Journey North International Plant Study Spring 2006

Tulip Garden Update: April 7, 2006

Today's "Data Only" Update Includes:

This Week's Map and Data
I See Patterns, Do You? Challenge Question #9
Vertically Challenged Tulips: Challenge Question #10
Spotlight on Tulip Gardeners

This Week's Map and Data

Spring is arriving in the East and the West

Tulip gardens are springing up all over North America. This is an exciting time, especially when patterns emerge so clearly to show the changing season. Out in the garden many questions arise and in today’s short report we can’t help asking a couple. Come back next week when we discuss all the latest Challenge Questions and your answers.

This Week's Data (Reported March 31 - April 7, 2006)

Use the data to make your own map or print ours.

I See Patterns, Do You?

Mimimum/Maximum Temperatures 04/02/06 Courtesy NOAA

The North American map of tulip gardens is revealing something interesting. Do you still think that Spring moves from South to North? Look closely at the map to see the pattern of blooming gardens (red dots). If you could draw a continuous line around the perimeter of them all what shape would it be? Describe what you see.

Challenge Question #9:
“ Why are gardens along the oceans blooming further north now than gardens in the middle of the continent? Explain your answer.”

* Hint: Study the temperature map for clues.

To respond to this question, please follow these instructions.

Vertically Challenged Tulips: Challenge Question #10

How tall are your tulips?
Courtesy G. McGehee

Students at Lafayette Elementary in Seattle, WA observed something different about their tulips this year. Read what they had to say:
“ The tulips, while being just beautiful, seem stunted in height, and we are curious as to why this might be. It is important to note that the same is true of MANY of the tulips in our larger neighborhood. Throughout the Seattle area, tulips seem to be a bit vertically challenged this year!”

Challenge Question #10:
“ Lafayette Elementary school’s tulips were stunted in height this year. What factors might have caused their tulip plants and tulips in the whole Seattle area to be shorter this spring? Can you think of other examples where plants grow shorter than normal?”

Spotlight on Tulip Gardeners
In case you haven’t visited the garden comments of this week’s reports come on over to the garden fence to share them. We’ve highlighted a few for you.

Garden Highlights Reported March 31 – April 6, 2006

Stay tuned for a look at more gardens next week.

The Next Tulip Garden Update Will Be Posted on April 14, 2006.