THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9410200040
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
With no apologies to Dutch tradition, a respected bulb seller is breaking the rules and mixing colors and styles of tulips.
``At the risk of sounding immodest, I'm proud to be the originator of Tulip `Colorblends . . . Nature's Fireworks,' '' writes Tim Schipper.
``Colorblends'' are collections of flower bulbs timed and guaranteed to bloom together. Schipper, a third-generation Dutch bulb merchant and head of Schipper & Co. USA, says he developed this concept to add further drama to gardens.
`` `Colorblends' create excitement by offering a medley of glorious colors blooming in unison,'' Schipper says.
The traditional approach to tulip planting, borrowed from the gardens in Holland, is to plant bunches of one color next to bunches of another color.
Schipper has packaged groups of blended, timed, coordinated collections of flower bulbs.
Some hot new colors are ``Strike Me Pink,'' a blend of hot pink and deep maroon tulips. ``Dapper Dames and Candy Canes'' is a combination of rose-pink and white tulips with deep purple tulips. ``Cool Out'' has four tulips in different textured white, pastel pink and maroon, while ``Shapes of Gold'' is a yellow ``Textureblend'' of vase-shaped and lily-flowering tulips. There are 17 ``Colorblends'' from which to choose.
You can order ``Colorblend'' combinations in quantities as low as 25 bulbs or up to 1,000. Schipper & Co. has been selling flower bulbs since 1912. Tim Schipper works in the landscape market, supplying estates, universities, golf courses and corporations, developing mixes of varieties and colors that bloom together. Busch Properties in Williamsburg is a local customer of Schipper's.
An article in The New York Times in September said: ``The trend is to plant different bulbs in close proximity so that there is a multifaceted display of flower types and colors. The trick, of course, is to select varieties of bulbs that will bloom at the same time. This sort of planning can be tricky. One bulb merchant, Schipper & Co., has already done that sort of homework and come up with groupings called `Colorblends.' ''
The ``Colorblend'' selection is in seasonal sequence (early, mid, late). You can select from each to create an extended blooming season. They may be planted in a formal display or sprinkled lightly to bring life to a perennial bed.
Schipper suggests growing 100 tulips just for cut arrangements. ``A bouquet of 15 tall-stem tulips is a perfect gift,'' he said.
Most ``Colorblends'' consist of various tulips whose colors complement one another, although some blends include daffodils and hyacinths, which Schipper notes are ``deer-proof.''
For a free color brochure that shows the various blends, write to Schipper & Co. USA, Box 7584, Greenwich, Conn. 06836-7584. For credit-card orders, call (800) 877-8637 or FAX (203) 862-8909. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
SCHIPPER & CO.
``Colorblends'' mix different colored tulips that complement each
other and will bloom at the same time.
by CNB