Tiptoeing through the Tulips

My friend, Marcia, recently had both hips replaced in Seattle.  She walked for years with Regina and me on the Lewiston levee.  We miss her so much that we put a quick trip to Seattle together just to spend time with her.  We watched her walk, cheered her rehab activities, and determined she could make the trip to the Tulip Fesitval with us.  And, gratefully, the tulips were just beginning to bloom near LaConnor, WA.

We thought we'd only get to see massive fields of tulips, but decided to pull into a parking lot and pay the $5.00 fee just to get a little closer for some photos.  

The best surprise actually happened across the street from this field.  A nice parking attendant made arrangements for us to park in a handicapped section of the artistic gardens.

Colors burst from every planting bed

Rows and rows of exquisite color combinations!

And the most gorgeous Azalea we'd ever seen

 We learned that William Roozen came to Skagit Valley in 1946 and vowed one day he would move there from Holland, where his family raised tulip bulbs since the 1700's.  He bought five acres and a barn in 1955 and started his tulip business.  Now RoozenGaarde comprises more than 2,000 acres.  The poster states that he treasured his family more than anything.  He and Helen were married for 55 years and the parents of 10 children and 36 grandchildren!

We wandered through the gift shop, bought some cards and took the catalog so we can order the bulbs for fall delivery.  An employee told us that the bulbs are dug up every year, stored in greenhouses and it takes two months to design and plant the color combinations that thrilled us.

I bought this quaint blue pitcher at a thrift shop in LaConnor and my own daffodils are very happy in it.  It will remind me of a fantastic trip tiptoeing through the tulips with great friends.