcissus Fragrant Spring
Of course, there are also plenty of people who appreciate a more subtle flower. Many people, especially those who don't know much about flowers (so probably not you, the readers of the Fluwel newsletter), have the idea that daffodils are always those "coarse, bright yellow things", but you and I know that nothing could be further from the truth. There are daffodils that are smaller and delicate, and in that category Besame Mucho , Spanish for 'many kisses', is one of my favourites. I have just described this daffodil as delicate, but that is only its appearance: in terms of health, this is a strong and robust variety with few problems, that will do well in almost all gardens for several years and that you can therefore enjoy for a long time. For me, this variety really has it all.
The sweet looking daffodil Besame Mucho
I have now named the largest categories, but I also do not want to underexpose the more exotic types, because I think it is so nice that these flowers are also offered here. One of my favourite alliums, for example, is Purple Rain . It remains nice that the Allium is actually just a decorative onion: there is little to be seen of the onion that you buy in the supermarket, but they are really related to each other. Purple Rain has a majestic appearance, but I also think that it has a mysterious air about it. The contrast between the super thin petals and the size of the flowers themselves makes everyone look around, but the best feature of these flowers is that they last a very long time in a vase. The allium Purple Rain is also virtually problem-free when it comes to growing: for a flower of this size it is unexpected, but yes, it also does well in a pot on the balcony. You do need to take a larger pot if you want to try this: at least 5 litres for 5 bulbs, but 10 litres is really a lot better.
The beautiful Purple Rain allium
I’m not done yet, I have so many flowers to talk about that I might as well send the whole website, but I also want to specifically mention small white flowers. Many people look for something around or under 15 centimetres, and in that group Scilla siberica Alba is a fantastic option. This is a real gem in the garden: a small but fine plant that again grows well under almost any conditions and can naturalise well. These flowers are ideal if you are just looking for something to cover a piece of ground or to fill a low space between larger species that you have planted.
Small and with a very natural look, but they are definitely worth planting specially: Scilla siberica Alba
Almost finished, but I want to mention a real rarity before I stop! If you are looking for something that your visitors have never seen before and that you can really do something interesting with, then I think Hyacinth Yellowstone is a good match for you. This is a very old hyacinth, a real heirloom from the flower world, so that is always nice to mention. The yellow is also striking: when people think of hyacinths, most people think of those purple-white-pink shades that you always see. This warm color is really an exception. The yellow looks beautiful in terracotta pots or vases in the house, where hyacinths are also often placed. Just like the amaryllis, this is a flower that can also often be found indoors.
One of the best yellow shades in the flower world: Hyacinth Yellowstone
There are so many flowers and bulbs that I could fill three newsletters with recommendations, so I don't really know where to stop. I think it's great that the world of bulbs gives us so many options these days: bulbs are made suitable for places inside and outside, on balconies and terraces, in pots or just in the ground, and there are also so many varieties that are simply easy to maintain and care for. (Also good for the environment, because more and more bulbs are being refined that do not need pesticides!) The effort a person has to put into bulbs is minimal compared to the outcome: a flower that can cheer you up for weeks and can confirm that yes, even on a concrete balcony or in a garden of four square meters we can keep nature with us.
I will now conclude, it was a pleasure to introduce myself and I hope I have been able to show you a variety that you may not have looked at yourself. It is very busy in the shed at the moment, the orders all have to be packed and sent out as soon as possible so that you can get started too, but if you are not yet complete for this year there is still a lot to order in the webshop . I think Carlos repeats this every year, but it is really not the case that the 'best' bulbs are immediately sold out and you can now buy the leftovers - I am amazed that some of the things that are still in stock are not already long gone, like everything I have just mentioned. But that is the business, and I am sure Carlos has mentioned this before.
I would like to thank you very much for listening, I will definitely write the newsletter again in the future, and I look forward to seeing you then.
It's over my friend,
Vlad
PS. Almost forgot, but I really mean this one: the tulip ' Apricot Fox .' I shouldn't have mentioned that many, but I think it's nonsense to skip this one. This is one of the most beautiful pastel colors that can be found in the flower assortment of today, and pastel is of course beautiful for anyone who prefers a quieter garden.
