Revitalizing spring tradition: SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FESTIVAL
Vibrantly colourful fields of flowers make a wonderful tonic to boost the spirits after winter
I’ve made a pilgrimage of sorts to the Skagit Valley, Wash., roughly midway between Vancouver and Seattle, for many years to soak in the colours of their annual tulip festival.
Visiting the daffodil and tulips fields started as a way to boost my spirits after the passing of my mother several years ago. The tradition continues because of the restorative powers of brisk sea air, towering mountain vistas and vibrant tulips carpeting the valley floor are the perfect tonic after a long winter.
The festival began as a three-day weekend and grew to a full 30 days in 2003. Given the changeable weather, the longer festival window ensures a better chance the tulips will be in bloom during the festival.
The tulip gardens plant early-, mid- and late-flowering tulips to help ensure there’s colour to enjoy throughout the festival. However, Mother Nature determines exactly when the tulips will bloom — hot or cold weather, heavy rains and high winds can affect the best-laid plans. In some years, the colour first appears in March while in others it can last into May.
In addition to the tulip gardens, there are several tulip fields you can view throughout Skagit Valley. These are the crops of RoozenGaarde and are planted to yield both tulip bulbs and fresh-cut flowers.
The Washington Bulb Co., home of RoozenGaarde, includes some 200 hectares of tulip and daffodil bulbs. According to its website, www.tulips.com:
“Tulips are synonymous with Holland, but are not native to the land. Botanical tulip species originated in Central Asia and were first brought to Turkey before making their way to Holland in the mid-16th century, where their popularity exploded. Most of the world’s tulips are grown in the Netherlands.”
The Skagit Valley mirrors the ideal tulip growing conditions found in the Netherlands.
RoozenGaarde is a world-renowned spring-time destination featuring a beautiful five-acre display garden in addition to more than 20 hectares of fields filled with tulip and daffodil blooms. The garden is annually redesigned and replanted so that each spring season features an entirely new floral layout. About 200 tulip types and 50 daffodil varieties fill the garden in addition to flowering rivers of muscari, an assortment of hyacinths, and other specialty flowers.
Located in the scenic Skagit Valley, one hour north of Seattle and one hour south of Vancouver, thousands of visitors travel to RoozenGaarde each spring to witness the beauty of the bloom during the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
This event runs April 1 to April 30 each year, but the bloom does not always perfectly coincide with these dates; bloom dates are according to Mother Nature. Ironically, the name RoozenGaarde translates to Rose Garden in our native Dutch language, but the tulips we grow are synonymous with both the Roozen family and the Skagit Valley.
Washington Bulb Co. rotates crops on a five-year cycle for disease management purposes. For example, tulips planted in a field will not be planted in that field again for five years. In this time, diseases that attack tulips or need tulips as a host will die out.
Tulips are one of the easiest flowers to grow successfully in the garden. Plant bulbs in the fall and even a novice gardener can expect to see beautiful flowers in spring.
Tulips are native to Eastern Turkey and the foothills of the Himalayas. They will perennialize best in conditions that match the cold winters and hot, dry summers of their native region. Species and botanical tulips perennialize best.
Tips for growing tulips at home from the Washington Bulb Company catalogue
■ Always plant tulips in a welldrained and airy soil. Adding compost and coarse sand to the soil will make it more airy. They recommend raised beds in wetter areas and suggest that you have at least a 25-centimetre depth of loose airy soil. Proper soil drainage is essential.
■ Fertilize and water bulbs when planting. Though too much water is not good, sufficient water at the time of planting is necessary to get them growing and to ensure the start of a strong root system.
■ Plant tulips about 15 to 20 centimetres deep, measuring from the base of the bulb. If you add mulch after planting, include this as part of your overall planting depth. After the tulips have passed their peak, top the old blooms and let the plants die down normally. This will help the new bulblets grow bigger.
■ Fertilizing in the fall with special bulb fertilizer is always a good idea, if you haven't dug your bulbs and are trying to get them to perennialize.