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    Home » Garden Stuff » Flower Gardening

    Tulips! A scientific experiment in beauty.

    March 6, 2012 by Karen 180 Comments

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    .

    Today I'm in the mood for a philosophical discussion.

    Is there any truth to the widely accepted theory that "Less is More"?

    Let us examine this in the context of oxygen.  If given the option of receiving either less or more oxygen, which would you choose?  Let's see ... no oxygen or lots of oxygen?  You don't have to be a scuba diver to know lots of oxygen is the right answer.

    What about pizza?  Would I be happier after eating one bite of pizza?  Or an entire pizza?  The answer is obvious.  Entire pizza please.

    And finally, sloths.  Do I want one sloth?  Or many sloths?  Hundreds of sloths?   I want the most amount of sloths possible, thank you.

    So clearly, this theory about "less is more" is somewhat flawed.  It is a fallacy possibly perpetuated by a diminutive phallus.  That's my guess anyway.

    However ... are there any circumstances where less really IS more?

    Let us turn to the examination of tulips.  I have 3 control groups for you to consider.  The $1, $7 and $40 arrangement of tulips.

    Table of Contents

    • The $1 tulip.
    • The $7 tulips.
    • The $40 tulips.

    The $1 tulip.

    The $1 tulip will be representing the "less" group.

     

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    small tulips

     

    The $7 tulips.

    The $7 tulips will be representing the mama bear group.

    medium tulips

    The $40 tulips.

    The $40 tulips will be representing the "more" group.

    large tulips

     

    So.  Now that you have the information and visuals, it's time to collect the data.  What do you think?  In the case of orange tulips arranged for pleasing the eye, is the widely accepted theory true?  Is less, more?

    Or ... is MORE more?

     
     

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    1. Katie

      August 09, 2023 at 4:34 pm

      More is more in the lovely land of flowers. That said, the multiplying effect of the mirror is a genius hack to magnify the simplicity of the solo stem.

      Reply
    2. Brenda

      April 18, 2012 at 12:38 pm

      Yes! That is, all 3...in different settings/locations. I can see the $1 tulip on a bedstand, or in a small bathroom. The $7 arrangement on a kitchen counter, a end table (living or bed room), an entry hall (on the smallish side). And the large arrangement on the dining room table, the coffee table, on the table outside dining al fresco -- it would need to be the main focus because of the wow factor. So, yes, please, I'll take all three.

      Reply
      • Karen

        April 18, 2012 at 12:43 pm

        Brenda - Thanks! I'm currently having the same issue - new flower. Hyacinths. They're MUCH more difficult to arrange than a tulip though. :) ~ karen

        Reply
    3. mothership

      March 11, 2012 at 8:56 pm

      MORE!

      Reply
    4. Aimee

      March 11, 2012 at 1:10 am

      More is more. Definitely.

      Although I wouldn't turn my nose up at the $1 or $7 versions, either.

      But still...More is good.

      Reply
    5. Cyd

      March 11, 2012 at 12:53 am

      Okay... the papa bear version is TOO MUCH. All I see when I look at them is the green stems going all swooshy one way in the vase. The mama bear version is... nice. The single is simple, elegant and perfect. Why? It's not a single it's two because it has a mirror reflection. As a result this was almost a trick question. Love your blog. How do I win stuff?

      Reply
    6. Charlene Austin

      March 10, 2012 at 1:44 pm

      Gorgeous! I could never make all those tulips look that good so I would go with 2 x $4.99 at my Safeway and display 10. In fact, it's time I do that soon!

      Reply
    7. Diane Allison

      March 10, 2012 at 12:56 pm

      40 all the way, baby! Stunning and I would smile from ear to ear every time I glimpsed it's beauty. Makes me go awwwwwwwww......

      Reply
    8. pve

      March 10, 2012 at 10:09 am

      long live excess. there is room for both but I love living spoiled rotten with fresh flowers.
      pve

      Reply
    9. M

      March 09, 2012 at 11:07 pm

      Seattle and I am soooo following your boards now! Thanks for the eye candy and entertainment. Wish I had more time on Pinterest. You will be hogging a whole lot of the limited time I have to play on the site. You go girl!

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 09, 2012 at 11:09 pm

        Thanks M! I'm not a very religious Pinner. The blog takes up most of my time, but I loveee browsing Pinterest too! ~ k

        Reply
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