When spring nears and grocery store floral departments begin blooming with tulips, I get giddy. These small bunches of color can renew your spirits and your home. I like to display them on a table near the front door. That way, I’ll see them each time I pass and they greet guests with a smile.
Problem is, before I know it, they begin to droop splay unbecomingly in the vase and then droop rather dramatically. Imagine, Scarlet O’Hara fanning herself on a hot summer’s day and then falling in a hoop-skirted heap into a chair on the veranda.
To tame a tulip turned tramp, place two or three pennies in the bottom of the vase when you add the water and stems. And, choose a medium-height vase with a narrow mouth. The copper in the coins encourages the stems to stay firm and the right vase gives them the support they need.