A Reason to Smile

These tulips have bloomed under the window in the old house's overgrown  front garden. For the first time in years the buds have unfurled and lasted for days due to this cool and mostly overcast weather. Previous springs have proved too hot and the Nor' West winds withered the buds before they opened. So this is a celebratory photo.  I found, by chance, while emptying my mother's many handbags this last week, a bulb label from a bag of  'Smiling Queen' tulips. I set it on the inside window sill to compare the picture with the flowers as they opened, and although the printed label shows a more lurid red and white image I think that these are they.