John’s tulips just bloomin’ beautiful
Move over Amsterdam, Taranaki’s tulips are the best of the bunch, says John Vernon. Vernon and his wife Alison are keen gardeners and this year, tulips were in their planting schedule, 3000 of them. The tulip bulbs were planted on their Midhirst farm and are now blooming beautiful, he says.
“I thought they’d be good to plant as you plant them and they tend to look after themselves. I planted them back in the winter and used my brew of potting mix and put them in bags.”
With the tulips now in bloom, he and Alison want to share their gorgeous view of the tulips with others, opening the farm gates for visitors to come and admire the flowers by appointment.
“The things these flowers do is make people smile. When people see them their whole demeanour changes and seeing their smiles is the best party. It’s awesome to watch and I get a kick from seeing people’s reactions. That’s been the best part, making people happy.”
Tulips are well suited to the Taranaki climate he says.
“The thing about tulips is they love the cold. There are not many things that do well up here, but the tulips have done amazing. It’s amazing to see they’re a feast to the eyes.”
While the tulips look delicate they’re actually a hardy flower, he reckons.
“They’ve grown here in quite a harsh environment so they’re quite strong flowers. The tulips close in the morning, open up during the day and close again around 3pm. They’re very good at protecting themselves.”
People will be able to buy a tulip or two to create their flower garden for next spring, Vernon says.
To arrange an appointment to view the tulips call John on 027 203 8014. Free entry to view and plants for sale from $10, bring cash.