Join Thor and me as we make our annual pilgrimage to nearby Skagit Valley and its famous tulip fields.
Growing up in our beautiful “Far Corner” of the Pacific Northwest, I always appreciated the abundant wonders of our landscape. Part of the joy was visiting the neighboring Skagit County in the spring, home to the biggest tulip growers in the U.S. Back when Mom Helen was still with us, I enjoyed driving her south to see the blooms:
Now it’s Thor driving me to walk through the fields and drink in those vibrant colors.
One thing that’s changed is the incredible crowds now coming from many different countries to visit the fields and display gardens. Plenty for all of us!
The Roozen family were growing tulips in Holland since the 1700s, and William Roozen relocated with his family to Skagit Valley in 1947, establishing the Roozengarde fields. We always visit their gorgeous display gardens after walking the fields.
Two years ago, I ordered a lot of bulbs and planted them in the fall as a sort of hopeful therapy while I was undergoing some difficult cancer treatments. Unfortunately, we discovered we had voles, who love eating tulip bulbs. But a few pockets of garden escaped the hungry hordes, and this spring I’m really enjoying the special “species tulips” from Roozengarde. These are mini “Prestans fusilier”:
Species tulips are propagated from original wild strains mostly from Eastern Europe. This one is “Clusiana” or Candy-stick. They open in the sun, and when shaded start closing to show off red candy stripes.
My favorite mini species grew in the garden at our previous home, but I can’t seem to locate that type of bulbs to plant here. Turtle cat loved them, too! Enjoy your spring and be sure to find beauty in these trying times. My words to live by: Carpe Diem! Seize the Day!
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You will find The Rambling Writer’s blog posts here every Saturday. Sara’s latest novel from Book View Café is Pause, a First Place winner of the Chanticleer Somerset Award and an International Pulpwood Queens Book Club selection. “A must-read novel about friendship, love, and killer hot flashes.” (Mindy Klasky). It’s also a love letter to the stunning beauty of her native Pacific Northwest wild places. Sign up for her quarterly email newsletter at www.sarastamey.com
