Tulip Test Gardens
Update: March 27, 2008 

Today's Report Includes:

  • Data, Maps, and Highlights >>
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  • Experience: Signs of Spring in the Neighborhood >>
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  • Explore: Anatomy of a Flower >>
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  • Share: Spotlight on Blooming Gardens >>
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  • Links: This Week's Tulip Garden Resources >>

Artistic Reality

Which is the "real" tulip?
(Roll your mouse over the picture.)

Data, Maps, and Highlights: We Never Know What is Going to Happen Next!

Highlights: We never know what is going to happen next!
Over half of our gardens have now reported their tulips have emerged! 44 gardens have bloomed and spring is marching onto the map. Can you describe the pattern of blooming gardens this week?

"What a weird week. We got 3 inches of snow yesterday and no tulips. Today it is 45, the snow is all gone, and our tulips have emerged. That is the beauty of spring in Michigan. We never know what is going to happen next!" Bad Axe, WI 03/26/08

"The tulips poked through the ground on Thursday. On Friday they were covered with 12 inches of snow. Ahhhhh.... spring!" Kalamazoo, MI 03/20/08
  • This Week's Map >>
  • Data (for your map) >>
  • Handout: Making Sense of Tulip Garden Maps >>

This Week's Map >>
 This Week's Map Question Handout >>
Experience: Signs of Spring in the Neighborhood

 

Spring's arrival can be subtle, or it can arrive in a flash one day. What signs of spring can you find on the same day your tulips emerged, or the day they bloomed? One teacher took a camera with her the day the tulips bloomed to document other signs of spring. Find out what she saw — then go out and find the signs of spring in YOUR neighborhood!

  • Our Tulip Bloomed Today: Slideshow >>
Slideshow >>

Explore: Anatomy of a Flower

"Nobody sees a flower, really--it is so small--we haven't time, and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." -Georgia O'Keeffe

Get ready to explore the anatomy of your tulip flowers this spring.

Use this flower diagram to learn the basic flower parts. Then study your tulip flower. Can you describe how many petals it has? Where are the anthers and stamens?

  • Print the simple Parts of a Flower Diagram >>
Share: Spotlight on Blooming Gardens

Maybeury Elementary, Richmond, VA
" In Virginia, the fourth grade curriculum studies plants in the fall and weather in the spring. What better way to show a real life example of plants and weather/seasons than to plant a garden." -Joe Koontz, Science Specialist

  • Pictures and More About Maybeury >>

Minor Elementary, Lilburn, GA 03/16/08
We started having blooms last week, and now all but one of our tulips has bloomed. Several of our tulips have two blooms or a bloom and a bud. We predict one tulip will not survive the cold weather we are having this week, it is not as green. It is going to freeze here tonight and we want to observe what the cold weather will do to our blooms.

  • More Pictures from Minor >>
Annie Wright School, Tacoma, WA 03/25/08
We are reporting the blooming of our garden today! What a surprise!
Resources: This Week's Tulip Garden Resources
  • Global Garden Partners: How Do We Compare? >>
  • Survey: How Do You Define Spring >>
  • Helpful Weather Links: Climate Weather and Seasons >>
  • Tulip Garden Journals (click-and-print) >>
More Journey North Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The Next Tulip Garden Update Will Be Posted on April 3, 2008

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