Yesterday The Girl and I drove up to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Mt. Vernon, Washington. The festival has been going on for 30 years and it attracts over 1 million visitors from all around the world.
As I was standing in front of the giant windmill at Roozengaarde {the best stop on the tour if you ask me} I was like, Man. I totally should have brought my gnome dress! Oh well, maybe next year.
In 1955 Dutch emigrants William and Helen Roozen in 1955 started their farm with only 5 acres of land.
RoozenGaarde {where all these pictures were taken} was founded in 1985 to serve as the Washington Bulb Company’s retail shop and display garden.
Now the Roozen family farms nearly 2,000 acres!
You could spend hours driving down the back roads and driving to all the farms on the map, but The Girl and I got a late start yesterday and we were on a bit of a tight schedule, so we happily paid the $5 admission fee and toured the Roozengaarde instead. And it was worth every penny too.
A path of grape hyacinth. My favorite!
It took me a little while to notice all the beds below the trees were mounded.
Do you see it? I wish I would have known to do this back when I was planting my daffodil beds last fall.
There was also a formal garden with gravel paths and smaller flower beds to walk through as well. You can always pick out the tourists {people who don’t live in Washington state} because they use umbrellas when it’s barely sprinkling. 
If this was my garden, I wouldn’t pick a single flower. I’d just drag a chair outside and sip tea all day while reading Jane Austin books. Occasionally I’d send the Handsome Husband a text when I needed a refill of tea or a scone or something.
Who needs cable when you have a flower full of beautiful flowers?
Hello Spring! I.Love.You.
~Mavis
If you are in the area please go visit the Roozengaarde. You will not be disappointed.
Address: 15867 Beaver Marsh Road Mount Vernon, Washington
Phone: 1-800-732-3266
Website: www.Tulips.com
Heidi says
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
I’d have a really hard time not screaming “I’m a tulip” & jumping right in:)
Helen in Meridian says
Does Mrs. Gnome have wooden shoes too?
Mavis says
Ha! Not yet. Hmmm. Where on earth would I find wooden shoes? Perhaps a trip to Holland is in order.
Sarah M says
Oh my goodness, we were actually in Mt. Vernon yesterday! We just moved up from Nebraska in late February, (we’re in Blaine) and I have ‘go see the tulip festival’ on my list of fun things to do this month with the kids. Do you go to the parade that’s next weekend or any of the other things mentioned on their site?
So fun to to see local things I can do in the area on your blog–very helpful for a newbie!
Sarah M
Crystal@SewCreative says
I was so excited when I saw this post on my Bloglovin feed because we are headed to the tulip festival next weekend. I haven’t been since I was a little girl. I can’t wait to go and experience it again with my kids. 🙂
suzanne says
It’s beautiful Mavis thanks for sharing. On a side note be glad you didn’t mound soil around your existing trees. Even to much mulch to close to the trunk is supposed to be detrimental to the tree.
Carol says
I was wondering about that very issue, Suzanne!
Mavis says
Really? That’s good to know. Thank you Suzanne.
Desi from Idaho zone 5 says
Yes, people that mound dirt around their trees could basically be killing them. Now it you plant your trees that way in the first place it’s ok. The bark above ground is meant to stay above ground.
Susie says
While visiting in Seattle several years ago, my friend Judy drove us up to Roozengaarde . How gorgeous! I especially loved the black tulips ~ surprised you didn’t post any pictures of these unusual flowers. Do you have any? I’d love to see them again.
Mavis says
I didn’t take any pictures of the black tulips but there were some pretty deep red ones called Kung Fu that I really liked. 🙂
Helen in Meridian says
Tell us what size shoes American and European you wear. If I see any wooden shoes at my thrift shops, I will mail them to you. I ordered you a gnome shirt Monday. I had ordered them for Chazz and my Easter Baskets. I thought 5 weeks ago of ordering one for you, but I didn’t know your address then. Maybe we all can look out for wooden shoes for you and The Girl. Just tell us the sizes. Of course, knowing you, a quick trip to Holland wouldn’t be undoable.
Mavis says
Sadly I don’t have enough points to hop a flight to Holland. 🙁 But Holland, Michigan maybe. Thanks for thinking of me Helen. You know I’d wear anything you sent. 🙂
Mavis Woman’s Size 8 Euro 39.5
The Girl Woman’s Size 7 Euro 38
Brenda says
I just looked on Amazon for wooden shoes and they have some, but too expensive for me! They come as just plain wood, but you can paint or stain them anyway you want.
Wait a minute, hold the boat. These are even better!
http://www.amazon.com/Comfy-Dutch-Clog-Slippers-Red/dp/B00AWNRDN2/ref=pd_luc_sbs_01_01_atc_lh
Mavis says
Now I’m on a mission to find a pair of wooden clogs!
Heidi says
Amazon is the best. I think they may just have EVERYTHING you could ever want. Cool find 🙂
Stacy Mattson says
The black Tulips were developed while trying to create the first purple Tulips which they have done. We actually export Tulips from the Skagit valley to Holland!! Best site for viewing whole fields of Tulips and the valley is on top of Little Mountain. There are two lookouts there and 0 traffic. Take exit 226 head east up the hill to 18th, turn right and go to Blackburn Road, turn left. About two miles the road takes a sharp right turn and about a half mile up on the right side is the entrance to the park. Go all the way up to the top for the parking lot and the gazebo lookout. The other lookout is on the right just before you get to the parking lot. The street fair is the 25th – 27th but by then the Tulips will have been topped. Enjoy!!