Capital in Bloom: Tulips in Buds, Other Bulbs in Bloom

The tulip season has begun! Some early season varieties are in bloom, most are in buds. Other springtime bulbs, also from the Netherlands, are already in bloom. All over the Capital core, they will amaze residents and visitors. As the official gardener of Canada’s Capital, the National Capital Commission (NCC) invites the public to take in the colourful displays of tulips to be found in springtime throughout the region. Close to one million tulips, in 100 varieties, arranged with thousands of spring flowers bring the NCC’s flower beds to life offering breathtaking sights for tulip gazing. The first tulip beds in the Capital were planted in 1945, when the Netherlands sent 100,000 tulip bulbs as a post-war gift for the role played by Canadian soldiers in the liberation of the Netherlands. This spring, an array of colourful tulips brighten over 100 flower beds spread across 40 different sites, such as Parliament Hill, Commissioners Park, Jacques-Cartier Park as well as along Confederation Boulevard, the historic Rideau Canal and the Capital’s scenic pathways. Tulip gardens at Commissioners Park The most spectacular display of tulips is found in Commissioners Park, by Dows Lake and the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. Close to 250,000 tulips, in 60 different varieties, bloom in the park’s 30 flowerbeds. Unique designs have been applied to larger tulip beds in the Park, by combining tulips of different colours and heights. The historic Queen Juliana Gift Bed, filled with tulips in many shades of orange, the Dutch royal colour, is also found at Commissioners Park. The garden is dedicated to the Dutch Royal Family and the people of the Netherlands and symbolizes our long lasting friendship. Annuals after tulips As part of its horticultural program, the NCC plants more than 150,000 annual flowers in the Capital Region’s flowerbeds, which are in full bloom in late July and August. The most colourful gardens are situated at Commissioners Park, Major’s Hill Park and at Jacques-Cartier Park, in Gatineau. For more information about tulips in the Capital, the public may contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 1-800-465-1867, 613-239-5090 (TTY) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca/tulips.