On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Already facing an uncertainty that is unlike anything we have ever known, we received a devastating reminder last week of just how fragile life is. It reminds us to take time to live in the moment, to see the beauty and joy around us, and to create peace wherever we can.
So even as we shed tears for Alain, our celebration of beauty and joy continues. Let’s make the most of today. It’s Springtime in Washington, and we have some gorgeous tulips from cckids!
~WaterGirl
cckids
The Skagit Valley in Washington is known for their gorgeous tulips and daffodils. I never knew so many types existed before moving here, but have made an annual trip north of Seattle each April to view the carpets of colors and varieties. That, sadly, won’t be happening this spring, but I thought I’d share some of the lovely array of flowers that are there.
Most of these are from the gardens at RoozenGarde; a local floral Disneyland, with acres of blooms, a windmill, and about a dozen meticulously planned and planted garden areas, each one unique and stunning. And of course the gift shop, where you can get bulbs or tschotkes to your heart’s content.
The company was founded by a Dutch immigrant who came to WA in the 1940’s; his family has been growing tulips since the 1700’s; it is still run by his descendants, and employs hundreds of locals. So, if you’re in the Western US, buy some tulips!
I’ve never made it there when the sun was shining, which would probably make the colors even more vivid, but despite the clouds and my lack of photo skills, it would be hard to not capture some of the beauty that is all around.
I love walking through the fields; the rows of color stretching away are impressive, like bright fluffy soldiers. Here’s an article about the tulip festival (cancelled, natch) with drone shots of the fields, like the world’s biggest rainbow flag.
This is a fringed tulip, called “Fabio”, which made me chuckle. It is showy and over-the-top, I suppose, so a fitting name.
Another grouping; the detailed planning of colors and types boggles my mind :) I love the dark purple tulips among the brighter colors, they’re some of my faves.
One of the gardens; I don’t have the skill to truly capture the scope of the plantings, but they are just lovely.
I loved the unusual color combo in this fringed tulip; they were so enormous I can’t believe their stems don’t just snap off.
These are peony tulips with little grape hyacinths in back. Again, such big beautiful flowers on normal tulip stalks!
Another view of the sweep of colors in the gardens. Having a little 5′ x 5′ plot of flowers of my own, the sheer amount of labor that goes into these blows my mind.
These vivid parrot tulips were my favorite, and the only bulbs I brought home. No blooms yet, but they are coming up, so I’m hoping they will match these beauties.
satby
Very beautiful cckids! And much nicer than Holland, MI the one time I went there.
those peony shapes tulips look like Moris Gudanov, I had them at my old house. Gorgeous, now I want them again.
nwerner
John Roozen is a real character and a great guy. They are also a supplier to Costco so you can help support them that way as well!
mrmoshpotato
That’s a lotta tulips. Very nice pictures. Thanks for sharing, cckids.
WaterGirl
@satby: I planted Mount Tacoma last fall and they are about to open. They are one of the “looks like a peony” varieties, in white. Can’t wait to see what they look like in person.
cckids, I love your sprinkling of phrases like “carpet of color” and “floral Disneyland”.
Baud
So beautiful. I want to build an economy around those tulips.
mrmoshpotato
@Baud: I hear you can fund it by getting paid to buy oil these days.
blacque_jacques
@Baud: Bwahahaha!
This is normally the time of year when the Dutch tourism board pleads with tourists not to trample tulip beds in the pursuit of selfies.
Rob
I love tulips.
Thanks, WaterGirl, for continuing this series.
swiftfox
Always preferred the diffuse light of overcast days to photograph wildflowers.
Leto
Lovely pictures. I’ll echo Rob: I love tulips. When Avalune and I visited Amsterdam, we went to the tulip museum. So much random information about tulips, but the best part was their gift shop. I think they had right around 50 different types of tulip bulbs for sale. I bought 8 different varieties, and when we got home, planted them in our containers. I really miss them. I need to look them up again because they said they ship anywhere in the world…
satby
@Leto: check out the link in my comment, I can recommend that company for great healthy bulbs at very reasonable prices. I bought some last year from another company and half the bulbs had rotted, half of the replacement bulbs they sent out also had rotted. Never again, I’ll stick with colorblends.com from now on!
satby
@swiftfox: yes, bright sun can wash the colors out.
Leto
@satby: That’s who the Amsterdam Tulip Museum recommends.
Here’s there History and Fun Facts page, as well as their tips for Growing & Planting.
I’ll ping Avalune about this when she wakes up.
Albatrossity
I always wanted to get up there when the tulips are blooming. I haven’t made it yet, but these shots definitely strengthened that urge! Thanks!
rikyrah
Gorgeous ??
arrieve
So beautiful — thank you cckids! I’m so grateful that On the Road continues. Bless you Alain.
Mike in Oly
So beautiful! I’ve been wanting to get up there for years, but that traffic between Tacoma and Everett is a real bear and has kept me away. Ironic that the year traffic is non-existent everything is closed and not supposed to travel. Thanks for the tour!
MelissaM
I love tulips and I’ve planted several varieties, however the squirrels seem to be-head every damn one. Just before they are about to bloom, I’ll see the heads, a little bite out of each. It’s like a kid with a box of candies – maybe I’ll like this? nope. that? nope.
But this year has been different. Our cooler weather has kept the squirrels hiding and the tulips have bloomed and lasted longer. Lovely! thanks for the pictures, and thanks for continuing OTR.
SkyBluePink
Wonderful pics!
cckids
Ah, I’m tearing up. My first try at OTR, and such sad timing. Thank you, WaterGirl, for picking up the flag and continuing.
Laura Too
Thanks cckids, lovely pictures. Makes me long for spring, it is cold here again. They say maybe in the 60’s tomorrow but the rest of the week is in the 50’s. That said, at least the sun is out and I noticed that the sky is a blue I haven’t seen for many years. The lack of pollution is remarkable.
Cowgirl in the Sandi
We were in Washington many years ago for a conference in April and afterwards had a few days to travel around. We happened on the tulip fields, which were beautiful. The thing that surprised me was they told us once the ‘viewing’ was over, all the blossoms were cut off so the bulbs could mature and then be sold. I couldn’t believe they would deliberately go out and cut off the heads of such beauty!
SeattleDem
@Mike in Oly: If you take the trip up the peninsula and cross the Sound by ferry from Port Townsend to Coupeville, it is probably almost as fast and lots more scenic.
UncleEbeneezer
We went to Skagit Valley Tulip Festival a few years ago when visit friends in Mercer Isle. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. My wife adores tulips and was in heaven.
UncleEbeneezer
To give an idea of how many tulips are up there, check out some of the videos that Floret Flowers have posted on Instagram.
J R in WV
I still have cousins somewhere around the Skagit Valley. Visited up there once, but in the fall… our first real vacation trip, Amtrak from Seattle to Portland, to San Francisco, to Glenwood Springs CO to Denver over 3 weeks, back in the late 1980s.
Lovely pictures of great flowers. Have never seen tulip blooms with lacy fringes before!