Virginia Tulip Festival Springs Into Color This Month

By Greenhouse Grower staff|April 7, 2011

If it’s spring, it must be time to pick your own organic tulips. Virginia-based EcoTulips, an organic tulip supplier, is hosting its second annual Organic Tulip Festival from April 2-17 in partnership with DuCard Vineyard and Brightwood Vineyard and Farm.

This year’s organic tulip festival, the only one of its kind in the U.S., will include wine tastings, farm tours and “Koppie Doen” (or “Tulip Talks”) with “Tulip Man” Jeroen Koeman, a co-founder of EcoTulips. Koeman comes from a long line of tulip growers in the Netherlands.

Visitors may pick their own organic tulips for $1-2 a stem from EcoTulips’ 10,000 square-foot organic garden while tiptoeing among 20 varieties of more than 60,000 tulips. They are also welcome to stroll through the beautiful inspiration garden full of organic tulips–as well as organic daffodils, crocuses, and grape hyacinths–have a picnic and enjoy wine and organic foods from local vendors.

Reservations are required for groups of 25 or more. Due to the delicate flowers, no pets are allowed. Parking and entry is free.

In addition to hosting the nation’s only organic tulip festival, EcoTulips is the only company offering organic flower bulbs as part of an eco-friendly fundraiser program. This program has proven to be highly popular among schools, scouting organizations, service clubs, churches, and other non-profits. Wholesale and retail sales of organic tulip, daffodil, crocus, and grape hyacinth bulbs are also available online.