>>>>> Tulip Festival 2015 PHOTOS AND INFORMATION <<<<<
Our first official stop on the Circle Farm Tour was at the Tulips of the Valley Festival on Seabird Island [Google Map] where we were greeted by owner, Kate Onos-Gilbert.
Having a working farm with a million tulip bulbs spanning over 40 acres means Kate is one busy woman. She told us that she wanted to open up the fields to the public so all could enjoy — and thank goodness she did, welcoming thousands last weekend along. Kate also has a goal to provide Canadian-grown bulbs so everyone can enjoy tulips at home in their own gardens, and said that since the bulbs have been in this soil for three years now, they are now considered Canadian.
The lifecycle of the tulip process spans over months but for a few short weeks in the spring Kate opens up her tulip farm to visitors for the festival.
You can head out among the other 30 varieties of tulips, take photos, enjoy the scenery, as snack on some bannock made by June Harris.
Kate has been growing and cultivating the tulips for years and seeing what types work best in Canada, since they are not indigenous to this country. You can currently purchase almost 20 different kinds of bulbs from her fields on-site as and she also has a permanent stand at 1694 Tranmer Rd in Agassiz.
The 2009 festival only runs until May 3rd so this weekend is your last chance to check it out before the greenhouse tulip life cycle begins again.
I have been a guest of the Harrison/Agassiz region for the last 24 hours and although I have numerous entries yet to come about our stops on the Circle Farm Tour, our first destination was Minter Gardens. I thought this would be perfect opportunity to expand my Day Tripping series.
Located just off Highway 1 [Google Map], I’ve driven by the Minter Gardens turn off for almost 30 years and have never stopped to visit, which is a really a shame. Just 90 minutes from downtown (which is the actual time it took me) Minter Gardens is more than just a show garden. Its unique location, landscape, and collection of horticultural wonders make it a fantastic place for a stroll, for a colourful photowalk, or for an avid gardener who wants to pick up some ideas.
When we arrived we were greeted by Erin Minter, the daughter of founder Brian Minter, in the Trillium Restaurant who gave us a tour of the gardens. Erin took us along the “self guided tour” path, for which visitors will get a map when they first arrive. The map points out different spots of interest along the way, as well as a few other trails for exploring. Erin encourages everyone, when doing the self-guided tour, to stop at the points of interest and do a 360 degree turn, “you’ll get a different view each time.”
The 32-acre show garden has 100,000 tulips, a 1,000 rhododendrons, unique species, and thousands of other beautifully groomed and cultivated trees and plants. There is also a kids play area and Minter Gardens is dog-friendly (although they ask that you keep your pup on a short leash).
There are several water features throughout the gardens which Erin explained not only help the plants, naturally, but they also serve to create lovely, natural sounds (drowning out the vehicles over on the highway), while also creating movement and a quiet place for visitors to site, rest, or reflect.
Erin said they already have 83 weddings booked for the season at both of their wedding sites in the gardens.
However, you will notice there are no fish in the ponds, creeks or the Lake Garden, “ask the herons and raccoons,” Erin said. Many of their sites and gardens need to be planned according to what type of creatures it might attract, aside from bloom-loving humans. Being nestled near Mt Cheam means bears might also pay them a visit in the gardens.
At many spots on the tour she also noted plants and collections that were donated to the gardens such as the fern garden. “You never do something this massive without the help of the community.” This is something that I felt resonated throughout the day, and carried through to every other place in the Agassiz/Harrison area that we visited. The sense of community out here is uplifting and inspiring.
There is indeed a strong sense of community in the area and it was great to hear about the family business at Minter Gardens. Erin said her 86 year old grandma still helps out in the Country Garden Store — the retail location for plants, bulbs, blooms and pots that the family also runs. Erin said that many often get ideas for their own gardens when at Minter, and can then go to the Garden Centre to pick up the necessities try things at home.
Right now is a good time to visit Minter Gardens since the blossoms are emerging, however due to the harsh winter, the plants are about 3-5 weeks behind their natural schedule. Things are also beautiful in the fall, when everything turns bright red, gold, orange, and rust-coloured in the tree tops. The Gardens officially close from October to March, however they run special events and activities during the Christmas season.
