Tulips with delivery in Tbilisi: varieties, the Georgian spring, and freshness from supply to door
In Tbilisi the tulip opens the flower year. The winter in the city is mild, but it's precisely the first firm buds on the stalls that read as a real sign of spring. In the South Caucasus the tulip has wild relatives too, blooming in spring on rocky slopes and in the foothills — this tie to the local nature makes it here not an "office" flower but a seasonal symbol.
The category covers single-variety bouquets from 11 to 51 stems, mixed spring arrangements, and gift boxes with tulips paired with daffodils, ranunculus, and hyacinths. It's a seasonal flower: its peak is March–May, and outside spring the tulip is imported less often and costs more.
Groups and varieties
More than 3,000 tulip varieties are registered worldwide. About 30–40 key ones make it onto the shelf, divided into groups by bud shape, stem length, and flowering time.
- Triumph — the classic cup-shaped bud, stem 40–50 cm. The largest group. Varieties: Strong Gold (yellow), Negrita (purple), Ile de France (red).
- Darwin Hybrids — large-headed, up to 12 cm across, a very sturdy stem. Apeldoorn (scarlet), Ivory Floradale (cream). For voluminous single-variety bouquets.
- French Tulips — long-stemmed, up to 70 cm. Maureen (white), Menton (soft pink). For wedding floristry.
- Parrot — parrot tulips, with fringed, "ragged" petals. Rococo (red), Blue Parrot (purple). For expressive arrangements.
- Double / Peony — double "peony-flowered" types. Mount Tacoma (white), Foxtrot (pink). An alternative to peonies while they're out of season.
- Queen of Night — almost black, a deep purple. For a dark, vintage palette.
Season and occasions
The natural tulip season here is spring, from March to May. The main demand falls in those weeks. 8 March opens the season, and Mother's Day on 3 March adds another early peak: the dates run almost back to back, and demand for tulips stays high from the very start of spring. Georgian Easter (Aghdgoma) and spring weddings extend the season to the end of May.
The tulip is given by the single stem less often than the rose — formats of 15, 25, and 51 stems are more typical. They're ordered in any quantity, without the strict odd-number rule.
A tulip quirk: it keeps growing
A cut tulip stays a living plant — the stem lengthens by 2–3 cm in the vase over the first days. That's a rare trait among cut flowers, and it's taken into account when building an arrangement.
Because of this, tulips change the bouquet's shape every day and by the end of the week bend toward the light — that's normal, not a defect. To keep an even shape, put the bouquet in a tall, narrow vase that holds the stems upright.
"The tulip is the most honest flower on sale. A fresh stem is firm and cool in the hand. In Tbilisi the main task is to deliver the bud closed: the warm spring days open it very fast."
— Mariam Dvali, florist, Tbilisi-Vake, 10 years of practice
Freshness and logistics
The tulips in the catalogue come from two sources. Local greenhouses provide the fresh spring cut, while imported lots of Dutch breeding arrive through the wholesale channels. Tulips arrive in closed buds, with ripening happening at the recipient's — standard practice that extends freshness.
We move tulips in cold hydro-boxes: the stems stay in water at +6…+8°C and the bud keeps its firmness. In spring, on warm days, we add an insulated box so the flower doesn't wilt in transit; until assembly the bouquets are held in cold storage at +4…+6°C.
Delivery specifics in Tbilisi
Tbilisi lies in the Kura river valley among hills, with a humid subtropical climate. Summer is hot and often muggy, +30–33°C, above +35°C in heatwaves. Winter is mild, around 0 to +5°C, with brief snowfalls and occasional frost. Spring is warm and gathers pace quickly, so the tulip season is concentrated and delivery timing matters.
We deliver across all districts of Tbilisi: Vake, Saburtalo, Vera, Mtatsminda, Sololaki, Avlabari, Chugureti, Didube, Gldani, Isani, Samgori, and the Old Town. We take corporate orders for offices, restaurants, and hotels throughout the season. Prices in the catalogue are in Georgian lari (GEL, ₾). For 8 March and Mother's Day, book 3–5 days ahead — on peak days demand for tulips rises noticeably.
Care at home
The tulip is handled differently from roses and peonies. The main rules: only cold water at +6…+10°C, refreshing the cut with a straight (not angled) knife every 2 days, and a minimum of water in the vase (5–7 cm from the bottom). The tulip doesn't tolerate deep water — the stems rot.
Don't place tulips next to daffodils and hyacinths — their sap speeds up the bud's ageing. On warm days, keep the bouquet in the coolest room, away from the direct flow of the air conditioner, and move it to the refrigerator overnight to slow the opening. Cool of +15…+18°C extends the life of tulips to 8–10 days.
