It's been a long time since I last forced Tulips. I decided to try again last fall when I spied one of the last bags of 'Lydia' Tulips at the Morton Arboretum bulb sale (they were pretty much cleaned out of everything else). I potted them up, and they bloomed beautifully. I hadn't realized how special these Tulips were until I bought a couple of bunches of forced Tulips from a florist. I was shocked at the difference in size. Compared to 'Lydia,' they were tiny.
On the right is the faded remains of a 'Lydia' Tulip. Notice that the anthers are nearly twice the size of the florist's tulip on the left.
Then I remembered something Elizabeth at Gardening While Intoxicated had said about how forced Tulips tended to be smaller than Tulips not subjected to forcing. If this is smaller, how big must these blooms be in the garden?I'll be making sure I get some more of 'Lydia' to plant outside next year, as well as plenty to force for inside. 'Lydia' is a winner.