Minter Gardens opened on Mother’s Day in 1980 and this year for Mother’s Day they’re hosting a special brunch in the restaurant. They often host special events however simply stopping by the gardens any day seems like a good idea to me.
Admission is $16 for adults, and they have rates for seniors, youth, and kids 5 and under are free. They also have a family rate and I would recommend getting the “seasons pass” as it’s only $5 more – then you can come back anytime and see the seasonal changes in the plants. They also have a special printable coupon online, which you can download from here.
There are other show gardens around but none compare to the unique location and setting of Minter Gardens – combined with its features, collections, amenities, as well as family and community pride.
I first heard about Libre when I was running my contest for the Genie Gift Box. I finally met Wendy of Libre recently and learned a bit more about her product, loose-leaf tea, and the Sunshine Coast.
Libre is a portable tea “to go” mug made of glass and polycarbonate, and the mouthpiece is BPA-free plastic. Basically you can put hot tea right in there (or cold), watch it steep, and take clean sips thanks to the little strainer screen.
If you have black tea or a finer blend, you can flip it upside down to steep and clean out the strainer before taking it on the go. It’s also ideal for blending matcha powder with just a few shakes.
Wendy brought me their “Glass’n Poly” as well as their all-glass style, which is just beautiful. She also supplied me with some local tea from the Tiny Tea Company in Gibsons.
It was really nice to hear about local businesses and what Wendy calls the “lost corner of the 604” since Gibsons is also in the 604 area code.
You can purchase their tea glasses online and right now Wendy is also offering up the following: 10% off on the Glass’n Poly style with 25% of proceeds to a well-known non-profit for clean water. Also if you purchase 3 or more she’ll throw in free shipping.
If you do get your hands on a Libre glass, take a photo and share your “Tea Moments” on their Flickr group.
This was definitely a great reminder that the next Bollwitt day trip adventure should involve heading over to the Sunshine Coast (and that I should be drinking more tea).
Disclosure: I was not paid to write this post however I will be enjoying some local loose-leaf tea in my Glass’n Poly.
After the resounding success of the first NHLTweetup in Vancouver, I’ve joined forces with the king of Canucks tweets, Richard Loat, and plotted the Round Two tweetup.
What’s a NHLTweetup?
An in-person meetup (eat, drink, chat) for people who are on Twitter and like to cheer on the #Canucks. You can read my post from the last one for more information and a recap.
Where will this be?
Richard has secured the big room at the Shark Club on Georgia Street for our group.
When should I show up?
6:00pm on Thursday April 30th – it’s short notice but hey, we just got the schedule.
I am also personally pretty excited to wear my shiny new jersey out in public for the first time since the recent purchase.
If you can come by, just RSVP on the Twtvite page (or using the Twtvite RSVP panel on the main page of my site) and we’ll count you in. All you need to do is show up and watch the game with the rest of us and we’ll have a great time.
Should you or your company be interested in sponsoring a raffle prize or perhaps a round of beer, please leave a comment or message Richard or me on Twitter.
This weekend the city will be taken over by the colossal BMO Vancouver Marathon 2009.
On Sunday May3rd, there will be the marathon for elite and recreational runners (42.2km), a half marathon (21.1km), an 8km run (for runners or walkers), and the McDonald’s Kids Marafun.
Leading up to the event, there is a sports expo down at Concord Pacific Place in False Creek (Thursday, April 30th from 4:00 to 8:00pm, Friday, May 1st, 11:00 to 8:00pm, Saturday, May 2nd, 10:00 to 7:00pm, and Sunday, May 3rd from 7:00 to 3:00pm).
There is an extensive list of road closures downtown for Sunday, which include several major thoroughfares downtown, in the West End, in Kitisilano, Point Grey, Chinatown, Gastown, and False Creek. You can also view race maps for an overview of the route.
I have been told by organizers that they are also in desperate need of volunteers for Sunday so if you’re interested in helping out you can sign up online. All volunteers get a Saucony t-shirt when they check in as well as a certificate for hours volunteered.
Just as I suspected, Wyn will be running the marathon (before heading to Halifax and NYC) so best of luck to her and the other participants on Sunday.
Related post: Check out my fun run roundup for more running events in Vancouver this season.
