Tulips last a short time every year and I’m always keen to see them in the muddy or dry conditions on the tulip farms north of us in Skagit County. Dear and I traveled north on Tuesday morning May 2nd. The tulip festival usually runs the month of April but because of the weather and a late bloom this year they extended the festival into the first week of May.
One of our favorite stops is at Roozengaarde in Mount Vernon. They always have a beautiful display.
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is the largest festival in Northwest Washington State. Each year more than 1 million visitors come to experience over 300 acres of brightly colored tulips.
Who is behind the tulips? Roozengaarde was established in 1985 by the Roozen family and Washington Bulb Company, Inc. The Roozen family business of growing Tulips, Daffodils and Irises is the largest in the world, covering Skagit Valley with more than 1200 acres of field blooms and 15 acres of greenhouses. William Roozen emigrated from Holland in 1947 with years of experience in the bulb industry. He had a good back, strong hands, and a heart pulsing with dreams. Roozen started a bulb farm on five acres of land, holding meetings in a garage and toiling long hours beside a few hired hands. He saved money by buying used tractors and farm equipment.
The Roozen family’s hard work ethic spans at least six generations. The family first began raising tulips in Holland in the mid-1700’s. In the Skagit Valley, Roozen (which means “roses” in Dutch) worked for other farmers before setting off on his own in 1950. Five years later, he purchased the Washington Bulb Co., founded by two of the area’s first bulb farmers, Joe Berger and Cornelius Roozekrans. The Washington Bulb Co. now farms about 2,000 acres of land. In 1985, William Roozen handed the business down to his five sons and a daughter, Bernadette Roozen Miller, who passed away in 1996. William Roozen passed away on July 13, 2002 and, with 35 grandchildren, was confident the family company will keep growing.
We had another garden adventure in May that I will share this week. Our daughter Katie took this selfie of us on that adventure.
Woke up this Monday morning to sunshine! What a nice sight. This week is the last quiet week at this old house before we start traveling east, south and further east.
I’m linking up to Mosaic Monday with Maggie at Normandy Life.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
…all I can say is WOW!
What a lovely selfie of the three of you. Keep the tulip posts coming, I’m loving them. Have a great week. B x
Stunning pictures. These would make lovely notecards!
1200 acres – that’s amazing. Beautiful pictures of the tulips and of you three :). So, you’re heading east – how far and could it be anywhere near here?
Rosella, I’m only headed to eastern Washington. Later Dear is headed to Chicago for a conference while I go south to California to visit my family. 🙂
Great selfie….of the three of you! And who can ever get enough of the tulip fields? Amazingly beautiful!
Beautiful. I keep telling myself I’m going to visit my step-daughter during the tulip festival! Ha! One day! Happy Monday!
The tulips are gorgeous just now! Beautiful photos. The selfie of the three of you is wonderful! Enjoy your travels.
Sweet selfie! I adore tulips planted in great masses this way and along rustic fences.
So many tulips growing together must be a spectacular sight!! How lovely that they are lasting longer this year . . . at least a little compensation for all of the rain and coolness you’ve had.
Oooo . . . “east, south, and then east again.” Of course, you’ll take us along on your adventure, won’t you? I love tagging along on your travels. 🙂
Nice pic of you and your loves!
Beautiful, stunning tulips, such a sight. One day I hope to travel to Keukenhof in the Netherlands and wander through the bulb fields there but in the meantime I’ll enjoy your wonderful photos and dream.
Great selfie of the 3 of you, travel safe!
Hooray for sunny days in the Pacific Northwest….and hooray for tulips…they are absolutely stunning. Thanks for sharing with the spring flower deprived! Happy travels.
These gardens are just beautiful! So nice that we have shared memories here.
Ellen, I loved the tulips. The blooming here is late. Soon. I enjoyed the colors so much. Sylvia D.
Love the pic of you guys. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers ever! This festival is on my bucket list to see in real life one day! Until then I’ll enjoy your pictures.