Tulips are arguably the kings of the spring garden, and they are likely the most famous bulb flower. I am reminded of this just driving around my neighborhood, where even the most barren gardens have at least a few of these sculpted, colorful blooms reaching above the soil. This attraction is understandable; tulips are classically beautiful in their simplicity. Broad leaves, upright stems and rounded, symmetrical, richly colored petals—what's not to like? The profusion of multi-colored and intricately shaped varieties adds some whimsy for the devout tulip-lover and the collector of the unusual.

Every year at this time, when tulips rule the suburban gardening world, I also can't help but think about how tulips were once so popular that they caused a market meltdown. This year the history lesson is even more pertinent, given our current situation. Today we are coping with a housing bubble that burst—in the 17th century the world was rocked by a tulip bubble that burst! It's a little sad to think that such lovely flowers contributed to widespread poverty and destitution in the 1630s and 1640s. But it's almost understandable from a gardener's perspective. Who among us hasn't overpaid for some plant that we simply had to possess? And is indulgence in flowers any worse than indulgence in houses? I guess history will be the judge.

—Rose Rankin