Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

My friends Laurie and Kevin had extended an invitation to their lovely Puget Sound island home, and I jumped at the chance to visit during April and tulip season. More later about the island.

I visited the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival on two different days in April; but only had time for one grower: Roozen Gaarde. The first day was a rainy, chilly, typically Washington State spring day. The second day was warm, sunny and bright followed by a cold sunset in the tulip fields; my hands were frozen ice cubes by the time I climbed back into the car.

The Skagit Valley was settled by Dutch immigrants who brought their bulb raising skills and architecture with them. Close to a half million visitors come to see the blooms each spring. The last day I visited was just in time, as I overheard the plans for two days later: cut off all the field blooms to allow the bulbs to gain strength by not having the blooms go to seed. So imagine the field photos without bloom! Almost missed it!

This little boy was visiting the fields with his parents during sunset on the last day I was there – love how you can even see the sun on his eyelashes!

boy

tiptoe

Stream of grape hyacinths running through the gardens.
Stream of grape hyacinths running through the gardens.

The tulips speak for themselves:

orangespike

peachrain

pinkrain

purplewht

redpinfdrain

redstripewht

redyeloran

redylrain

Snow capped peaks overlook the valley.
Snow capped peaks overlook the valley.

yellowfd

fieldpuddle1

fieldsunset


Comments

14 responses to “Skagit Valley Tulip Festival”

  1. My goodness these photos are beautiful! Thank you for posting them. The one of the little boy is a delight too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks very much, glad you like them.

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  2. […] If you’re not tulip-ed out (I’m American. We make up words) visit my cousin’s WordPress site and her stunning photos of the Skagit Valley tulips here. […]

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    1. When I visited this year mid-April, the tulips were finished and cut off. But, my upcoming post about Victoria, BC will have some tulips.

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  3. […] Washington. When I had visited my friends Laurie and Kevin in 2013, it was time for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival  (the link will take you to that post). This time, we traveled in the opposite direction of the […]

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  4. […] flew out of Reno to visit my friend in Washington State. We’ll be visiting the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival – […]

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  5. Thanks Michael – I must have taken a few hundred photos – I couldn’t resist, they were all so beautiful!

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  6. My favorite flower!

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  7. […] driving my RV north from Temecula to Bishop in April, I traveled to Washington State (see Skagit Valley Tulip Festival posted May 7); after returning via Reno, went south to Las Vegas for another adventure. Leaving […]

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  8. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Always meant to go. Should have! You even had sunshine, in WA no less!

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  9. MusicMan Avatar
    MusicMan

    WOW!! Very nice photos:-)

    Hope you are enjoying your travels…when do you go back to Bishop?

    Carol

    _____

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    1. Hi Carol, I’m traveling back tomorrow. Then find a place to park my RV. But first, fishing with my grandson, then Mother’s Day breakfast. This is pretty much a first as since my kids have been grown they’ve always lived far away!

      Miss my friends in Temecula!

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  10. Eleanor Avatar
    Eleanor

    Except for the mountains in the back, the fields look much like the photos Courtney took in the Netherlands. Really beautiful photos, Barb!!

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  11. Cindy Avatar
    Cindy

    Wow thanks for letting me travel with you! Loved the shot of the tulips reflected in the water.

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