Every spring, the Parc de l’Indépendance in Morges explodes in a 7-week riot of gorgeous colors and tulip blooms.  The Tulip Festival, celebrating its 50th year, will technically wrap up this weekend (Sunday, May 10th), despite already cancelling its planned animations.  The Parc itself is still open, but the public must abide by physical distancing guidelines.

Screen Shot 2020-05-07 at 00.46.47

While Festival organizers are urging would-be visitors to stay at home, they have shared the beauty of the 190K flowers (380 tulip varieties) via a series of videos that can be viewed below.

Highlights include a tulip-shaped bed (massif) with 12K blooms, as well as a 50th birthday ‘cake’ shaped from 4K blooms in four layers.

Each tulip bed is carefully planned and often carries a deeper meaning than petal-deep beauty.  For example, different massifs are dedicated to breast cancer awareness and the eradication of polio.  If you visit the flowers over the course of the festival, some of the blooms change their vivid colors over time (deep pink, to light pink, to a final orange.)

The majority of the planting/maintenance work is carried out by the city of Morges’ landscapers and horticulture apprentices.  The grounds are mowed constantly for an impeccable finish.  Planning is underway now for the 2021 Festival’s massifs, to be planted this October.

Later this summer and early fall (July – October), the Quay of the Dahlias will take place along the lakeside in Morges.  As restrictions continue to relax in the coming weeks, there is a growing possibility of seeing these blooms in person, fingers crossed!

quai20du20dahlia

We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to learn more about our activities and excursions, visit our website at  http://www.aiwcgeneva.org/