With the approaching Tulip Time Festival (May 4-11) in Holland, Michigan, I have decided to once again write about " t ulipa gesneriana" and specifically the period of time in the Netherlands called "tulipomania". As you can probably guess tulipomania was a time when Holland was obsessed with tulips. This period in the 1600's saw the beautifying of Holland, which up until this time was quite muddy and dull looking, and also the strengthening of the Dutch market. The tulip, originally cultivated in Turkey found its way to Europe in the 1500's. In fact the name tulip comes from the Turkish word for turban. One theory for why it became so popular in the Netherlands is because of bleakness of the Dutch landscape. Another reason they were popular was because of their rarity. In the tulip bulb their are little 'offsets' which is how new bulbs are grown. The tulip rave in the Netherlands began with master gardener Carol...