- 1). Rather than buying the bulbs in expensive small packages, you can save money by purchasing them in bulk from either a retail or mail order nursery. Warehouse stores, such as Costco and Sam's Club, also often carry large, reasonably priced bags of tulips in fall. Plan on purchasing at least six bulbs per favor. Look for bulbs that are large and free of soft spots and bruises.
- 2). Get creative with the packaging for the bulbs. Some fun ideas include nestling the bulbs into small baskets lined with sphagnum moss, filling cute plant pots with bulbs or placing the bulbs in Chinese food take-away boxes.
- 3). Include planting instructions with the bulbs. This way shower guests who aren't gardeners won't feel intimidated by planting the bulbs. You can use these basic instructions: Plant tulips in early fall in cold-winter climates and in late fall to early winter in mild-winter climates. Select a sunny planting location with good drainage. Dig a hole that is 6 to 8 inches deep and three times wider than the bulb. Place the tulip bulb into the hole-pointed side up, root side down-refill it with soil, and then water thoroughly. The bulbs look best clustered together rather than planted in a line. You can save time by digging one large hole or trench rather than several individual holes.
- 4). In addition to being a symbol of new life, tulips also play a prominent role in the English fairy tale: "The Fairy Tulips." In this classic children's story, fairy mothers put their happy, laughing babies to bed in tulip flower cradles. Consider looking up this story online and sharing it with the shower guests before you hand out the favors.
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