Oregon’s Tulips are something to see!

Tulip lovers around the world enjoy tulip festivals. If you ever have the chance, Travel to the town of Woodburn, Oregon, and experience one of my favorites - the annual Tulip Fest at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm. It happens from late March to the beginning of May, with different varieties blooming at different times for an ever-changing color spectacular.

The Farm is a family business; the Iversons have been growing tulips for 40 years in Oregon's Willamette valley, known for its temperate weather and fertile soil. The festival includes several booths selling local crafts, a play area for children, a train ride with unique wooden shoe cars, cutouts for photo opportunities, and a variety of foods, both savory and sweet. But far and away (for me, at least) the most exciting was the field tour.

 

A short walk brings you closer and closer to a rainbow of vivid colors. Each row is planted with a different variety. The fields seem to go on forever, meeting the majestic Mt. Hood at the horizon. At one end, artists set up easels to try to capture the beauty, as if that were possible. Kids with boundless energy run happily up and down the rows, challenging parents to keep up -“ as if that were possible. At the other end, a high platform was erected; climb to the top and your effort is rewarded with a magnificent view. Though not quite bird's eye, it did give you a different perspective on the vast, brilliant fields below.

 

 

 

Tulip bulbs are harvested in June, after the foliage has died down. One thing that makes the harvest easier is that bulbs are planted in nets. During digging, the nets are lifted, complete with bulbs. This system helps speed up the harvest, keep track of varieties, and leaves fewer bulbs in the field after harvest.

If you can't make it to Woodburn, there are other festivals during tulip time throughout the country. It's a perfect time to see which varieties capture your fancy, and know which ones to order for fall planting! Better yet, browse the selection of guaranteed Breck's Bulbs, either online or in their free catalog.

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