Maybe this should be called - Favorite Things - because they are.
Skagit Valley has a Tulip Festival that lasts the entire month of April - but the daffodils are always blooming just before the tulips and are just as popular an attraction. People come from all over the state and if you visit on a weekend - plan to be in long lines of cars and traffic jams. I've had friends tell me that it took them 4-5 hours to get back to Seattle (90 miles away) because of the bumper to bumper traffic coming from the festival on weekends. We head down there on a week day afternoon - Wednesday or Thursday is best - and the roads are almost deserted. We can stop along the way and get all the photos we want.
And the heavenly scent - on a warm day it is amazing. We've also been there on rainy, soggy days - but the daffodils still glow. This year they are predicting temperatures in the high 60s and sunshine - look out - here come the flower watchers.
The festival includes tours, flowers for sale, art shows, fly-over tours of the fields, food booths, and used to have a pickle contest. I'm not sure why they don't do that anymore. It is all fun and lots of beauty. Come on over - but remember, I warned you about weekends. Enjoy.
Hundreds of acres of daffodils are grown each year, for the bulbs.
When the flowers reach a certain stage they are then cut and the plants left to mature for the bulbs
So you have to see the tulips while they are still blooming - and before they are cut back
In the early stages of bloom - before they look like this - flower stems are cut for sale at stores in the area.
Waves of yellow - as far as the eye can see - and next week, just as many tulips
We've never been to see the daffodils in the late afternoon - the sun shines through the back of the flowers and gives them a whole different look.
There are so many different kinds of daffodils
Love the yellow back l ight
So sweet
And of course everyone uses daffodils in their landscaping
The edgings in these flower gardens is fishing floats
And one tulip with the sun highlighting it - next week the massive tulip fields will be in full bloom - come back next week.
So beautiful. We have the same here however we are about a month behind so the daffodils are still waiting to go into full bloom. We also have the Spalding Tulip Parade around May Day where floats are decorated with the Tulips from the surrounding fields. I think they may have to use some from Holland this year though. Have a wonderful Easter. Chel x
ReplyDeleteThat would quickly become a favorite thing of mine, if I lived in your area. I love hearing that it is so popular! Gorgeous photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for joining in this week!
xo
Claudia
Wow it's been a lot of years since I've gone to see the flowers. I'll just have to enjoy them with your pictures.
ReplyDeleteCrispy
Wow! Happy Easter! Visiting from MHC.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a lovely sight! Wish I could see it in person, but for now I will enjoy your photos. Looking forward to seeing all the tulips too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you!
The tulip festival was on my list of things to do for this spring, but I've seen on the news that the border lineups are terrible - some as long as three hours - and they will get worse as the cutbacks in US border and immigration staff take effect on Monday.
ReplyDeleteWow! I didn't realize all that entailed in growing daffodils for their bulbs. They sure put on a magnificent show. The first house I bought in Georgia had lots of daffodils in the front yard but whoever planted them just put them wherever so they would pop up in the most unexpected places. Lots of daffodil posts today-- Spring surely must be on its way (though we are already heading into summer here). Best wishes, Tammy
ReplyDeleteSkagit Valley is gorgeous! The Pacific Northwest has so many spectacular sights. Wishing you and yours a Blessed Easter.
ReplyDeleteBig Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
I hadn't known about the daffodils until recently. Aren't they pretty! We're headed to the Tulip Festival in mid-April, a Tues./Wed. trip. Can't wait! A ferry from the Olympic Peninsula makes morning or late afternoon timing for pictures impossible, so we'll just have to stay!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Daffodils are the most cheerful flower, especially by the thousands! I bet it smells wonderful, too! xoxo
ReplyDelete