The Tulip Festival, Mt Vernon, Washington
Tulips and Lilacs and other things.
If you ever get the opportunity to head to Washington State in the month of April, take some time to drive north on Highway 5 to Mt Vernon, Stanford, La Conner and parts north and take in the Tulip Festival! Heralded as a place second only to Holland in its Tulip growth, the spectacular color is an awesome reminder of the beauty of the bulb.
The official Skagit County Washington guide to the Tulips can be found on the following website:
http://www.tulipfestival.org/
and in the 15 mile radius of this area one can experience the color and the beauty of the countryside and all the wonder that is Washington State.
I have lived all over the country and can honestly say that there is nothing quite like the state of Washington for finding a treasure trove of differing experiences~ from the sea, to the mountains to the islands and the bay, there are many offerings awaiting the tourist and the resident alike.
We decided to go to the festival today and got the car prepped, batteries changed in the camera and dog readied to be another two eyed observer. Unfortunately, we were made to leave our gal in the car, as no dogs were allowed on the farm. Alas, this did not stop us from the enjoyment of the flowers and the intensity of the diversity that surrounded us. Apparently, people from all over the world come to Washington to view the Tulips! We were surrounded by Asians, travelers from India and Pakistan and families having pictures taken of their children amongst the flower-beds. Food was plentiful, but the tulips were sold out in the Roozengaarde.
The brochure describes the experience thus: "A division of Washington Bulb Co., Inc., the largest flower bulbgrower in the U.S. with 1000+ acres of tulips, daffodils, and iris fields growing throughout the Skagit Valley. Owned by the Roozen family– bulb growers in Holland and the United States since the early1700’s."
My daughter and I had a lovely time snapping multitudes of pictures while enjoying the view, and even spent some time in quiet reflection of the time in nature. It was an awesome day.
