I only plant TULIPS every few years at my place. Harsh winters mean they typically only survive a season or two anyway but worse than that have been the times when I've fought w/ the little critters who want to drag the bulbs off before I even get to see what they are going to blossom into.

Last Autumn I decided it was time to grow a bed of TULIPS again and I chose a variety called 'The Masters' who promised on the bag "....you will think the Masters painted these" As I rather cynically popped the little bulbs into the ground I thought if they're half as good as advertised I'll be happy. Then they blossomed this spring and all cynical sarcasm was gone.

They are some of the most beautiful TULIPS I've ever grown....each one slightly different....and yes, if I photographed them in the evening (as in the image seen here) they looked like softly painted porcelain. The burgundy and pale yellow one here was one of my favorites.