I wanted to see what 650,000 tulips look like. So, I visited Dixon Gallery and Gardens last week to check out this phenomenon.
It’s fantastic. This is something you must see. Colorful tulips everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Masses of them. They were planted to celebrate Dixon’s 50th anniversary.
Tulips at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
First of all, don’t worry about the early St. Patrick’s Day frost, says Dixon garden volunteer Suzanne Allen. “This freeze last night, we were left with a few droopy ones, but they’re going to perk up and be fine.”
And, she adds, “The weather this weekend is going to be wonderful again. And it’s really a sight to behold.”
According to a news release, 102 tulip varieties are featured over 17 acres at Dixon, which is at 4339 Park Avenue. Historic photographs show that founders Margaret and Hugo Dixon grew and arranged tulips on the property from the 1940s through the 1970s. One of the varieties is the Margaret Oates Dixon tulip.
Tulips at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Tulips at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Tulips at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Large scale plantings began with 20,000 bulbs at Dixon, Allen says. “In recent years we averaged 250,000. But in honor of our 50th anniversary, we decided to go all out.”
When did they start? “We started planting the tulips in early November,” said Allen. “We brought in about four temporary workers and we had our crew of five. And we had numerous volunteers who helped.”
If you can’t get by Dixon right away, don’t stress. “What we do is plant a variety of tulips,” Allen says. “We have early, middle, and late blooming tulips because we want an extended bloom time. Everything does not peak at one time. We have different areas that kind of flow through and peak.”
They planned for different areas of peak display through April 15th, but, she adds, “We all know how plans and Mother Nature works.”