Delighting the Senses: a Trip to the Tulip Festival
Yesterday I took a quick trip cross the border to Skagit county in Washington state where each year they delight visitors with a teeny taste of what Holland’s tulip farms might be like. The area is one of the largest produces of spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, and irises. During April you could usually find a couple fields of tulips in bloom – during the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival – but you best be quick, because the blooms don’t last more than 2 weeks before they are cut, bulbs removed, and soil turned for another year. Unfortunately I saw many a field where the tulips had once been but luckily there were a few still in colour and now that I have the taste for it, I’ll be sure to plan a trip early in April 2011.
It’s really no wonder why tulips are my favourite flower. The textures and colours are simply delicious and they come at a time of year when I am ready for bold colour. When the Easter pastel blooms are fading in spring, it’s the first sign of the colourful summer to come with brilliant orange and rich black-purple blooms guiding the way. There is so much variety in tulips you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t get a bit of joy from seeing a huge, frilly bloom in the garden.
Here is a gallery of my shots from the trip. Hover over to see the names of the tulips or click on the image for a larger view.
If you still do want to see tulips this month there is always Tulip Town – a tulip demonstration garden and retail store that’ll cost you $5 per adult (kids free). They’ll have the tulips out all April if you miss the farmer’s fields, which are pretty much done for this year.
Tags: tulip, tulip festival
April 13 2010 07:34 pm | Flowers and Gardening and Photography
Helen at summerhouseart on 14 Apr 2010 at 12:15 am #
I had no idea that you could get such wonderful photos of tulips outside of Holland. So much color, really amazing.
Laura on 14 Apr 2010 at 1:03 am #
Absolutely stunning. I made it down many years back, and it was quite an experience. I keep saying I’m going to do it again, but time slips by. I think I’ll be marking my calendar for next year as well. The kids would love it!
Kathy on 14 Apr 2010 at 5:22 am #
Wow! Now I know where probably the tuplips come from that supply our flower vendors here in the desert! Absolutely stunning. Thanks for sharing.
Chris Tidrick on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:28 am #
RT @Garden_Therapy: Delighting the Senses: a Trip to the Tulip Festival http://bit.ly/b3X2GF <– Great photos. I'd never leave that place.
Stevie on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:45 am #
You’re welcome Kathy!
Stevie on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:46 am #
Hi Laura – They would love it. The place was crawling with families having a fabulous time!
Stevie on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:47 am #
Thanks, Helen. It really was like a party for my eyes – such beauty.
Denise on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:48 am #
I have been hearing about the Skagit Tulip Festival for years and for years I have wanted to go to it, even more so after seeing your magnificent photos. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Stevie on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:52 am #
You’re welcome, Denise. I hope that you can make it someday!
Grace on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:58 am #
Hi Stevie~~ I’ve seen that hover feature on some of the blog tutorials I frequent. I’m going to have to look in to installing it on my blog. Nice.
Woodburn, Oregon hosts the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival every year. I don’t live near it any longer but I’ve got wonderful photos of my kids enjoying the huge fields of color.
I think with our friendly spring weather, things are a bit ahead of schedule this year.
Gorgeous photos!
Stevie on 14 Apr 2010 at 10:10 am #
Thanks Grace! I’d love to see the Orgeon Festival next year – I think there is a road trip in my future…
Melanie on 14 Apr 2010 at 12:40 pm #
Stunning photos. I would love to take a trip down there. The infinite shapes sizes colours and varieties of tulip blooms continually amaze me.
Michael on 14 Apr 2010 at 2:21 pm #
Great photography Stevie. You really have an eye for composition and maximizing the wow factor of those flowers. I really love your blog.
miss m on 14 Apr 2010 at 4:07 pm #
Wow, what a magnificent spread ! Fabulous, Stevie. Thx for sharing !
Gillian on 14 Apr 2010 at 6:06 pm #
I lived there for 2 years in LaConner and couldnt get enough of it. thanks for bringing back those happy memories.
Dan on 14 Apr 2010 at 8:37 pm #
That’s amazing, must be quite a sight to see. It pleases my inner dutchman :-)
Abby Palmer on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:58 pm #
Ack! I was planning to go this weekend – I hope the tulips haven’t all been hacked down. Thanks for such an informative and visually juicy post, Stevie. One of your best.
Stevie on 15 Apr 2010 at 7:35 am #
Abby, unfortunatley they bloomed on March 26th this year and they are only up for about 2 weeks. The Tulip Festival office e-mailed me a note that said they would likely no longer be up as of this coming weekend, which is why I went Monday. Even then, they were almost finished. You can always go to Tulip Town or the other demonstration gardens / retailers, they are open until April 30th, but the farms are finished for the year.
Dan, I’m glad!
Gillian, so happy I could bring back memories.
Ros on 17 Apr 2010 at 1:28 am #
Wow! What stunning photos. We have a tulip festival in Melbourne, but I have never been – I want to now! :-D I think I would like to put some in our garden too… I LOVE the colours!
Nishant on 18 Apr 2010 at 4:31 am #
Beautifully captured. I’m really glad that I’m finding so many blogs that are dedicated to flowers and nature here on blogspot. My blog is not dedicated to flowers but I love capturing flowers and posting them on blogger. My most recent post has got some flowers from my hometown, plz visit and comment. :-)
Nishant on 18 Apr 2010 at 4:33 am #
Beautifully captured. I’m really glad that I’m finding so many blogs that are dedicated to flowers and nature here on blogspot. My blog is not dedicated to flowers but I love capturing flowers and posting them on blogger. My most recent post has got some flowers from my hometown, plz visit and comment,. :-)
Garden Lily on 19 Apr 2010 at 10:28 pm #
I enjoyed “feasting” on your photos. It’s been too many years since we last went to the Tulip Festival, and I had hoped for it this year, but alas, I will start hoping for next year.
Van Dusen Gardens has its annual plant sale this Sunday April 25, 10am – 4pm, and admission is free (it only costs you in purchases!). That’ll be my consolation for missing the tulips again this year.
Green Slate » The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival on 20 Apr 2010 at 3:10 pm #
[...] on by Stevie’s magnificent montage of photos on her blog, Garden Therapy, I packed a picnic lunch, charged up my Nikon battery, and spent a warm spring day tiptoeing through [...]
Kate on 14 Jun 2010 at 7:49 pm #
This makes my heart sing! I grew up one town removed from these fields – and now I live on the east coast. I miss going to the festival, so thanks for the great pics.