Hello Friends! We’re the Ostmo family, and we love learning about countries and people. Our oldest daughter, Melaya, has tons of friends all around the world!

Melaya always wanted to have a little garden at home but it was hard to find the right kind of flowers. Then she learned about bulb flowers and they were just perfect for her since they grow very easily and you can use them as a decoration for your room! Melaya says they look beautiful when they bloom in all different colors and wants them to be like the beautiful tulips that her friend, Kim, has in their family flower shop.

Kim’s Family Recipe For The Prettiest Tulips

Kim is from Amsterdam, Netherlands where the best tulips grow Her dad is the expert when it comes to gardening and growing plants, and he told her that the Netherlands has both the right soil and climate for tulips to grow and if Melaya wants to have some tulips in London she needs to plant them in the fall and wait for them to bloom in the spring. She has to plant them in a pot with soil, water them daily and keep them a tender temperature. That’s the perfect recipe for Kim’s family to bring their most breathtaking tulips to the national Tulip Festival in Amsterdam for the next year on March 23rd. We are pretty sure that they will win again, best of luck! Or as Kim would say to Melaya “Veel succes”! 

Crocuses: a Menace For Chén’s Dog

At almost 4,000 miles you can find some bulb flowers that you may have to keep your distance, or that’s what Chén says to Melaya.

Chén lives in Xinjiang, China where Crocuses are abundant, which means that they’re plenty of them. Crocuses are very common in Xinjiang, China, the Crocuses grow in a variety of colors and textures and bloom during late spring or early summer when temperatures are warmer and rain is more abundant than during other times of the year. When Chén takes her dog for a walk, she has to be extra careful not to let him eat any Crocuses because they are poisonous for dogs. Chén’s dog likes to eat flowers, especially the ones that smell good. Chén explained Melaya she has to be very careful with her pets because some toxic plants or flowers like Crocuses can make them very sick.

Liatris Are Kristen’s Favorite Bulb Flowers

Near 1,800 miles away from London, you will find Greenland, Denmark where Liatris bloom, Melaya’s friend Kirsten. Kirsten recently gifted her some Liatris when she was in London. Liatris is a beautiful purple flower that grows in the wild, but can also be found in gardens around the world, especially in North America! These flowers are very fragrant and smell very sweet like honey! Kirsten says the smell is so Exquisite! Exquisite means that something is very beautiful, enjoyable or impressive. 

Matilde Like to Eat Lilies in Her Dishes

Melaya has a friend names Matilde who lives in Italy. Matilde loves Lilies, she says they are very beautiful and fragrant plus it’s her favorite flower because she thinks it’s so pretty and smells like heaven! Lilies also symbolize purity, beauty and innocence. Lillies are the national flower of Italy and, unlike Crocuses, they are not toxic and people in Italy eat them in many dishes like soups or pasta. Matilde said to Melaya that Lilies taste like onions but softer.

Have you ever eaten Lilies or other flowers in a dish?

Matilde says Lilies bloom in the spring and summer, and they are often used to decorate weddings. They sometimes come in extravagant colors like red, white and yellow. If you want to send an Italian friend or family member a gift, you should definitely buy them Lilies! You can also give them as a birthday present because they’re very popular in Italy.

Mariam’s Gifts Snowdrops to Her Mother and Sister

Now, at more than 2,000 miles you will find a bulb flower that is like snow -white and beautiful. The name of this flower is Snowdrop. They can be found in Palestine where Mariam, another of Melaya’s friends, lives.

Mariam says snowdrops are small and delicate flowers that look like little drops of ice or snow. They are very popular in Palestine and have many meanings for the people living there. For example, they can be a symbol of hope because the early snowdrops always appear before the arrival of spring. Snowdrops also represent purity because they’re white and pure like snow. Mariam explained that she always tries to give to her mom and her sister on their birthdays.

Have you ever put any flowers in your hair like Mariam’s sister? 

Tell us in the comments what your favorite bulb flowers are! If you want to learn more about different types like Narcissus, Alliums, Dahlias, and Eranthis, make sure to download the activity pack. We have flashcards, learning guides, handwriting sheets, and drawings pages all dedicated to different bulb flowers!

Melaya loves chatting with kids from all over the world! If you want to teach Melaya about where you live or your favorite activities, please tell your mom or dad to use @learningtail on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to get in touch with us. 

Ciao friends, until next time!