Sunshine and tulips, Girls on Wheels’ favorite springtime accessories (photo by Vicki Baker)
Vicki Baker
Oh Spring, how we missed you! Fields of wildflowers blanketing the Lone Star State, including our gorgeous state flower, the bluebonnet. But there’s another beauty making its short-lived but glorious debut—tulips. Longing to bring these magnificent blooms into our homes, Girls on Wheels (Lois Reinhart, Susan Hebert, Karen DiPietro, Nancy Burns, Cassie Richardson, Shirley Monge, and Vicki Baker) set out for a sun-filled day at the very first tulip field in the state, Texas Tulips, a magical and eye-popping wonderland of garden treasures.
Husband and wife team Pieter and Petra Koeman opened this flower farm in 2015 after moving to the Dallas area from the Netherlands, a country long famous for its tulip industry. Spread over six acres, the pick-your-own tulip field blossomed with over 100 varieties, including gorgeous Texas Flames, flamboyant Bright Parrots, serene Tom Pouces, and bright Yellow Pompenettes.
So, here’s the rundown of how the process worked: Scattered through the field were tulip-picking baskets. After we each grabbed a basket, we strolled the rainbow-colored fields, hand picking tulips straight from the ground. With so many colors and shapes to choose from, we filled our baskets to our heart’s content, creating our own perfect bouquet. A special gel was then applied to the open stems, guaranteeing the flowers’ freshness. One final step—wrapping our tulips in pretty paper for the trip home.
While many search for fields of bluebonnets at the onset of spring, Girls on Wheels traipsed through a sea of color at Texas Tulips, enjoying the sunny side of life in full bloom. It was a European floral paradise right in the heart of North Texas, with rows upon rows of yellow, white, pink, and purple blossoming flowers. The gorgeous bouquets (and photos) might even have had some of our friends believing we had just returned from a European getaway to the tulip gardens of the Netherlands!