The First

1940 is written in the books as year of introduction of this perky little Tulip. And after all these years still as beautiful. The reason that The First still is grown, although on a small scale, is mainly because she has proven to be an excellent Tulip for the garden.

In my mother’s garden a small clump of The First is already blooming for 7 years in succession, every spring she shows up. The First is very close related to the species Tulipa kaufmanniana that originates from the eastern part of Uzbekistan just under the border of Kazakhstan. On pictures of Tulipa kaufmanniana growing in the wild you can see variations that look exactly like The First. So, I sometimes wonder if we are dealing with a hybrid or is The First a selection of the true species.

Her behaviour in the garden also indicated that she is very close related to the original Tulip because there are no signs of any diseases and she is a true survivor coming back year after year.

The First is a very early bloomer and the advantage of blooming so early is that temperatures still are low so the flowers last for a very long period of time. When her flowers open in the sunlight she is at her best, what a beauty.

Please have a look at our mixtures and combinations as well, we offer The First in combination with some Crocus vernus varieties. Really nice. they bloom exactly at the same time.

• Tulip The First & Crocus Flower Record
• Tulip The First & Crocus Yellow Mammoth