“The Black Tulip” is a historical novel and a work of Romantic poetry written by Alexandre Dumas, and first published in 1850. It helped to inspire the search in the Netherlands to create a tulip that was actually black and I recommend a short read at The Amsterdam Tulip Museum for a history linking the book with the initial search.

The photos here are from my own garden where I planted a few bulbs a couple of years ago. As you can see there are still strong tones of purple despite much horticultural research. This is common amongst the available varieties, but it’s quite black enough for me and is a common talking point amongst our neighbours. I must read the book and in the meantime here’s a haiku to go with my photos:

“Myth became reality in the story of the black tulip we know as “Paul Scherer.” For centuries, tulip lovers dreamed of such a flower.”

Categories: Haiku

Tags: Dumas, Haiku, natural world, nature, Spring, tulips