May 9, 2016 - The Canada 150 tulip, the official tulip of Canada’s 150th anniversary, was unveiled in Commissioners Park. More than 200,000 Canada 150 tulips are blooming across the National Capital Region this spring.
 

The Canada 150 tulip’s elegant white bloom with red flames bears a striking resemblance to our maple leaf flag. The National Capital Commission (NCC) has partnered with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Home Hardware, exclusive retailer of this special tulip bulb, and Communities in Bloom for the selection and distribution of the Canada 150 tulip.

During the sesquicentennial celebrations in spring 2017, 300,000 Canada 150 tulips will be showcased in the NCC’s flower beds, and thousands more will bloom in community gardens across Canada.

Quick Facts

• The public can purchase Canada 150 tulip bulbs at participating Home Hardware stores nationwide as of September 2016, so they can enjoy the beauty of this special tulip as part of the Canada 150 celebrations in spring 2017.
   
• As the official gardener of Canada’s Capital, the NCC is responsible for designing and planting close to one million tulips of 100 varieties, in 100 flower beds, which brighten the region in springtime.
   
• The most spectacular display of tulips is in Commissioners Park by Dows Lake, where 250,000 tulips of 60 different varieties bloom in the park’s 30 flower beds.
   
• The first tulip beds in the Capital were planted in 1945, when the Netherlands sent 100,000 tulip bulbs as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian soldiers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by many local residents and media, and included His Excellency Cees Kole, Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who commented, "The tulip represents gratitude and the long-standing friendship between Canada and the Netherlands. Blooming in the colours of Canada’s flag, Canada 150 tulips will bring both pride and joy to gardens and communities from coast to coast to coast.”

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Canadian Garden Council tulip giveaway

To celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, and thanks to Vesey’s Bulbs of PEI, the Canadian Garden Council is giving away 150 gardens, each consisting of 1,000 red and white tulip bulbs. Eligible applicants for this program are communities, public gardens, municipalities, schools, organization, horticultural societies, garden clubs and the like.  

The Council’s objective is to highlight that gardens are an important part of Canada’s history, culture, development and growth and to provide an opportunity for as many Canadians as possible to take part in the country’s 150th anniversary celebrations via gardens.

If you know of an organization in your community that might like to apply for one of these Celebration Gardens, let them know about the program and ask them to visit www.canadasgardenroute.ca for program details and application form (deadline for application August 8, 2016).