MOUNT VERNON — It’s not too blooming late to see the tulips.
The delayed start of color in the fields means farms are staying open after the monthlong Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April.
It can also mean less traffic than in April, at least during the week.
“We have lots of tulips to see and all four of our gardens will be open through May 7,” tulip festival director Cindy Verge said.
The spectacle continues at Tulip Valley Farms, Garden Rosalyn, Tulip Town and RoozenGaarde.
Social media posts by visitors to all four farms share the beauty of row after row of vivid colors. People can buy flowers, learn the names of the numerous tulip varieties and snap stunning photos.
“It ended up being spectacular with a very, very slow start, because it was so cold at the beginning of the month,” Verge said. ”We had lots of lots of visitors. On my ‘Where do you live?’ map it is pretty well filled out both around the world and from around our country.”
Tulip Town will be open “as long as we have color in the fields,” co-owner Kristen Keltz said in a news release. “Our rationale is ‘color dependent’ instead of ‘weather dependent.’ Mother Nature will ultimately dictate how long Tulip Town will stay open.”
RoozenGaarde, the largest farm, is open year-round.
“This year we expect to be overflowing with color through at least the first weekend in May. The tulips may bloom for a bit longer than that, but we’re not making any promises at the moment,” RoozenGaarde said on its Facebook page.
Tulip Valley Farms said on social media that it “anticipates being open through Mother’s Day this season.”
Garden Rosalyn’s Facebook page shows its family of resident ducks and geese as well as bright blooms against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
Admission price varies by farm. To save time and money, purchase tickets online.
There is more to do than look at pretty flowers.
Art in a Pickle Barn Show, a showcase of local artists and crafters at 15530 Highway 536, also known as Memorial Highway, is extending the event through Saturday.
Need a treat?
Schuh Farms is across the highway from the art show.
“We have a bakery on site. All the pies, bread and cookies are made right here,” Schuh worker Valerie Thomas said. “Be prepared to look at a lot of yummy.”
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.
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