Extended Weekend Getaways 
By Theresa St. John
Freelance Travel Writer
How It All Started
Pretty in pink tulips – Theresa St John
ALBANY -You have to go back to WWII, when Nijmegen, one of the Netherlands’ oldest cities, was heavily damaged and sent out a call for help after the war had ended – which Albany answered in 1945-1947. Mayor Corning published an article asking citizens to step up and help. The city responded with a resounding “Yes!” sending 300 tons of humanitarian aid by barge to the ravaged city. This was a signal of hope, an offering of strength towards Nijmegen’s reconstruction efforts. It didn’t matter that we were still under rationing at the time; Albany’s population opened its hearts and sent what it could.
I’d never seen fringed petals before. Is lovely – by Theresa St John
Boxes of clothes, stockings, good work outfits, sheets and pillows, food, non-perishables, chess sets, tools such as hammers and shovels, and books and magazines for reading were just some of what was compiled, packaged, and sent with love to our adopted sister city.
In return, Nijmegen sent Albany 21,000 tulip bulbs after learning there were little to no tulips in the US at the time. Albany formed the Tulip Committee and, in the spring of 1948, asked Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands to designate a variety of tulip to be Albany’s official flower. She suggested one called ‘Orange Wonder,’ and it is now known as “The tulip of Albany.”
Queen Wilhelmina’s photograph was a quiet symbol of resistance against the Germans during WWII. Like Winston Churchill, she frequently broadcast messages to the people of her Dutch homeland over Radio Oranje. She called out Adolf Hitler as “the arch-enemy of mankind.” The queen appreciated the help offered by Albany, and the friendship between the two countries and cities remains warm and continues to grow even today, so many years later.
Washington Park Showcases The Past And Present
Street Sweeping at the festival by Theresa St John
This year, the 78th annual Tulip Festival will be celebrated the weekend of May 9th and 10th. I do attend the festivities during those two days, but I also visit several times in late April and early May. I love wandering around the 81-acre ‘Crown Jewel’ of Albany and taking photos of all the different stages of tulips and other flowers breaking through the brutal winter’s ground. I will watch the street-sweepers and the crowning of the new queen. Believe it or not, there will be more than 140,000 tulips in 150 varieties on full-color display throughout the city.
City workers start planting in the fall for the springtime extravaganza. They have about a 40-day window to complete the job.
I rent an apartment, so I don’t have a garden. But it’s always exciting to watch the park host a Tulip Bulb and Dig Sale, where visitors can bring a garden fork and pay $10 for a bag of 30 bulbs, while supplies last. The beds people can dig from are designated by park staff and volunteers on May 16th, and runs from 9 am -12 pm. On May 17th, at 9 am at the park’s Lakehouse, all remaining bulbs will be on sale for $10 per bag of 30. If you’re a gardener, this is the place to be! Last year, they even had a composting tent where people could learn all there is to know about composting and keeping their garden beds healthy.
History With Events
Events like these are always wrapped up in fascinating history, no matter where they happen in the world. There’s always a backstory – and those are the stories I look forward to digging up. How about you? If you’re in the Albany area, I hope you’ll join us in honoring the majestic tulip and remembering this very special gift from our adopted sister country and her people. It’s something you’ll never forget.
A photographer’s dream shoot – Theresa St John
Tulip Trivia
Did you know there are no blue tulips? Every other color of the rainbow – even black, but no shade of blue tulip – yet.
‘Tidy up for Tulip time’ was a campaign begun in the 1950s. The posters were seen everywhere in the city, encouraging folks to clean up their neighborhoods and to be proud of their sidewalks and streets every day, especially during Tulip Fest.
The original brass-and-copper crown from 1949 is in the archives of the Albany Institute of History and Art. I saw a photo of it, and it looks as if the tulips are holding hands and dancing around the crown. It was used from 1949 to 1959, but it really was too heavy for the crowned queens to wear all day. Now that this beauty is retired, they have another crown ( I’m not sure it’s as pretty…)
Some tulips are edible!
Certain tulip petals are safe to eat. In many culinary traditions, petals are added to dishes for a touch of elegance and color. They can project a mild, sweet flavor as garnishes to salads, desserts, and even cocktails. Be careful, though, not all tulips are edible.
Have you ever heard of ‘Tulip Mania ’?
Well, it was a real thing! During the 1600s, the tulip in the Netherlands became incredibly valuable. Some historians say this was the first-ever documented economic bubble. How valuable, you ask? At the peak of Tulip Mania, one (yes, one) tulip bulb could be sold for enough guilders (Dutch currency) to purchase a large home. When I heard this, I couldn’t believe it. But, tulips had been introduced there in the 1500s and were widely considered a rare commodity.
