Tulip

Description

Wild tulips originally grew across Asia, often on the slopes of remote mountain ranges; the malleable genes of these progenitors gave rise to tulips' unrivalled variety of colour and form. In Tulip , Celia Fisher traces the story of this important and highly popular plant, from its mountain beginnings to its cultivation in the gardens of Mughal, Persian and Ottoman potentates, and its migration from East to West along the silk trading routes.

Celia Fisher has lectured and written widely on the history of plants and gardens in art. She is the author of many books, including Flowers of the Renaissance (2011), Flower: Paintings by 40 Great Artists (2012), The Golden Age of Flowers (2013) and The Magic of Birds (2014).

"A concisely written account of various wild tulips, from their origins in the mountains of Central Asia, to their cultivation in the gardens of Mughal, Persian, and Ottoman rulers, and their transfer along the silk route. Tulip is an appropriately illustrated botanical and cultural history of this beloved bulb. It depicts tulip representations on a trove of art treasures across diverse formats, including charming patterns on tiles from Iznik, Turkey, lacquer book bindings, bedsheets, fabric designs, manuscripts, paintings, and the august painting from Thornton's Temple of Flora, a grand scale reproduction of it adorning the reading room of the Missouri Botanical Garden's Peter H. Raven Library. . . . Fisher's Tulip can appeal to weekend gardeners, horticulturalists, and history buffs who admire or grow this fashionable flower."--Dorothea Bedigian, Missouri Botanical Garden "Plant Science Bulletin" "Fisher follows these flowers throughout the course of history--from their wild origins to their horticultural development in Asia and Europe. This work is an engrossing introduction to one of the world's most loved horticultural taxa. . . . Tulip is incredibly readable and worthwhile for general readers who are interested in horticulture, botany, history, or art. . . . The text is strongly recommended for public libraries and academic institutions. . . . Highly recommended."-- "Choice"