Tulips Everywhere

By Zhu • May 12, 2008 • Print This Blahblah

Every year, once the snow has melted, tulips are displayed throughout the city of Ottawa.

It isn’t the result of luck though, but of the fruits of labor. Indeed, Ottawa is home to the largest tulip festival, thanks to history and… the Netherlands.

During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Princess Juliana and her daughters, then in exile, found shelter in Canada. Princess Margaret was even born in Ottawa, and the maternity ward was declared to be officially a temporary part of the Netherlands, so that the birth could formally be claimed to have occurred on Dutch territory.

Right after the war, the Netherlands begun sending tulips bulbs to Ottawa as an expression of their gratitude. Today, about 20,000 tulips bulbs are given by the Royal family. Over 3 millions tulips are on display for about three weeks throughout Ottawa, and that’s just what we need after having watched snow melt (sometimes literally) for so many months!

Aren’t they beautiful?

Filed under: Snapshots
Tagged: Ottawa, Snapshots

About the Author

Zhu

French woman in English Canada. Occasionally: speaks Mandarin or Spanish, bitches about the Canadian weather, writes left-wing rants, gives test to her students so that she can read the paper and have breakfast, speaks of cultural difference or goes backpacking across the world. And enjoys Canada as her new home.

15 Responses to “ Tulips Everywhere ”

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Max Coutinho May 14th, 2008 at 10:08 am

Salut Zhu,

Yes, they are absolutely beautiful!! Such gorgeous flowers! I am not much of a flower fan, but I love watching them in the wild…a gorgeous expression of Mother Nature!

Welcome Spring time! :happy:

Cheers

Max Coutinhos last great read…Plot and Betrayal
shionge May 14th, 2008 at 7:46 pm

Oh I didn’t know that now I know and it is so beautiful I can spend the whole day there appreciating the lovely tulips
Celine May 16th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

Absolutely beautiful!

Celines last great read…Caves of Panna
Scarlet May 16th, 2008 at 8:40 pm

What I wouldn’t give to have those in my yard! They’re beautiful. All your pics are vibrant and amazing!

Scarlets last great read…my real name
Linguist-in-Waiting May 17th, 2008 at 10:34 am

I love those tulips. I read somewhere that it has something to do with the fact that Canada sheltered the Royal family during the Second World War, and even made some house extra-territorial, so that when someone was born, it was granted Dutch citizenship, not Canadian. I just do not know which Queen or Princess it is.

Linguist-in-Waitings last great read…On the Road: May 17