What to Know
- Descanso Gardens is in La Cañada Flintridge
- The 150-acre garden is open daily with advance reservations; face coverings are required for visitors and employees
- March is peak tulip time at the airy, path-filled property
The uplifting and cheery tells of spring are moving as quickly as a hummingbird's wing these days, with strawberries appearing on the shelves at our favorite farm stands, daffodils adding sunshine to local gardens, and the world-famous Flower Fields returning on the first day of March.
But one of the biggest and bloomiest signs, for many devoted flowerists around Southern California, has to be when the first of some 30,000 soil-surrounded bulbs produces a hope-filled burst of petal-soft color.
Which is just what happened at Descanso Gardens on Monday, Feb. 22.
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For that's when the first tulip of the class of 2021 made its highly anticipated appearance, signaling that more tulip-y wonders will soon be on the way.
Emphasis on "more," for volunteers and staff members planted over 30,000 tulip bulbs in early January.
The bulbs chosen will produce blooms that run a Roy G. Biv-style gamut, with purples, pinks, striped petals, and other hues making a colorful showing.
But the first tulip of 2021? It's purple, if you had a hunch it might be.
The first tulips to pop up in 2020 were also purple, by the by.
As for when you can expect peak bloom? Look a little into March for a blanket o' spectacular tulipdom to make its marvelous showing.
But, of course, weather can play a major factor as to when thousands of tulips will reach their peak, and, with that in mind, the team behind the tulip-growing sensibly advised that "... we cannot predict the exact date it will occur."
Best bet for lovers of the photogenic flower, which is celebrated for its dramatic, straight-to-the-sky posture?
Keeping an eye on the Descanso Gardens social pages is a solid start.
Advance reservations are necessary, however, and visitor capacity is being capped at a lower number, compared to past tulip blooms.
So purchasing your ticket ahead of time, even by a few weeks? It could be a wise move, even if you're not exactly sure as to when the peak tulip time might hit its petal-perfect moment.
Call it something to ponder as you prepare to behold one of Southern California's most spring-spectacular sights, the tulip-filled expanse of Descanso Gardens.
Don't forget your face covering, and do review all of the destination's safety protocols before opening your own petals in the direction of La Cañada Flintridge.
