Tulips at the Union Square Market

There was a phenomenal selection of locally grown tulips at the Union Square Market this May. As the market has grown in popularity and locals come in droves, the vendors have responded with more and more variety in the flowers and produce that they bring to market. I was truly amazed to see the different varieties or hybrids of tulips available… First, a stunning orange tulip that had curly petals and hints of pale orange and green. Orange is the “it” color of the season and all of the clothing and accessories shops in New York scream orange. The U.S. has followed suit with Europe where the fashion Gods meet several times a year and determine what the “it” color will be and they madly put out collections in various hues of the selected color. I don’t particularly like orange but these were eye-catching tulips. At 6 to a bunch for $10, they were not cheap but they were stunning.

Another hybrid that I found incredibly beautiful were these green and white or cream tulips with the same curly or serrated petals as the orange ones. En masse, say 50-70 of these alone in a low vase would be spectacular. They came from the same vendor as the orange ones above and he also had brilliant yellow ones, deep red and burgundy tulips, several hues of pink as well as several varieties of hyacinths. My only beef with these tulips is that they were incredibly short and are best suited to table centerpieces or a side arrangement because they would sit so low.

Also on offer at the market were gorgeous pre-cut longer stemmed tulips in pure colors like red, white, pink, peach, etc. (for which my photo was blurred). These had stems of 20-25 inches or longer and would look great in a taller crystal vase. At $1.50 a piece, they were about the same cost as the fancier hybrids but I found they were better value for money. Also at the market were these potted tulips in more common colors that people were buying for their window gardens or simply to brighten up their city flats. Just two weeks later, the tulips had almost completely disappeared.