We visited the Skagit tulip Festival April 18-20, based in Mt. Vernon, Washington. We visited multi-acre fields and the RoozenGaarde, all spectacular.

While Mother Nature can change the peak viewing during April, we were there at an optimum time. The next day they started topping the tulips which they do after the peak blooms to divert all energies into healthy and robust bulb development. Tulip viewing is normally limited to April, but note that there is a daffodil festival in this same area in March.

The exquisite fringed Vaya con Dios shown here:

We were allowed to walk the edges of the tulip fields but not between the rows. Note the purple tulip in the middle of a sea of red tulips. Any idea why? Most likely a stray purple bulb left in the field from last year’s harvest.

There are many photographic opportunities in any flower garden, but especially at the dazzling displays at RoozenGaarde. Sometimes it’s fun to experiment. Here’s to looking up to the tulips!!

In several places at RoozenGaarde, the designers interplanted blue muscari with tulips. Contasts of color, texture, and structure of the two flowers (tulips and muscari) add beauty and escitement to the design.

And here they used muscari as a “river” through the meadow of tulips.

Here the tulips are grouped into a stunning sweeping vista.

With all this beauty, you can sometimes miss the single bloom that captures your attention and sometimes your soul. Here is the majestic Slawa:

We came home with beautiful photos too numerous to share here. I have wanted to cruise the rivers in The Netherlands in springtime during the tulip bloom. The Skagit festival was closer, maybe not the river cruise, but well worth a trip to see tulips. A bonus was the Kiwanis Salmon BBQ (on weekends) to benefit the boys and girls club. Fresh caught, wild salmon from the Puget Sound, barbequed over alder wood. Very special. And if you have an extra day you can take the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor and wander the village or go on a whale watching trip. We were lucky enough to follow the antics of a family of orca whales for over an hour!

For more pictures of our trip, find the Skagit Tulip Festival on our Gardens to Visit page.