On Tulips

One of the first flowers harvested after winter’s chill finally wears off, tulips are among the early spring flowers that usher in the long-awaited change of the seasons. When I first started working in floral design, I considered tulips a relatively mediocre flower. Tulips are common, mundane, I thought; a simple flower, often depicted two-dimensionally in clip art and children’s drawings.

But I would quickly change course, rediscovering tulips and their delicate romanticism. From the frilly, textured edges of a parrot tulip, to the full, layered petals of La Belle Epoque, tulips launch us into spring with a stunning showcase of nature’s depth and variety.

For these delicate, ikebana-inspired pin frog arrangements I wanted to celebrate the tulip, placing each bloom in a way that highlighted its own unique shape, movement, and color. Tulips are both phototropic and geotropic, continuing to reach for the light and respond to gravity after they’re cut. Depending on where the vase is in relation to the closest window or light source, they bend and stretch their necks to face the sunlight, creating arrangements that move and breathe, living sculptures. Rather than finding their determination frustrating, I love leaning into these qualities and allowing the flowers, rather than my own vision, to guide my design.

To contrast the lush, romantic tulip blooms, I used simple, neutral-toned ceramics to ground the design and give the flowers a modern feel. Clustered together or paired with tapers, pin frog arrangements like these bring stunning, bold simplicity to a wedding or event reception table, and honor the lively energy of this iconic spring flower.

Bowls are from Camilia Supply. Taper candles and ceramic candle holders are from The Floral Society.