Stunning Tulip Walks at the National Botanic Garden – 2 weekends only!

Tulip walks in HUngary. Photo: National Botanic Garden

In April, Tulip Walks were launched at the National Botanic Garden in Vácrátót, Hungary. Each week, visitors can meet more and more of them in the arboretum.

Most of the species of this bulbous plant (Tulipa), a member of the lily family (Liliaceae), are native to Central and Inner Asia. Still, there are representatives in the Caucasus mountains, southern Europe, and Asia Minor. Several species of tulips have been introduced into horticulture. The first bulbs made their way to the fabulous Persian gardens along the famous Silk Road in the luggage of traders and travellers, and from there, they conquered the world’s gardens via the Ottoman Empire, according to the National Botanic Garden’s Facebook page.

A total of 420 bulbs have been planted in the basins of the Vácrátót Botanical Gardens, and the greenhouses, the entrance, and the mansion have been decorated. Tulips have also been planted in the open ground, and flowers are blooming in the flowerbeds on either side of the Mansion.

The National Botanic Garden has launched TulipMania Experience Walks, which will reveal behind-the-scenes gardening secrets and flower-related crimes.

“Who doesn’t know and love tulips? But do we know where they came from and what their journey has been over the centuries? Who was Clusius and what crime was he involved in? What is tulip madness, and why did the Dutch eat tulip bulbs worth a fortune? Tulips have made their way into fairy tales and art. Our guided walk through the fascinating cultural history of the tulip during the tulip blossom season will also show how some wild species can be transformed by human breeding,” reads the tulip history walk section on their website.

Impress Magazine said the tulip walks will run over two more weekends in April (13-14, 20-21). The 2-2.5-hour walks start at 3 PM from the front of Berkenye House, led by head gardener Gergely Lunk. The participation fee is HUF 5,000 (EUR 13) per person. Tickets are available in advance only, with a limited number of tickets.

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