istanbul  tulips  laleler  ilkbahar  spring  nature photography  doğa fotoğrafçılığı  flowers  

Colorful tulips of Istanbul in spring time! Although different tulip colors carry distinct meanings - yellow tulips symbolizing cheerful thoughts, white conveying forgiveness and purple representing royalty - a Turkish legend may be responsible for the red tulip`s symbolism. The story goes that a prince named Ferhat was love struck by a maiden named Şirin. When Ferhat learned that Sirin had been killed, he was so overcome with grief that he killed himself - riding his horse over the edge of a cliff. It`s said that a scarlet tulip sprang up from each droplet of his blood, giving the red tulip the meaning `PERFECT LOVE`...