Tulips

In the 17th century tulip bulbs became an object of speculation. In 1637, the price of a single flower bulb could reach a price of up to ten fold the yearly income of a skilled artisan in Amsterdam. Later the same year the bubble burst and fortunes were lost as quickly as they had been earned before. However, the flower bulb industry is still doing well in the Netherlands and numerous varieties of tulips as well as daffodils and gladioli are cultivated. “Tulip mania” became a metaphor for economic bubbles of prices high above the actual value.

For me it is always surprising how the sensitive flowers can survive the severe Dutch weather. Storms of wind force 8 and torrential rain are no rarity in the main flower season between March and May.

More photos and a longer story on my blog: https://h-s-coronastories.blogspot.com/2021/05/corona-walks-3-flower-fields.html